17 Thursday Jul 2014
Posted in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation, BSNL News, Forum, Telecom
Tags
The Forum of BSNL Unions and Associations will be meeting at 1600 hours on 18th July 2014 at Local Council Room NTR, Eastern Court, Delhi to discuss certain important issues including the Agreement made by the BSNL Management with Reliance Jio on sharing of the towers.
All the Forum Constituents are requested to be present.
14 Monday Jul 2014
Posted in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation, Telecom
Government has decided for a support expenditure target of Rs. 6,463 crores to the telecom PSUs. BSNL will get Rs. 5,132.19 crore, MTNL Rs. 808.46 crores, C-DOT Rs. 60 crore and one crore each for HPIL and TCIL, this financial year 2014-15. This support is for network expansion, upgradation etc.
The government should release the amount at the earliest so that the cash-strapped PSUs can start the expansion, upgradation work at the earliest.
13 Sunday Jul 2014
Posted in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation, Forum, PSU, Telecom
We are surprised to know that BSNL has made a Master Agreement on 2nd May 2014 with Reliance Jio Infocom Limited on Passive Infrastructure Sharing with the condition of sharing of Towers, BTS, Antenna, Feeder cable etc. the agreement is for 15 years with.
The rent for one month for Ground Tower is Rs. 38,700 and for the Roof Top Tower Rs. 24,900. For the first three years, there will be reduced rate.
The entire details of the agreement are not with us and hence it is not possible to comment of the details of the same. But, however, such a massive agreement involving about 60,000 towers, connected cables etc. is not a small matter. The unions/associations, who have got important stakes should have been consulted before taking any such action.
It is to be noted that the JAC/Forum of Unions and Associations have gone on strike and stopped unbundling and and sharing of towers in the past. We feel that this agreement is a calculated move to give the benefit of our towers cables etc. to the Reliance Jio which is one of the big corporate in the country owned by Mukesh Ambani.
12 Saturday Jul 2014
Posted in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation
In a statement in the Rajya Sabha, Communications Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has stated that within the next 5 years, the BSNL and MTNL will get a fresh investment of Rs. 39,458 crores towards their revival. Both the PSUs under heavy financial strain and are in loss for the last 4 years.
The Communications Minister stated that the Government is quite serious about the revival of the two telecom PSUs and will invest for network expansion.
BSNL has a loan of Rs. 6,388 crore in June 2014 and MTNL about Rs. 14,760 crore. The Market share of BSNL is 11%, reduced from 15% in the last 5 years since 2009. The loss of BSNL for 2013-14 is Rs. 7,085 crore.
If the government decides, there is no doubt that both BSNL and MTNL can be made profitable. Its policy of favouring the private companies should go. Assistance should be given to the telecom PSUs to tide over the present crisis. Corruption has to be routed out. Efficient management is required. Special consideration is to be given to BSNL which is implementing the universal service obligation commitment of the government. Many important suggestions have been given by the Forum in this connection to the Minister. Let us hope that they will be considered and accepted to ensure revival of BSNL and MTNL
09 Wednesday Jul 2014
Posted in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation, BSNLEU
Tags
In the VI Membership Verification of Unions in BSNL, two unions, BSNLEU and NFTE have been granted recognition and allotted seats in the National, Circle and Local Councils at the ratio of 9:5. BSNLEU CHQ has nominated 9 names to the National Council for the allotted 9 seats. But unfortunately the BSNL management has accepted only 5, stating that the other 4 names, being members of other unions, will not be accepted. For the last more than one year after the formation of the new council, 5 seats are vacant due to the adamant stand of the management. This also is the situation in many circle and Local councils. The names nominated by BSNLEU are that of members of its allies in the verification.
From the First Membership verification onwards, the names of alliance unions were being nominated. Though the Management did not agree at first, it was compelled to accept the nominations on the strong protest from the recognised union. This convention continued till the V Membership Verification. Thus it can be seen that the stand of the Management is completely wrong.
The recognised union represents the entire workers and it has got the right to nominate any employee, whether he is a member of be the recognised union, of any other union or no member at all. It is the right of the union and it can not be objected. This is completely unfair labour practice. It is an infringement on the right of the trade union.
BSNL Management should come to its senses and take a correct decision to allow the nominated officials as Staff Side members in the National, Circle and Local Councils.
08 Tuesday Jul 2014
Posted in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation, PSU, Telecom
Tags
There are 35 PSUs including BSNL, MTNL,NHPC,Coal India which are having no CMD/MD/Chairman at present. This was stated in the Parliament on 7th July by Minister of State for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Shri P.Radhakrishnan. In some cases the posts are vacant for months together. IN BSNL and MTNL after the retirement of the CMDs, no body has been posted and it is additional charge for the Directors. Either these delays are purposeful to deny governance of the PSUs or to appoint officers of the choice of the political parties.
We demand that these posts be filled up without any further delay for effective functioning of the PSUs.
07 Monday Jul 2014
Posted in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation, PSU, Telecom
Tags
It is reported that the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has notified that the minimum broadband speed has been raised to 512 kilo bits per second (kbps) from the earlier 256 kbps. DOT has agreed to the same. This will benefit the customers.
02 Wednesday Jul 2014
Posted in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation, BSNL News
Once again Kerala BSNL Circle has shown that it is possible to make profits, despite heavy odds and anti-PSU policy of the government.
The revenue for 2013-14 for the circle is Rs. 2819 crore which is more than Rs. 200 crores from 2012-13. The profit for the year is Rs. 411 crores, which is more than Rs. 124 crores from last year.
Congratulations to the BSNL Kerala Management and workers who made it possible to increase the revenue and profit ! Keep it up Comrades!
28 Saturday Jun 2014
Posted in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation, PSU, Telecom
A report published on the merger of BSNL and MTNL is reproduced below.This deserves serious attention of the Forum of BSNL Unions and Associations and its affiliates:
“The communications ministry has prepared the draft for a note seeking the merger of ailing public sector telecom companies — Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL), sources in the department of telecommunications said. The draft has been sent to communications minister Ravi Shankar Prasad for his approval.
The draft was prepared in the light of weak finances in the two fallen monopolies, sources added. Unaudited financial results for the financial year 2013-2014 indicate that BSNL and MTNL are estimated to report a net loss of ` 7,084 crore and ` 1,908 crore, respectively.
Different groups have already been formed to study various aspects such as human resources, technological systems, financial and corporate integration between both firms. “A steering committee has also been constituted for the coordination of these groups,” a DoT source said.
The draft also mentions the operational level synergy between MTNL and BSNL. It suggests the creation of a separate company for the telecommunications infrastructure and has strongly suggested monetisation of the land assets possessed by both the public sector telecom companies.
“We have proposed hiving of mobile tower assets of BSNL into a separate company…a 100% subsidiary with outsourcing of operation and maintenance sales and marketing functions,” the source added.
Once the draft is examined by the communications minister, the proposal is likely to be forwarded to the law ministry, before being sent to the Cabinet for final approval.(Courtesy: Hindustan Times)
27 Friday Jun 2014
Posted in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation, BSNLEU
Tags
Detailed discussion took place in the meeting between the Director(HR) BSNL and Joint Action Committee of the Non-Executive Unions today, 27th June. All the 30 items were discussed. The discussion was cordial and effective but there is not much of a concrete decision.
It was stated by the management that the Rs. 200 SIM Card will be provided to all Non-Executives. It was also agreed that the various committees like Change of designation Committee, PLI committee etc. will be held at an early date. It was also assured that all CGMs will be once again reminded regarding implementation of labour laws, minimum wage etc. for casual/contract workers. Works Committee will be held as per earlier decision.
A brief report will be put in the BSNLEU website.
VAN Namboodiri's Blog 