14 Monday Apr 2014
Posted in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation, BSNL News
BSNL may start a Technical University utilising the infrastructure of the ALTTC Ghaziabad and TTC at Jabalpur. This was stated by the Shri Anupam Srivastava, Director, BSNL, who has been selected to be CMD after the present CMD Shri R.K.Upadhyay retires within a few months.
According to Shri Sivastava, in ALTTC Ghaziabad alone, training could be given to 2,500 – 3,000 trainees/students.
If implemented, it is good.
12 Saturday Apr 2014
The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between DOT and BSNL for the year 2014-15 has been signed on 27th March 2014, four days before the start of the New Financial year. The targets are moderate and seems to be practicable.
The Very Good Financial Targets for the year 2014-15 is as below:
Sales Turnover : Rs. 29,000 crores
Gross Operating Margin : Rs. 1,180 Crores
In addition the targets for Finalization of policy for organisational restructuring and implementation during the year and other parameters also have been noted. One of these is the Formulation of subsidiary of BSNL Tower Assets with a target date of 31-12-2014. As far as the workers are concerned, they are strongly opposing the formation of a subsidiary company, which is unnecessary and against the interest of BSNL.
On the CAPEX for Capacity Expansion, it has been given a target of additional 100 lakh lines of GSM, OFC of additional 20,000 Route Kms, Replacement of Wireline Exchanges by NGN with 5 lakh Customer migrations etc. Since no dates have been fixed the target date may be 31-03-2015.
Completion of ongoing Projects include the laying of OFC for Defence project (Network for Spectrum) to lay 40,000 Route Kms of Cable, National Optic fibre Network (NOFN) to connect 73,500 Gram Panchayats and also commissioning of 1,200 GSM BTSs.
Targets have been fixed for Productivity and Internal Process, Human Resource Management, Sector Enterprise Specific Parameters including net addition in GSM Mobile Connections (100 lAKH), Broadband Connections( 30 lakhs) implementation of ERP ( 10 Circle) etc.
The Rs. 29,000 crore Revenue Targets have been distributed among the following Verticals: Consumer Fixed Assets (Rs. 12,500 crores), Consumer Mobility ( Rs.13,500 crores) Enterprise Business (Rs. 3,600 crores) and New business ( Rs. 300 crores).
As usual all other conditions of submitting Quarterly Report to the DOT, Annual report to the DPE etc. are mentioned.
The Memorandum of Understanding are signed every year as usual. But what is the fulfilment of the Targets and parameters? According to our information, which may be incorrect also,most of these targets and parameters are never completed. Have they been fulfilled, whether the company, BSNL would have gone in to loss?
In fact, the OFC Project for Defence (NFS) and NOFN would have been finished much earlier according to the earlier Project formulation. The same with the Towers in the naxalite area.
What is plaguing the BSNL is the projects are never fulfilled. These are known to the management, but are never discussed with the 2,50,000 workforce who are also much interested in the better future of the company.
With such a large workforce, with more than 50,000 well trained technical executives and about two lakh committed workers, why the Management is unable to reach the targets fixed after much discussion and planning. There is a certain inertia somewhere in the lines. There is a casual attitude some where. This has got to be changed. Instead of sitting in the office, the majority of the executives and non-executives should be in the field.
Take the workforce also in to confidence in executing and fulfilling the targets. ITS, Executive or Non-Executive – all should realise that unless one’s full energy and effort is not utilised in expansion, development and service, it is difficult for BSNL to survive, leave alone improving.
Our demand to the BSNL Management is to make a detailed Plan for fulfilling the targets, take the workers and their unions /associations in to confidence, discuss with them how to implement the plans even before target dates and then move in to action.Is the BSNL Management capable of doing this exercise ? If so, well and good. However, the workers are determined to ensure that the company survives, strengthens and provide a better service to the nation. And certainly they have to ensure that the Management functions as it should be.
A united and joint effort is sure to win. The people of the country prefer BSNL to any other private telecom provider, because they know that it is not the profit motive that moves BSNL, but the service-motive.
Let Us March Ahead to Provide a Better Service to the Nation!
11 Friday Apr 2014
Posted in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation, BSNL News
Com. V.A.N.Namboodiri, Convener, Forum and Advisor AIBDPA met Shri Umashankar, Joint Secretary (T), DoT and discussed about the delay in the clarifications to be given to the Department of expenditure on the 78.2% IDA fixation to the pensioners and issues connected with the Revival of BSNL. The JS(T) was very sympathetic to the issues raised by the Union.
On the issue of 78.2% IDA fixation, a letter by Forum requesting early solution was given to Shri M.F.Farooqui, Secretary, DOT,who advised to discuss the matter with Additional Secretary, DOT since he was extremely busy with certain urgent matters. Additional Secretary being on leave, Com. Namboodiri met JS(T) and discussed the matter.
04 Friday Apr 2014
Posted in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation, PSU, Telecom
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A committee appointed by the DoT has recommended use of renewable energy like Solar, wind, biomass, fuel cells, hybrid power systems and battery technologies to power the telecom towers in the country. The committee was appointed for recommending Implementation of Renewable Energy Technology in the Telecom Sector’. The recommendations, if implemented will reduce the cost for diesel, petrol etc. which is presently used and which is very costly.Further the pollution and green-house gases which are unhealthy can be reduced. BSNL spends huge amount towards fuel like diesel and petrol and also electricity which expenditure is only next to salary of the employees. BSNL Management should take this opportunity to change in to the renewable energy for its towers, numbering more than 62,000. There are 5.85 lakhs total towers in the country.
27 Thursday Mar 2014
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It was a hectic programme for one week in Kerala for me. On 18th March 2014 the Circle Convention of the Casual and Contract Labour Union (BSNLCCWF), on 19th March, the Circle Convention of AIBDPA and on 20th March, the Circle Convention of BSNLEU were held at Thiruvananthapuram.
On 21st the SSA Convention of BSNLEU and AIBDPA was held at Kannur and a similar Convention at Malappuram on 26th March.On 22nd March BSNLEU Day was observed at Calicut. A Kudumba Sangamam under the auspices of AIBDPA was held at Ernakulam on 27th March.
I attended and addressed all these programmes. During the interactions with comrades, I could understand that Kerala Circle comrades are making hectic efforts to improve the profit of BSNL and the same will be more than last year. It is the only circle which has been continuously making profits. The recent 16 days strike by the CCLU has improved the wages and other benefits of casual and contract workers. The membership of AIBDPA has increased in a very positive way. All these three unions are working jointly with very good co-ordination.
I expressed my appreciation and called upon them to improve the efficiency and strengthen BSNL.
23 Sunday Mar 2014
Posted in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation, General, History
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India got Independence on 15th August 1947 putting an end to the British rule of about two hundred years, including that of East India Company. Many freedom fighters became martyrs in the struggle for independence. Congress, Communists, Socialists – all fought for freedom of the country.
But when the country became independent on 15th August 1947, there was one freedom fighter still in jail. It was Comrade A.K.Gopalan (Com. AKG). While hundreds of freedom fighters in jail were released, the Congress Govt. did not release him. Com. AKG hoisted the Indian Flag in the Jail and saluted it.
Again,there was the struggle against the hated draconian Emergency declared by the Indira Gandhi on 25 June 1975, when her election to Parliament was declared invalid. Almost all leaders of political parties, except Congress, were arrested and jailed. The press was silenced. Fascist methods were used against protesting people. Com. AKG, naturally opposed the Emergency tooth and nail.But due to his serious illness, he was not arrested. His illness took a turn to the worse and he passed away on 23rd March 1977.
The Emergency was withdrawn on 24th March 1997. The Congress was utterly defeated in the General elections and a Non- Congress Government for the first time in India was formed at Centre. Political leaders and trade union leaders and others were released. But Comrade AKG could not know about the good news. He was in comma for a few days earlier and passed away before the withdrawal of Emergency and formation of the Janata Government which won the elections with huge margin.
His famous words are significant and prophetic in this context: ‘I may not be alive to see the victory of the people. But it is a certainty that it will come sooner or later’.
18 Tuesday Mar 2014
Posted in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation, BSNL News
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The BSNL Management has invited the Forum of BSNL Unions/Associations for a presentation of its decision to form a Tower Company out of BSNL. Good that the Unions / associations are called for briefing.
But one serious question come to the fore. Why the BSNL Management or BSNL Board discuss the issue with Forum/Unions/Associations which are important stake holders of the BSNL, before taking any decision?
When the Forum knew about the arbitrary decision of the Board, it has strongly protested against this anti-BSNL, anti-worker decision. The 2.5 lakh of workers are putting their best to improve the services and financial position of the company and is fully co-operating with the Management on the strengthening and efficiency. Employees are fully convinced that forming a separate tower company will be completely against the interest of BSNL and its workers and hence strong protest.
Dropping the decision of the Board to form the Tower Company will be best decision. That is our demand to the BSNL Management/Board.
16 Sunday Mar 2014
Posted in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation, BSNL News, Telecom
Last year, immediately after the naxalite attack and brutal murder of 27 Congress leaders in Chhattisgarh in June 2013, the Central Government had announced that 2,199 towers (BTS) will be erected in the naxalite areas of 9 states viz. M.P., Chhattisgarh, A.P.,Bihar, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, W.Bengal, Odisha and U.P. It was also stated that BSNL will be entrusted with the task and the project will be completed within one year.
But so far only 363 towers have been erected by BSNL though one year is going to be completed by June 2014.
The matter was discussed by the Forum both with the Secretary, DOT and also with the CMD BSNL. The information received is that the amount approved by the DOT on the proposal submitted by BSNL is Rs.789 less and hence the delay. Now there is a chance for increasing the amount also due to increase in cost of materials.
Now again, there was a brutal attack by the naxalites in which 15 persons including Policemen have been killed.
The Government, DOT and BSNL should understand that the project is intended to save the lives of the people and requires most immediate attention. They should discuss immediately and find out a solution to this problem.
It is reported that the Telecom Commission will meet and discuss this issue by the month end. Why so much delay when the election is already announced and the candidates and parties will have to go interior places for campaign. The earlier the better.
12 Wednesday Mar 2014
Posted in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation, BSNL News
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It is informed that the Cabinet has decided to waive the “Notional Loan” of Rs. 7,500 crore as shown loan to the BSNL at the time of formation of BSNL. This is as per the recommendation of the EGoM on Revival of BSNL and MTNL. The Forum has demanded to the EGoM to waive not only the “Notional Loan” of Rs.7,500 crore, but also to refund the interest of about Rs.12,000 crore already paid by BSNL. But this has not been agreed to by the government. The Forum has to pursue this matter.
12 Wednesday Mar 2014
Com.V.A.N.Namboodiri, Convener, Forum of BSNL Unions/Associations and Patron AIBDPA along with Com.K.G.Jayaraj, General Secretary AIBDPA met Shri R.K.Upadhyay, CMD BSNL and discussed the issues of pensioners as well as the viability of BSNL etc.
The representatives pointed out the undue delay in issue of orders on 78.2% IDA for pensioners. They also stated that the Department of Expenditure has sought some clarifications from DOT and further delay may take place. They urged the CMD to take necessary steps to ensure that the pensioners’ 78.2% IDA issue is settled at the earliest.
The union leaders also demanded that the medical allowance with out voucher be restored to the pensioners who are put to much difficulties due to the withdrawal of the same. It was also demanded that DOT Pensioners also be given the concession on Broad band connections.
Com. Namboodiri suggested certain measures to reduce the expenditure on electricity, diesel, petrol etc. and as per the decision of the Forum meeting, proposed that a “Save Electricity / Fuel Month” be observed with clear instructions to reduce the consumption through effective methods. CMD agreed to consider the same and suggested that it can be a continued process.
CMD informed that cabinet has taken decision taken to waive the Notional Loan of Rs.7,500 crore of BSNL, which will benefit BSNL. The various efforts being made by the BSNL to improve its financial viability was also stated by CMD.
The union representatives expressed their strong protest against the proposed formation of new companies like tower, optical fibre cable, land assets etc. and demanded that these should be abandoned. CMD BSNL stated that it is only about the tower company that proposal has been made and that it is beneficial for BSNL. The staff side did not agree.
The unions also stated that the Welfare Committee and Sports Committee had not met for more than one year and that they should be convened early. CMD stated that this will be convened with out delay.
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