Category Archives: BSNL – Better Service to the Nation

The BSNL Employees under the Forum of BSNL Unions/Associations are making all out efforts to ensure a better service to the customers. It has given a detailed Memorandum to the Prime Minister, Finance Minister, Communications Minister, Secretary DOT, CMD BSNL etc. with proposals for improvement and strengthening the company. The issues coming in this category are connected with the same.

JOINT FORUM OF BSNL-MTNL UNIONS/ASSOCIATIONS

26 Friday Oct 2012

Posted by in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

As reported earlier, a meeting of the BSNL and MTNL Unions/Associations was held today, 26th October 2012 and formed “Joint Forum of BSNL-MTNL Unions/Associations” for organising struggles and joint programmes on the common interests of both the BSNL and MTNL workers. Com.M.K.Bagchi, Convener of the United Forum of MTNL Unions/Associations is the Chairman and Com. V.A.N.Namboodiri, Convener, Forum of BSNL Unions/Associations is the Convener.

Important decisions including organising a Parliament March on 22nd November, on the opening day of the Parliament Winter Session on the ITS Repatriation issue have been taken. The Parliament March decided on 30th September by the Forum of BSNL Unions/Associations will now be held on 22nd November jointly with MTNL Unions/Associations.  The Raj Bhawan March and Collectorate march will be held on 30 th September s decided earlier. The details of the decisions of the meeting will be published in BSNLEU and other union websites.

My Hearty Congratulations to all the leaders of unions/associations for the unity they have shown in deciding for joint movement. This unity and joint movement we have to continue for the struggles for saving BSNL/MTNL and other such issues.

BSNL – MTNL Unions/Associations meet

26 Friday Oct 2012

Posted by in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

It was a happy occasion when all the unions/associations of executives and non-executives both in BSNL and MTNL met today, 25th October, to discuss about the common issue of ITS repatriation which is pending for  a long time and the agitation started by the Forum of  Unions/Associations. The meeting was held in Room No. 756 of Kidwai Bhawan, New Delhi. 28 comrades both from BSNL and MTNL participated. Com. M.K.Bagchi, Convener, United Forum of MTNL Unions/Associations presided. Com. VAN Namboodiri, Convener, Forum of BSNL Unions/Associations briefed the house about the programmes decided by the Forum in this connection and requested for a joint programme of BSNL and MTNL Unions/Associations in this matter. All were of the opinion that a joint struggle is very necessary.

The meeting will continue tomorrow ( 26th October) after a separate meeting by the MTNL Unions/Associations

Penalty for understating revenue by private telcos.

24 Wednesday Oct 2012

Posted by in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Shri Kapil Sibal, Minister Communications, have approved the proposal of the DOT to impose a penalty of about Rs. 823 crore on the private telcos for understating their revenue and cheating the government on both payment of taxes as also revenue share to DOT.

It is well-known  that the private companies are adopting all dubious means to evade tax and other payments to government to increase their profits. This has been going on since they entered the telecom sector. They got all benefits from the government and also cheated the government. Bharti Airtel, Vodafone, Reliance, Tata Teleservices – all are involved in this scam. All of them together have understated together, as reported in the press, an amount not less than Rs. 10,268 crore during 200-07 and 2007-08.

Let us remember that when the private companies were granted licence for mobile services, one justification the government has said was that these licences would get about Rs. 1.25 lakh crore revenue for the government. On demand the licence fee was changed in to revenue sharing by which the government was to get about Rs. 55,000 crore at the minimum. But what actually the government got was a few thousands of crores of rupees.

In each and every agreement and transactions, the government has been submitting and succumbing to the unreasonable demands of the private telcos, while completely taking a negative attitude towards the justified demands of the BSNL and MTNL .

Will the government take a firm position to impose and collect the penalty as decided now or succumb to the pressure of the private companies as usual?

Meeting of Forum at Belgaum

20 Saturday Oct 2012

Posted by in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation, Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Today I am at Belgaum. In the evening there was a meeting of the BSNL employees held in the Telephone Bhawan premises. A big pandal was raised for the meeting. More than 400 comrades participated. The meeting was presided over by Com. Hanjanamani, President, BSNLEU. Com. C.K.Gundanna, Circle secretaary, BSNLEU welcomed all and spoke about the agitation on the ITS repatriation issue and the present situation. All the lederrs in the dais were honoured by garlanding them.

I spoke about the reason fir the agitation, our demands, the necessity of bettering the serrvices, the efforts made by the Forum in this connection, the strength and weaknesses of BSNL, the anti-PSU policy of the government, the call of the Central TUs for strike on 20-21 February on the crucial issues of price rise, disinvestment etc.

Coms. Panduranga naik, AGS, SNEA, Hittalamani, DS, AIBSNLEA, M.C.Balakrishna, Org. secretary BSNLEU,Sambedkar, DS, NFTE, Birse, DS BSNLEU, Vijay Gaonkar, DS, Goa, Thadpathy, DS, SNEA, Keshav, Circle Treasurer, BSNLEU and other leaders were in the dais.

I had the opportunity to meet with the leaders of AIBDPA who were present there. They reported to me about the Circle Conference of AIBDPA, Karnataka.

Goa comrades determined to make the struggle successful

20 Saturday Oct 2012

Posted by in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

It was a memorable meeting at Goa organised in the evening today, 19th October, under the auspices of the Forum of BSNL Unions/Associations. I was on my way to Belgaum to attend the Circle Conference of the BSNL Casual and Contract Workers Federation to be held on 21st October. The meeting was well attended with about 300-350 comrades participating. Coms. M.S.Kaushal, Convener, Forum, A.S.Aga, Dt. Secretary SNEA, Vijay Balgaonkar, Dt.Secretary, BSNLEU and other leaders addressed. I was given a warm welcome by Forum, BSNLEU, BSNLCCWF, BTEU, SNEA and other organisations.

In my speech I touched upon the present financial position of BSNL, the urgent need to improve the situation, the agitation for the finalisation of ITS repatriation, the agitation in this connection and other matters.  After the meeting I had some discussions with the DR TTAs, Casual and Contract Workers, Officiating JTOs and other comrades.

It was a hectic day and I fully utilised and enjoyed the same.

Forum programmes successful

18 Thursday Oct 2012

Posted by in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

As per the reports received from many centres, the programmes called for by the Forum of BSNL Unions/ Associations were successful with massive participation. The Lunch hour demonstration on 11th Oct. was very much encouraging. Hundreds of savingrams have been received by the Prime Minister, Communications Minister  and others.

The meeting of the Forum held today has postponed the Parliament / Raj Bhawan / Collectorate March to 30th October since the 26th October is the holiday in some circles and also for better mobilisaiton.

BSNL management should pay Bonus to the workers

13 Saturday Oct 2012

Posted by in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Bonus has been denied to the BSNL workers for the last two years on the plea that the company has posted profit. It is true that the company is in loss, but the primary responsiblity for this lies on the Government for its anti-PSU policy and the non-governance by the Management. Why the company has started posting is loss is known to all. The workers cn not be blamed for the loss and punished.

Since 1997, when the government decided to pay bonus to central government employees as a result of the strike of 1974 and the formation of Janata Government after the debacle of the Congress in the 1977 elections, telecom employees and after formation BSNL employees were continuously getting bonus. Bonus in BSNL was paid on a Memorandum of Understanding between the BSNL Management and DOT in which the recognised union is not a party. The union has demanded for a new Bonus Policy for the last few years, but the management did not take any action. Actually the productivity has increased, but the arbitrary condition that Bonus will not be eligible if the company is not in profit is an arbitrary decision of the management.

The United Forum and BSNL Employees Union has strongly demanded that this year the Bonus has to be paid whether loss or profit. It is the right of the workers. It has been gained through sustained struggles by the employees. The change from government to PSU can not be a reason for denial of Bonus.

The United Forum has decided to observe Demands Day on 17th October 2012 on the demands of Bonus, allotment of free spectrum to BSNL and MTNL and also against the FDI in Pension and increase of FDI in Insurance sector. The next programme will be massive dharna on 9th November at SSA/Circle/Co.O. levels.

The agitation should be organised in a massive way so that the management should be compelled to concede the just demands of the BSNL workers.

Well Done Comrades!

11 Thursday Oct 2012

Posted by in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

According to the reports so far received, the Lunch Hour Demonstration held today as per the call of the Forum of BSNL Unions was massively participated everywhere. The workers shouted slogans demanding ITS repatriation at the earliest. They demanded that if the repatriation of ITS to DOT is not implemented or permanent deputation for ITS is allowed, then all the 2.74  lakhs executives and non-executives also should be granted the same facility to avoid discrimination and injustice to the employees.

Savingrams were  sent to Prime minister, Cabinet Secretary, Communications Minister, Secretary DOT and CMD BSNL demanding immediate repatriation of ITS or permanent deputation to all employees as is being proposed by the DOT and BSNL management for all employees.

The next programme of action is One Day Dharna on 15th October 2012  at SSA/Circle/ All India levels.

BSNL workers under the Forum of BSNL Unions/Associations are preparing to make the programmes a great success.

Mobile subscriber base down in August 2012

10 Wednesday Oct 2012

Posted by in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

As per TRAI, mobile subscriber base in India has reduced from 913.49 to 908.6 million lines from July to August 2012, a reduction of 5.13 million. In July also, there was reduction in the same way.

It is reported that the reduction is mainly due to the disconnection of the non-active connections as required by the government and regulator.

BSNL and MTNL should be given free spectrum

10 Wednesday Oct 2012

Posted by in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Government should honour its commitment to the BSNL and MTNL with regard to the safeguarding the financial viability of both the companies.  BSNL/MTNL and its government department, DOT, have been providing the telecom services for more than one century installing a net work all over India with much difficulty and hardship. Even now it is only BSNL which provides the large network of landlines in the rural areas. It is not for profit that these services are provided, it is for fulfilling the obligation of the government to provide universal service. BSNL and MTNL can not be compared with the private telcos whose only motive is profit and more profit.  They evade payment of taxes, cheat the government, goes to courts and TDSAT now and then to get more concession, utilise the political bosses to get special consideration etc. Almost every time they succeeds in these manoeuvres. But the PSUs are neglected by everybody. Even its management evades arguing for its cause fearing the disapproval of the higher-ups, the government. This situation should change. BSNL and MTNL should be given special consideration in all respects. Not only that their interests are not ignored, they should be given special consideration.

The workers have also a role. Continuous pressure on the management and the government is required.The immediate issue is that the government should allot spectrum free to both the PSUs.