It is understood that the BSNL Board has approved:

1) 78.2% IDA fitment 2) NE-12 Payscale and 3) Recruitment of 2670 TTAs. The first has been part of the 13 June strike agreement. The second is on the basis of the agreement with BSNLEU on NEPP and the third is as per the requirement of the company. All the three are good decisions and I congratulate the management for the decisions which will benefit the company and the workers.

It is time to ensure better and better service to the people. The management should ensure adequate equipments for development, expansion and maintenance. That is lacking at present.  Let all of us try our best to improve the services and financial position of the union.

As per latest  unaudited accounts of BSNL, it is reported that Kerala, NE-I, NE-II, J&K, Assam and Odisha circles have been able to get profits for the company. In Kerala Circle, the profit for this year is Rs. 149 crore compared to last years Rs. 76 crore.

Congratulations to all the workers and management for the improvement. Let all the circles try to get profit and more profit to the company.  We can Save BSNL and workers!

The Central Government is reported to have decided to approach the Supreme Court to get the time for 2G Spectrum auction extended from the present September to January 2013 for the final allotment. This is the second time that the DOT is approaching the SC for extension.

Although the proposal for Rs. 18,000 as the base price for 5 Mhrz spectrum was recommended by the TRAI and DOT, on the pressure from the MNCs, foreign governments and also the private telecom companies, the same has been reduced to Rs. 14,000 by the government. Though the spectrum charges are reduced, there will be no reduction of charges on the consumers.

Now the Information Memorandum will be released on 27August, Pre-bid conference will be held on 6 September, Notice inviting applications will be on 1 October, Mock Auction on 6 November and the E-Auction will start from 12 November. The allotment of spectrum to the successful bidders will be given by 30  January 2013. It is expected that the government will receive approximately Rs. 36,000 crore.

The Forum of BSNL Unions, the umbrella organisation of the BSNL Unions met today under the Chairmanship Shri C>Singh, GS, NFTE. All the unions of the Forum participated. On the report presented by the Convener, V.A.N.Namboodiri, the meeting reviewed the progress of the agreement provisions including the 78.2% IDA fixation and decided to meet the CMD to expedite the matter.

The meeting expressed its strong protest against the transfers of all India office bearers of SNEA from Delhi to outside and also issue of charge sheets for union activities. Forum decided to meet the CMD on this issue.

The meeting also decided to extend the “Customer Delight Year” for one more year from August 2012 and called upon the workers to make all out efforts to improve the services.

It really was a very grand function participated by a large number of BSNL workers and people of Bijapur. Comrade Gangappa Basappa SalakkI , Asst.General Secretary of BSNLEU and veteran leader of Karnataka Circle and specially Bijapur, where he was the District Secretary for a very long period, was given a warm and affectionate reception today  at Bijapur. The Circle Executive Committee of BSNLEU was also organised at the same venue, yesterday and today.

The hall was full of those comrades, friends and relatives who came for the function. Com. B.P.Narayana, Circle President, BSNLEU presided. The National flag was hoisted by CirclePresident and the Union flag by me, All India President. Homage was paid to the martyrs. In the tradition of Karnataka, Com. Salakki was honoured along with his wife Smt. Prameela. Hundreds of comrades and friends garlanded him including trade union leaders and important personalities of Bijapur including the local M.P., Shri Ramesh Jigaijini and Shri Appu Patel Shetty, MLA . He was honoured with shawls and gifts. In my speech felicitation him, I mentioned about the dedicated work he has done for the union in his capacity as the District Secretary and AGS as also the social services. Many other comrades and the GM BSNL also spoke. Comrades P.Asokababbu,  Dy. GS, J.Sampath Rao, Circle Secretary. AP Circle and many other leaders were present. Comrade CK Gundanna, Circle Secretary, Karnataka Circle welcomed all and honoured Com. Salakki. Representatives of all the unions including NFTE, FNTO, SEWA BSNL, AIBSNLEA, SNEA, CITU, AIBDPA, BSNLCCWF and other unions garlanded Com. Salakki. The book on Com. KG Bose, Veteran P&T leader, translated by Com. Salakki was released in the session. It was a special moment when his mother was brought to the stage and was honoured.

I was happy that I could participate and was able to personally honour Com. GBS. A very good occasion to remember for  a long period.

I Wish Com. GB Salakki a lot of good and active work for many years both for BSNLEU and also for the society.

My Hearty Greetings to all on the World Telecom Day! Let all of us try to ensure that BSNL is strengthened and a better service is provided to the people.

There is acute shortage of broadband Modem which is resulting in non-provision of Broadband connection in hundreds in all towns/cities. As earlier pointed out, after much persuasion the Advance Purchase Order was issued by the Corporate Office. Now the Purchas Order of each Circle has been issued. In total, 3,50,000 modems have been ordered in the first phase. Our comrades should take this opportunity to provide connections with the quickest method and improve our position.

I received a letter from an active worker of BSNLEU and an office bearer of the SSA, Pathanamthitta (Kerala), Comrade K.Rajan, about the efforts made by the workers to improve the services and to increase the connections of BSNL. Even after duty hours many comrades are doing service.They are providing new connections, getting transfer of connections through MNP etc. in an effective way. In the one year from June 2011 to May 2012, Com. Rajan has obtained 10274 points as per the SSA management and was appreciated and congratulated. My Hearty Congratulations and appreciation to Com. Rajan.

There are many such comrades all over India who are putting their best for the improvement of the services and expansion. If  one and all try their best like this, there is no doubt that the revival of BSNL can be expedited and it can once again become a profitable company. Let us all try for the same.

It is reported that Shri Rahul Khullar, the present Commerce Secretary is being posted as Chairman, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). The present Chairman TRAI Shri J.S.Sarma is retiring from service after this term in TRAI.

People of this country has seen how the successful and shining PSUs like ITI, HMT, Air India/Indian Airlines have been made loss making by the wrong and anti-worker policies of the government and mismanagement by the bureaucrats.  Now these PSUs and their workforce are struggling to survive. The government is giving some bail-out plans, but these are intended to reduce the workforce, take away the benefits already available to the workers, increase the workload and take away the trade union rights. In my post yesterday, I had explained what is happening after privatisation of the PSUs like VSNL, BALCO, Centaur Hotels etc. The big business and MNCs have started demanding that Air India should be privatised. Tomorrow, they may start demanding that BSNL/MTNL should be privatised. If privatisation takes place, all the achievements we have got will be taken away. No future promotions, no wage revisions, increase in working hours, no right even to protest, retrenchment, harassments and punishments – the list that will happen is very long. Many people may feel that they can take VRS and escape. That is for those employees who are going to retire. What about the new generation of workers? Where they will go ? Even those taking VRS is not going to get benefit. In Balco etc. the assured sum was given in instalments prolonging for years.

Trying to escape from the present situation will not help anybody. It is the united movement and the struggles that will save BSNL.

BSNL has got the largest Switching network with 37,298 digital exchanges with 28,5687 rural exchanges. Village Public Telephones (VPT) comes to about 5,77,000.  It has got OFC Network of 7 lakh kilometres. M/W Network is about 51,000 kms.  197 Satellite Earth Stations are there.

BSNL has a 2,26,55,000 wirelines and 9, 80,000 mobile lines. In Broadband BSNL is first with 89,00,000 customers.  It has got well-trained, highly skilled 2,70,000 employees.

As per 2010-11 BSNL got Rs. 29,688 crore Income, Rs. 36,002 crore Expenditure and a loss of Rs. 6,384 crore. This loss has increased in 2011-12. Staff cost is Rs. 13,791 crore, 46.50% of the income.

The information given above indicates a most important issue. We have infrastructure including staff, but we could not sustain our profit after 2006-07. Reasons are well-known. But we have got sufficient scope for improvement if there is a will. A will to improve the functioning, make the government implement its assurances on financial viability, the top management should function. If all these are restored, then there is no doubt that BSNL will not only survive and strengthen and will restore its past glory of being one of the most efficient departments (P&T) and one of the best PSUs. Why can’t all us make an effort for the same? Yes we can and we can win!