Category Archives: BSNL

Funds released by DOT for payment of Ex-gratia to BSNL VRS retirees.

27 Friday Mar 2020

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After much delay, DOT has released the funds for payment of first installment of Exgratia amount to VRS retirees in BSNL, coming to Rs. 4,156 crore. According to the order dated 26th March, the payment is to be made within 21 days and that this fund can not be used for any other purpose.
In the present circumstances of COVID-19, maximum efforts on the part of BSNL is required to ensure that the payment is made in time.

COVID – 19. Centre should fund BSNL immediately.

25 Wednesday Mar 2020

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The Nation is making all preparations to face COVID-19 and 21 days Lock Down has been declared by the central government. Government has advised people to stay at home. Now people will be using mobile, phone etc. in a large way to get the information and to contact their near and dear ones. Most of the govt employees and others are working from home.

In this situation, BSNL has the scope to increase its subscribers and also to improve the facilities. Govt should allocate funds, allot 4G Spectrum and plan future activities with the unions and associations, so that better and more efficient service can be given and also expanded.

Pay wages of BSNL contract workers with arrears

23 Monday Mar 2020

Posted by in BSNL, BSNLCCWF - Casual and Contract workers, BSNLEU

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After implementation of VRS for 78569 employees by BSNL, the PSU has made good savings monthly. The salaries of February 2020 which was in pending for the employees will be shortly paid and by next month, the salary will be paid in time as per management’s statement. Well and good!

What about the wags of the contract workers which have not been paid for the last one year ? 10 workers have committed suicide unable to bear the pain of seeing their families starved. We demand the management that now the position of BSNL is improving, do not delay the payment of wages to the workers. The one year wages be paid at the earliest.

Corporate Office issues fresh instructions to tackle the situation that has arisen due to COVID-19

23 Monday Mar 2020

Posted by in BSNL, BSNLEU

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The BSNL Corporate Office has issued emergency instructions to tackle the situation that has arisen due to COVID-19. The highlights of these instructions are as follows:-

A control room is formed at Corporate Office with five senior level officers. Similar control rooms are to be opened in all circles.
Telecommunications being an essential service, telephone Exchanges, OFC networks, BTSs, BFC, MSC, DSAMs and OLTs, MPLS, etc., are to be maintained.
Staff on emergency duty should be provided with masks and sanitisers. Proper arrangement for water and soap should be made in all buildings.
In cities where lockdown is ordered, CSCs need not be operated.
In all other cities also, customers visiting CSCs are to be discouraged. Skeleton staff to be followed. Customers are to be encouraged for online payments.
Contingency fund is released to the circles. CGMs are empowered to utilise them.

BSNLEU appreciates the Corporate Management for issuing proper instructions to ensure maintenance of BSNL’s services and also safety of the employees. All circle and district unions are requested to ensure implementation of these instructions fully. CHQ also requests all the leaders and comrades to ensure that maintenance of our networks and provisioning of BSNL’s services are carried out effectively.
(BSNLEU Website)

Remembering Com. A.K.G., the Commander of the Downtrodden.

21 Saturday Mar 2020

Posted by in General, CITU, BSNL

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22nd March 2020, is the 43rd death anniversary of Comrade A.K.Gopalan, veteran working class leader, PBM, CPI(M) and the first Opposition (Group) Leader in the Indian Parliament. He died on 22nd March 1977 after a long illness.

Com. AKG, as he is popularly called was an indomitable fighter of the working class and toiling masses. His entire life was full of struggles for the downtrodden people. He was arrested and put in jail many times both by the British as well as the Indian rulers. Com.AKG, who was in the forefront of the Independence struggle was in Cannanore Central Jail even on 15th August 1947, on the day India got Independence, even though almost all the freedom fighters who were in jail were released.

Comrade AKG could not tolerate injustice. Wherever and whenever he saw injustice, he jumped in to the struggle against the onslaught. There are any number of such struggles which AKG led and succeeded. It was the three great leaders, Coms. P.Krishna Pillai, E.M.S.Namboodiripad and AKG who built and strengthened the Communist Party in Kerala.

I had the opportunity to meet Comrade AKG several times and seek his guidance. During many of his visits to Calicut along with his wife, Com. Susheela Gopalan, who herself was a senior leader, Member of Parliament and later Minister in Kerala, I had the fortune to receive them at the Railway Station and to bring them to the house where they were to stay. One such time, AKG was ill and for many weeks he was not able to speak due to illness. Myself along with Com. M.Balasubramanian, the Dist. Secretary E.III Union, went to the Railway station and took him to the house of Advocate P.K.Kunhirama Poduval where they used to stay. After reaching Calicut, two senior doctors, Dr.CBC Warrier and Dr. N.S.Venugopalan checked him and stated that he was better. In fact AKG was able to speak bit by bit. That day the Confederation of Central Government Employees, of which I was the convener, had arranged a meeting in the Mudalakkulam maidan in connection with an All India strike next day. I very meekly asked the doctors whether I can request AKG to address the strike meeting. AKG immediately agreed and the doctors consented provided he would not speak more than five minutes. AKG agreed to the condition and it was decided that he will address the meeting.

The news that Com.AKG will address the meeting in the evening of the day spread like wildfire. Irrespective of party affiliation, people in thousands gathered at the maidan to hear Com.AKG, his first speech after several weeks. The meeting started in time and after welcome etc. Com.AKG was requested to address. He started speaking and the audience sat in pin-drop silence to hear their beloved leader. The stipulated period of five minutes was over, but he continued speaking. Then Com.Suseela Gopalan, who was also on the stage, reminded him the doctors’ advice. He laughed away the request, openly telling the public that he knew when to stop. All were very much worried. Then Com. M.K.Kelu (Keluettan), one of the senior most leader of the CPI(M) who was also present, openly requested him to stop his speech considering his health. The audience also in one voice supported the request. Then and then only, AKG stopped his speech, thanked all and sat down. Such was his love for the people who even in the face of severe illness could not stop interacting with them.

I remember another incident which again shows the tenacity of Com. AKG in fighting against all attacks on the working class. It was during the 1974 Railway Strike demanding Bonus. The strike was to start from 8th May but due to mass arrest of the leaders and workers and victimisation, it started two days earlier. The Central government met the strike with utmost cruelty and vengeance. Tens of thousands of workers were arrested and jailed. Railway Quarters were searched and even the family members were beaten and harassed not finding the striking workers. In many staff quarters water connection, electricity connection etc. were cut. In Calicut, the procession organized in support of the strike was attacked and people beaten and two news paper reporters also badly beaten and hospitalised. It was terror unleashed for the railway workers and their families.

It was at this time that Com. AKG along with Com. Suseela Gopalan arrived at Calicut. He was not at all well and the doctors advised complete rest. When I reported to him about the serious situation, he wanted to go to the railway quarters immediately. Though we tried to stop him going, he was adamant. We started for the Railway Colony. He stepped out from the car at the entry to the colony and told that we will walk. Com.A.Kunhiraman Nair, veteran NGO Union leader and some other comrades also reached by the time. We were about 6-7 people and led by Coms AKG and Suseela we started slowly walking in to the colony through the small road. Women and children who were alone in the houses saw AKG and started joining us. Within a few minutes, it became a jatha and culminated in the school premises inside the colony. By the time, police also came to the spot. Party comrades also reached. A loudspeaker was brought and Com.AKG started speaking. One police official, without knowing who it was speaking, came forward and threatened to arrest. AKG told him that ‘I am AKG and you can arrest me’. The poor policeman was dumbfounded and became silent. By that time, senior police officers came and the situation became normal. AKG spoke consoling the families of Railwaymen and told that nothing will happen to them, and also warned the police officers that he will come and sit there in dharna if the harassment continues. Within a few minutes the meeting was over after Com. Suseela Gopalan also addressed.After this incident, there was a halt to the harassment of the families in the colony.

It was his forceful speech along with that of Comrade Nath Pai and other opposition leaders in the Parliament against the victimisation of Central Government employees who participated in the historic July 1960 strike that compelled the Jawaharlal Nehru government to take back all the thousands of workers who were dismissed or suspended. It was the same in the case of the 1968 Strike victimisation. For vacating the victimisation, he fought inside and outside the Parliament, even attending many meetings in Kerala.

In all Indian Coffee Houses through out India, one can see the photo of Com. A.K.G. placed in a most prominent place inside, as a token of respect and thanks to the great leader who saved the Indian Coffee Houses and its workers, when the Govt decided to close them. Com. A.K.G. discussed with the Government and all these Coffee Houses were handed over to the co-operatives formed by the workers.

Com.AKG was one of the senior CPI(M) leaders who was not arrested and jailed during Emergency, being very sick. When he came to Calicut during the period myself and Com. N.Ramesh, then Divl. Secretary of E.III Union went to meet him. He was very tired and sick, but asked about the situation in Calicut. When we were returning, he told us ” your job is not to get arrested, but to continue the resistance work against the Emergency and safeguard your workers.” Probably he might have been hinting at my being taken in to custody by Special Branch and questioned for hours a few days back.

He was sick and was under treatment for many months. During this period Com. T.K.Karunan, then leader of Kozhikode Municipal Corporation Workers , came to my rented line house near Sreekandeswara Kshetram and handed over a letter stating that he had gone to meet AKG at Alappuzha hearing that he was not well. He told that Com.AKG was always his beloved leader,despite political difference. The letter was in the handwriting of Com. Suseela and signed by AKG. Whatever he commanded, was done immediately.

Com. AKG died on 22nd March 1977. The Congress party was rooted out in the election, but probably he might not have known the same as he was in coma. The news of the death of the dear leader was a shock to all. His body was brought to his home place in Kannur District. Through out the way in all district headquarters, thousands of people came to pay homage to their departed leader. The condolence meeting held at Kalliasseri was attended by more than ten thousand people. Along with some comrades, we also went there. Almost all the PB members were present. While speaking, Coms. E.K.Nayanar and Mrs. Kamalam broke in to tears and wept due to emotion and memories. Such was the close relation of Com. AKG to all whom he met.Every one who met him even once had the feeling that he specially cared for him. All those who came in contact will have many such incidents to remember. He was very close to all and was loved by all.

A.K.G.Bhawan in New Delhi, the Central Committee office of CPI(M), A.K.G.Centre, the State Committee office of Kerala in Thiruvananthapuram and many party offices are named in honour of Com. A.K.G. I used to visit 4, Ashoka Road, New Delhi, where he stayed for many years as Member of Parliament, even after his departure, as it was there where many of us met him and presented our problems and difficulties for being taken in the Parliament. Still the name of 4, Ashoka Road brings many memories, though the bungalow has been vacated by CPI(M) after the elections in 1914. In fact, the govt should have maintained it as a memorial to AKG, a long time Opposition Leader of the Parliament.

BSNL Employees Union was formed on 22nd March 2001, on the 24th death anniversary of Com. A.K.G. It was not accidental, but a conscious decision.

My respectful homage to the memory of this great revolutionary and working class leader on his 43rd death anniversary!

RED SALUTE TO COM. AKG, COMMANDER OF THE PROLETARIAT!

Payment of AGR dues by private telecom companies – Supreme Court says their Managing Directors may be sent to jail.

21 Saturday Mar 2020

Posted by in AIBDPA - BSNL DOT Pensioners, AUAB, BSNL, BSNLEU

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Payment of AGR dues by private telecom companies – Supreme Court says their Managing Directors may be sent to jail.
We have already updated on this website, how the private telecom companies had been paying a lesser licence fee amount to the government all these years, by giving a wrong definition to the AGR (Adjusted Gross Revenue). We have also reported how on 24-10-2019, the Supreme Court had directed the private telecom companies to pay the entire amount due on account of AGR. The Supreme Court had also pulled up the DoT, for being lenient to the private telecom companies, in collecting the outstanding AGR dues. Despite all these, after the last hearing, the DoT permitted the private telecom companies to make a “self-assessment” of the AGR dues to be paid by them. The DoT also filed a petition in the Court, stating that the private telecom companies should be permitted to pay their AGR dues over a period of 20 years and also they should be exempted from payment of penalties and interest. Under these circumstances, the case came up for hearing again on last Wednesday (18-03-2020). On that day, the Supreme Court once again lashed out at the DoT, for seeking relief for telecom companies in paying the AGR dues. The Court refused to take up the Centre’s plea for allowing telecom companies to pay the AGR dues in 20 years, saying the application would be taken up only after two Weeks. The Court also severely criticised the DoT, for allowing the private telecom companies to make a self assessment of their AGR dues. If required, the managing directors of the telecom companies will be summoned and may even be sent to jail, the court observed. Airtel, Vodafone Idea and Tata Teleservices together have to pay Rs.1.02 lakh crore as AGR dues to the government, as per the Supreme Court order dated 24-10-2019.

[BSNLEU website Date : 21 – Mar – 2020]

20th Birth Anniversary of BSNLEU on 22nd March 2020.

20 Friday Mar 2020

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(File Photo, Visakhapatnam Conference 22-3-2001)

BSNL Employees Union is completing 19 years of its fruitful existence on 22nd March 2020. It is BSNLEU’s 20th Foundation day.

BSNL Employees Union, the majority recognised union of the BSNL workers, was formed on 22nd March 2001, in the National Convention of eight telecom unions held at Visakhapatnam, in the presence of Com. E.Balanandan, President of CITU and one of the greatest working class leaders India has seen.

Though started with about 50,000 – 60,000 workers, it grew to be the biggest union in BSNL with more than one lakh workers, despite the fact that there was no recruitment and thousands were retiring every year. This was a herculean task, but the united team of the BSNLEU leadership made the ‘impossible in to possible.’

BSNLEU, as the recognised union separately, and also jointly with other unions, both executive and Non-executives, defeated the nefarious designs of the central government, both NDA and UPA, to disinvest BSNL, unbundle the precious copper cables and so on. BSNLEU took the initiative to form the Joint Forum of the Unions and Associations, under which organisation, the battles were fought and the anti-worker decisions of the government defeated.

BSNL and its workers are  facing serious challenges to their existence. The neo-liberal policy initiated by the Congress government in 1991 and aggressively being implemented by  the present BJP government is making it difficult for the PSUs to sustain and grow. In the name of Revival Plan, 78569 employees have been compelled to take VRS in BSNL. Their many problems are there.  4 G Spectrum is still not allotted.Pension Revision is also delayed, without any justification.

The two associations, AIBDPA and BSNLCCWF formed at the initiative of BSNLEU has grown and strengthened. But the wages for the contract workers have not been paid for about one year. The demands of the workers, the pensioners and the casual contract labours are interconnected and inseparable. That is why united struggle.

It is in this situation that the  20th Foundation Day of BSNLEU  is coming. This time, there may not be much celebration, meetings etc on mass scale, due to the COVID -19 impact. But let us remember our past struggles and sacrifices so that we can advance with more vigour, determination and strength. BSNL has to be saved and improved to give better service to the nation!

BSNLEU ZINDABAD!

WORKERS UNITY ZINDABAD!

 

Allot 4G Spectrum to BSNL, Launch Services !

19 Thursday Mar 2020

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“BSNL’s 4G service.

In the budget for 2020-21, Government has made provision for allotment of 4G spectrum to BSNL and the same can be allotted to BSNL in May,2020. However, BSNL will not take the 4G spectrum immediately, since equipments will be ready for launching 4G service only after March, 2021. For 4G spectrum, BSNL has to pay Rs.5.5 crore, per day, as licence fee, even if BSNL does not use it. Hence, it is not wise to take the 4G spectrum, before the equipments are ready.

BSNL is already having 40,000 3G BTSs, which are 4G compatible. All these 40,000 BTSs can be upgraded to 4G BTSs, by which BSNL can immediately launch it’s 4G service. However, BSNL is experiencing certain difficulties in this regard. BSNL has to pay around Rs.2,000 crore as outstanding dues to the vendors of these BTSs, viz., Nokia, ZTE and Erricsson. Apart from that, Nokia is demanding a sum of Rs.3.5 lakh to Rs.7 lakh per BTS, for the upgradation of the 13,000 BTSs supplied by them. Whereas, ZTE is demanding a sum of Rs.7 lakh to Rs.10 lakh per BTS, for the upgradation of the 24,000 BTSs supplied by them. Since the rates are extremely high, BSNL is presently not in a position to upgrade these BTSs, for providing 4G service.” (BSNLEU Website)

The statement of the CMD BSNL as given in the brief of the discussions by the Unions/Associations with the CMD BSNL with regard to allotment of 4G Spectrum is given above. The CMD is stating that the 4G service will be ready for launching by March 2021 only ie. after one year.

This is unacceptable. One more year of delay for 4G services will further benefit the private telcos only and BSNL will suffer. Why can’t BSNL get the 4G Spectrum earlier and launch it? The excuses put by the management is untenable.

PWD, TELEGRAPHS, P and T, DOT, BSNL, MTNL, VSNL – A LONG JOURNEY

17 Tuesday Mar 2020

Posted by in AIBDPA - BSNL DOT Pensioners, BSNL, P&T TU Movement, Post, Postal Service, Telecom

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The Telecommunications services in India had a very long journey through the centuries.

Telegraphs was part of the Public Works department in 1951. Separate Department of Telegraphs was opened in 1954. There were one Superintendent in  Delhi and  three Deputy Superintendents at Bombay, Madras and Pegu (Burma) There were Inspectors at Indore, Agra, Cawnpore and Benares.

The Indo-European Telegraph Department ( later Overseas Communications) was administered by a Director-in-Chief from London. This was merged with the Indian Telegraph Department in 1888.

Postal Department was separate. In 1914, on the eve of the II World war, both the Departments were amalgamated and the new Department of Posts and Telegraphs was formed.

Posts and Telegraphs evoked keen interest among the people and also legislators. 152 questions were asked and replied in the Indian Legislative Assembly in 1923-24 alone. Separate accounting procedure was adopted for the four units of the Department viz. Postal, telegraph, telephone and wireless in 1925. During 1930-31 world economic recession, a large number of employees were retrenched. Pay scales were reduced.

P&T Department was set up as a welfare measure and profit was not the motto. 1950 saw a great change with the telephone services, of all the princely states, 196 exchanges,  being merged with the P & T Department. The staff of the princely states in telephones were merged with P&T Department. This was a major step in HRD. There was separate Budget for P and T.

Till 31st December 1984, Posts and Telegraphs was  one Department. However, by that time the separate Budget for P&T was already discontinued. On 1st January 1985, P&T was bifurcated in to two departments ie. Department of Posts and Department of Telecommunications. Telegraphs was part of Telecommunications.

In the 1986, MTNL was formed in carving out the  telecom services of metro cities Delhi and Mumbai as also VSNL was formed by corporatising  Overseas Communications. BSNL was formed in 2000 by corporatising the telecom services allover India, except in Delhi and Mumbai.

In 2020 VRS was implemented resulting in reduction of staff by about 50%. 78569 employees took VRS, leaving less tan that number in BSNL. The case is not different with  MTNL.

Telecom Services in India is completing 170 years. Govt is on the job of privatisation, though the Minister says that it will not be privatised or closed.

The destiny of BSNL  and MTNL now depends on the strength of the trade union movement to fight and defeat the govt’s anti PSU policy.

It is not a question of BSNL alone. It is the future of the entire PSUs that is in peril.

Fight and defeat the anti-worker, anti-PSU policy of the government.

 

 

Telecom Factory Circles merged with Territorial Telecom Circles.

14 Saturday Mar 2020

Posted by in AIBDPA - BSNL DOT Pensioners, BSNL, Telecom

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Telecom Factory Alipore, Calcutta was the first telecom manufacturing factory in India, started by the British in the last decades of 19th century. TF Jabalpur was founded during II world war by transferring a portion of TF Calcutta, under threat of Japanese attack. The TFs at Bombay, Richai, Bhilai, Gopalpur and Kharagpur were started later in order to cater to the need of the ever increasing demand for telecom equipment. Telecom Stores were also opened nearby places to enable storing and supply of the equipments etc.

The Telecom Factories at Alipur, Gopalpur and Kharagpur was one Telecom Circle. Jabalpur, Richai and Bhilai was another circle. Bombay TF, the third circle. Telecom Stores was a separate Circle.

All these circles together had about more than 10,000 workers. A separate union for the P&T Industrial Workers were also there led by veteran leader Com. Sisir Bhattacharjee, which was one of the founder union of BSNL Employees Union in 2000.

The workers in all these units were reduced due to retirement and non-recruitment. The work in factories were shifted to private companies as part of neo- liberalisation policy. BSNLEU put all out efforts for revival of TFs, but the govt and DOT continued their negative policy.

Now, all these Telecom Factories Circles have been merged with the respective territorial telecom circles like W.Bengal, Maharashtra and M.P. Telecom Stores Circle has already been merged with territorial circle earlier.

All telegraph offices, which were the communication nerve centres of govt, both British and Indian for a long time, were closed a few years back, despite strong opposition from BSNLEU, on the plea that since mobile services started, the telegraph services has become superfluous.

Telecom Factories are to be modernised and enlarged to manufacture equipment required for the present telecom services with required staff instead of discontinuing and destroying the same. Now TFs’ circle status only has been stopped and it needs to be ensured that they are modernised and not closed as telegraph services.