Category Archives: BSNL

Hold lunch hour demonstrations on 27-03-2018, against the government’s attempt to operationalise the Subsidiary Tower Company.

23 Friday Mar 2018

Posted by in BSNL, BSNLEU, Neo-liberal policy

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A meeting of All Unions and Associations of BSNL(AUAB) is held yesterday the 22nd March,2018, in FNTO’s office. Representatives of BSNLEU, NFTE, SNEA, AIBSNLEA, FNTO, SEWA BSNL, BSNLMS, BSNLOA participated. The meeting reviewed the developments that had taken place after the meeting with the Hon’ble MoS(C) that was held on 24th February,2018. It is observed that the government is moving fast to operationalise the Subsidiary Tower Company from the 1st of April, 2018, totally ignoring the strong opposition from the entire employees of BSNL. In view of this, the meeting decided to launch agitational programme to stop the same. Decision is taken to conduct “lunch hour demonstrations” on 27th March,2018, in front of Sanchar Bhawan, New Delhi, as well as at circle and SSA head quarters, throughout the country. A memorandum, opposing the Subsidiary Tower Company will be submitted to the Hon’ble MoS(C) at Sanchar Bhawan. Same memorandum will be submitted to the respective CGMs and the state governors, to be forwarded to the MoS(C). CHQ calls upon the circle and district unions to successfully implement the call. (BSNLEU Website)

Development on creation of Tower Subsidiary of BSNL

22 Thursday Mar 2018

Posted by in BSNL, Forum

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‘It is reliably learnt that DoT is mounting pressure on BSNL and directed BSNL to hold BSNL Board meeting urgently within days to ratify the appointment of CMD, BSNL Tower Company and to make it operational from 01.04.2018. All Unions and Associations in BSNL will be meeting to decide further course of action.’ (coutesy: SNEA website)

Certainly, it is the time for united action.

Drop the proposal to conduct member Ship Verification through check off.

18 Sunday Mar 2018

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

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The proposal of the BSNL Management to conduct the Membership Verification for recognising union through check off system, instead of the present system of secret ballot, is mischievous and merit no consideration. 7 Membership verification through secret ballot have been undertaken and all appreciated the process, which is fool proof. From the many experiences in the various PSUs and also in the government, we have deliberately chosen the Secret Ballot as the best method. Check off system is not fool proof and can be trampled by unscrupulous officers and management. The management should drop the new proposal for conducting membership verification through check off system and continue the present arrangements.

BSNL and MTNL declared as “Incipient Sick” – Communications Minister.

09 Friday Mar 2018

Posted by in BSNL

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A report in the press on the above matter is reproduced below:

“The Government has entrusted state-run BSNL with various telecom network projects around Rs 25,000 crore in works, Parliament was informed today.

The big projects include laying of optical fibre based network dedicated for use by Defence worth Rs 13, 334 crore and Rs 6,500 crore for execution of second phase of BharatNet Project, as per details shared by Telecom Minister Manoj Sinha in Rajya Sabha today.

“Optical Fibre Cable based Network for Defence Services (NFS Project) has been given to BSNL on nomination basis at the cost of Rs 13,334 crore. For execution of BharatNet project, government has provided Rs 5,744 crore in Phase-I and has earmarked Rs 6,500 crore in Phase-II for BSNL,” Sinha said.

The state-run firm has been awarded rolling out mobile networks in uncovered villages in Arunachal Pradesh and two districts of Assam at an estimated project cost of Rs 1,975.38 crore, implementation of transmission-media plan for North Eastern Region at an estimated cost of Rs 295.97 crore, laying of submarine optical fiber cable project at the cost of Rs 1,900 crore for providing connectivity to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (ANI) and augmenting of satellite bandwidth in ANI and Lakshadweep Islands at an estimated cost of Rs 120.49 crore.

“Work of setting up of 25000 Wi-Fi Hotspots at Rural Telephone Exchanges at the cost of Rs 940 crore has been given to BSNL on nomination basis,” Sinha said.

He was replying to question over revival of state-run telecom firm BSNL and MTNL
Both public sector telecom firms have been incurring losses continuously since Financial Year 2009-10 and as per Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) guidelines, both CPSEs (Central Public Sector Enterprises) have been declared as “Incipient Sick”, Sinha said.

“Consequent upon declaration of BSNL as “Incipient Sick”, action has been initiated by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) for preparation of a revival/restructuring plan for BSNL as per DPE guidelines. Three Indian Institutes of Management (IIM) have been requested to submit their willingness for undertaking a study and preparation of a revival/restructuring plan for BSNL,” the minister said.

An internal committee of DoT is examining the recommendations of the report prepared by the consultant to decide the path of financial, human resources and corporate restructuring for revival of MTNL.

The MTNL consultant has recommended reduction in retirement age from 60 to 58 years for employees, voluntary retirement scheme , debt restructuring and synergy in operations of MTNL and BSNL.

Besides this, the recommendation for MTNL should focus on customers and defend current revenue besides generating additional revenue through network capex investment, asset monetisation – ease, Sale of real estate, buildings, lease or sale of mobile tower, fiber, copper and active equipments, Sinha said. ”

Telecom Policy 2018 – More benefits and packages for private companies?

09 Friday Mar 2018

Posted by in BSNL

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Government is finalising the Telecom Policy 2018. The government has taken note of the demands of the private telecom companies and so called experts in telecom sector. Of course, the government will   not have time to consult with the BSNL staff unions, who have much stake in the BSNL and its improvement.

As in the case earlier New (National) Telecom Policies, it is expected this time also, so many benefits and concessions will be granted to the private telecom companies and BSNL will be kept in chains.

BSNL Unions and Associations have to immediately intervene and ensure that sufficient safeguards and support to BSNL are included in the Telecom Policy 2018.

How Pension Revision should be implemented for the BSNL absorbed DOT Pensioners?

25 Sunday Feb 2018

Posted by in AIBDPA - BSNL DOT Pensioners, BSNL, PSU, VII CPC

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After the mighty massive Parliament March by the BSNL Workers and pensioners as per the call of the BSNL All Unions and Associations and also fully supported by the AIBDPA (All India BSNL DOT Pensioners Association), the DOT as well as the Communications Minister have been compelled to meet the General Secretaries and discuss the issue in right earnest. It has been assured by the Minister that the issues will be forwarded to the Government. So far, well and good. The Ministry should recommend with full facts and figures furnished by the Unions/Associations and recommend for wage revision as well as Pension revision. If the government does not settle the issue further struggle will follow.

What should be the method of pension revision? Whether it should be based on the CDA scale of VII CPC or the IDA Scale of III PRC? Actually there need be no doubt about the same, but some confusion is being made by some comrades, which will complicate the whole issue and delay the pension revision. These comrades feels that since BSNL is already in loss and there will be no wage revision in future and hence no pension revision also. So their suggestion is that the demand should be pension revision on the basis of the VII CPC in the CDA scale.

Let us look in to the relevant facts:

1. Till October 2000, when BSNL as formed, all were government employees and they got Pay revision and Pension revision on the basis of the V CPC (1996).

2. BSNL employees retired from 2000 onward got  pension in IDA scale based on the wage revision of BSNL employees in IDA scale in 2000. The DOT pensioners did not get this benefit. This was one advantage for the BSNL pensioners and their pension was fixed in the IDA scale ( and not CDA scale). This was beneficial to them.

3. DOT Pensioners got their pension revision on the basis of VI CPC in CDA scale from 01-01-2006. They got the pension revision after 6 years of the IDA pension revision which was in 2000.

4. BSNL pensioners  got pension revision in IDA scale from 01-01-2007 on the basis of the wage revision of BSNL employees, increasing much higher than the DOT pensioners.

5. DOT Pensioners has got pension revision with effect from 2016 in CDA scale on the basis of the VII CPC

6. As per the convention and on the example of the wage revision  of 2000 and 2007 pension revision, the present pension revision should be on the basis of of the III PRC on IDA scale. This is only logical and convincing. Since the government has already removed the 60:40 condition and is committed to pay the full pension, it need not wait for the wage revision of BSNL employees. It can implement 15% fitment as suggested by the III PRC, which is higher than that of VII CPC. This will benefit the BSNL pensioners.

7. The demand for pension revision of BSNL pensioners on the basis of VII CPC CDA scale, will create a lot of anomalies, will reduce the pension and also create serious dispute between those pensioners retired before 2017 and after 2017. Changing pension revision from IDA to CDA after two pension revision have been made in 2000 and 2017 will have serious consequences for the pensioners.

8. The thinking that there will be no wage revision for BSNL employees now and in future is a negative thinking, which the government want to impress upon the workers. CPCs have also stated that in future, there need be no pay commission. What will be the result? The working class, whether in the government or in the PSUs will never allow such a situation. We have to be positive and negative.

On the above and other many fully justified reasons, the best and logical demand is that the pension revision of the BSNL pensioners should be made from 01-01-2017 on 15% fitment which is recommended by the III PRC, and also with out waiting for the wage revision of employees, since the affordability clause and profit and loss conditions are not applicable to the government. We should not make any demand which will reduce the pension, make the issue complicate and bring many anomalies which will take years to settle or not settle at all. We should not divide the BSNL pensioners in to two camps, which will reduce our fighting power.

BSNL adds 4,21,836 connections in December 2017

16 Friday Feb 2018

Posted by in BSNL

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Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) today released its Subscription Data for December 2017 and the top five telecom operators in the country showed positive growth. State-run telco, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) added 421,836 new subscribers in the month and retained its 100 million subscriber base too. However, MTNL lost 6561 subscribers in the month. Leading telecom operator, Bharti Airtel added just 576,575 subscribers during the month, which is rather a small number by its standards. Reliance Jio has added a whopping eight million new customers in the month, followed by Idea Cellular with 2.4 million new subscribers and Vodafone with 1.5 million. (Press report)

Despite fierce competition from Reliance Jio,BSNL has done well. Congratulations!

Why Communications Minister is silent on wage revision of BSNL employees?

14 Wednesday Feb 2018

Posted by in BSNL, General

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BSNL employees, both executives and non-executives coming to about two lakhs are on continuous agitation for about one year demanding that their wages be revised with effect from 01-01-2017, ten years after the last wage revision. A Joint strike participated by almost the entire work force was also organised. The latest is the ‘Satyagraha’ for 5 days and the ‘work according to rule’ programme which is continuing.

BSNL, which was in loss for 5-6 years had started picking up with the initiative of the unions/associations and is in operative profit for the last three years.  Even otherwise the profitablity alone can not be considered in a PSU like BSNL, which implementing the policy of the government for full connectivity to the nation, which entails loss to the PSU.

BSNL Management has already intimated Department of Telecom that it is prepared for wage revision. But the DOT and the Communications Minister is keeping silent.

This is unfortunate and completely not acceptable. The minister should take necessary decision and start the process of implementing the wage revision in discussion with the unions/associations.

BSNL started it’s 4G service in Kerala circle.

10 Saturday Feb 2018

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BSNL started it’s 4G service in Kerala circle.
BSNL started it’s 4G service in Kerala yesterday. Initially the 4G service has been made available at five locations in the high range Idukki district. This service has been launched, with BSNL’s existing spectrum. The first call was made to the CMD BSNL. CGM, Kerala, Shri P.T.Mathew said that, by the year end, 4G service would be made available to all its customers in all the districts by the end of the year. It may also be recollected that BSNL is making serious effort to 5 MHz 4G spectrum in the 2,100 MHz band. Once BSNL gets this spectrum allotment, it’s 4G service will also be rolled out throughout the country. (BSNLEU Website)