Category Archives: BSNL

AIBDPA meet M.P.s on Pension Revision – 100 M.P.s already met

08 Saturday Feb 2020

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The Campaign of meeting the M.P.s for taking up the issue of Pension Revision with Government is getting fine response from the Circle, District and Branch units. It is reported that 100 M.P.s of various political parties have already been met, who have assured the AIBDPA representatives that they will take up the case with the government. One of the M.P.s Shri Rupin Bora from Assam, who is also the State Congress President, has raised the issue in the Parliament with the important points and demanded immediate Pension Revision for BSNL Pensioners. We expect many others also to take up the matter.

Next programme of agitation is Dharna in front of CCAs on 12th February. Make it a success with massive participation.

AIBDPA CALLS TO IMPLEMENT AUAB PRGRAMMES

07 Friday Feb 2020

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AUAB has decided to organise Dharna on 11th February and Hunger Dharna on 24th March 2020 on the demands of BSNL Revival and payment of salary, allotment of 4G Spectrum etc. AIBDPA has called upon its members to join the programme effectively in all the places.

BSNL – AUAB decides to launch agitational programme.

06 Thursday Feb 2020

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A meeting of the AUAB was held today, presided over by Com.Chandeswar Singh, Chairman. All the constituents of the AUAB attended today’s meeting. Com.P.Abhimanyu, Convenor, welcomed all and briefed on the agenda for discussion. The meeting held in-depth discussions and decided to launch agitational programme on the following Demands:-

Immediate payment of salary for the months of December, 2019 & January, 2020, as well as prompt payment of salary every month.
Immediate clearance of the dues, already deducted from the salaries of employees.
Immediate launching of BSNL’s 4G service.
Immediate granting of sovereign guarantee for issuing of bonds by BSNL.
Immediate withdrawal of notices issued under FR 17 (A).
No whimsical transfer of employees, consequent to the implementation of VRS.

Action Programme:

Lunch hour demonstrations on 11.02.2020.
Hunger strike at all levels on 24.02.2020.
[Date : 06 – Feb – 2020]

BSNL Pension Revision – More M.Ps met

05 Wednesday Feb 2020

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As part of the campaign being organised by AIBDPA on the demand of the Pension Revision for BSNL retirees wef 01-01-2017, the Circle and District Secretaries along with other office bearers are meeting the Members of parliament from their constituencies and giving the copy of memorandum submitted to the Prime Minister on the subject. Shri Rupin Bora, M.P. from Assam, who is also the State Congress President has raised the matter in the Parliament asking the govt to implement Pension revision. More and more M.P.s are being met by the AIBDPA leaders.

Richest 1% Indians hold 4 times more wealth than bottom 70%.

23 Thursday Jan 2020

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Richest 1% Indians hold 4 times more wealth than bottom 70%.
The Oxfam International has released it’s report on 20th January, 2020, in the sideline of the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos. This time the title of the report was “Time to Care”.

The report stated “Economic inequality is out of control. In 2019, the world’s billionaires, only 2,153 people, had more wealth than 4.6 billion people.”

It further mentioned that India’s richest 1% hold more than four times the wealth held by 953 million people who make up for the bottom 70% of the country’s population. Regarding India, Oxfam further said that the combined total wealth of 63 Indian billionaires i.e., Mukesh Ambani, Azim Premji, Sunil Mittal etc., is higher than the total Union Budget of India for the fiscal year 2018-19 which was at Rs.24,42,200 crore. (BSNLEU Website)

What is the working plan after 78569 officials will leave on VRS in BSNL? – Immediate action plan required.

11 Saturday Jan 2020

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By 31st January 78,569 officials, more than 50% of the total staff, will be retiring from BSNL. In addition, hundreds will be retiring on superannuation. With such a large reduction of work force, how is BSNL going to function? What is the working plan that is prepared by BSNL management?
Nothing has been made clear. Some orders and press statements are issued. But what is the present position? Only 20 days are left now for the large scale VRS retirement.

To avoid difficulties in serving the customers, immediate action plan is needed. It should be prepared in discussion with the staff side / unions and associations. There is hardly any time to finanlise.

Three Decades valiant Struggles against privatisation of Telecom /BSNL – 1

09 Thursday Jan 2020

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Three Decades valiant Struggles against privatisation of Telecom /BSNL – 1

(A note on the sustained struggles organised by the Unions in Department of Telecom and later in BSNL, against corporatisation, privatisation and closure of the govt. telecom services since 1991, when the New Economic Policy of Liberalisation, Privatisation, Globalisation (LPG) started being implemented in India. This will be serially published).

Telecom is one of the most important infrastructure and service which helps to speed up development and growth of any country. During the last century, technological advances have been fantastic and telecom sector was no exception. In fact, the changes in telecom sector were beyond comparison.
At the time of Independence in India in 1947, there were only about 80,000 or so. India was far behind the developed countries. By 1980s, India was catching up, due to introduction of new technologies and expansion programmes. Magneto, Central Battery, Automatic etc. systems changed for electronic exchanges. Underground cables were laid all over the country. Number of employees rose to about 4.5 lakhs. The telecom revolution was going to start.
The combined Postal and Telegraphs Department was bifurcated in to Departments of Posts and Telecom. Telecom Commission was formed subsequently with more powers. Telecom became a highly profitable sector, with introduction of newer and newer technologies. Vast expansion was expected.
The collapse of USSR and consequent weakening of Socialist system changed the entire world scenario. Capitalist countries, with USA at the head, started dictating terms and conditions for other countries to follow. The trimurtis – International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank (WB) and World Trade Organisation (WTO)- worked as effective tools for the implementation of the new capitalist order.
Discarding its earlier motto of, ‘Socialist Pattern of Society’, the ruling Congress party had already shifted to the neo-liberalisation policy of Liberalisation, Privatisation and Globalisation (LPG). Massive Indian markets were opened for the MNCs to enter and garner huge profits. The greedy eyes of the MNCs have already focussed on Telecom, which was fully under the central government.
Athreya Committee Report -1991
The Athreya Committee, which was appointed to study the restructure of Department of Telecom, submitted its majority report in 1991, recommending corporatisation of telecom services as also privatisation. There was strong protest and outcry from the telecom workers and their unions. They very well understood that corporation / privatisation will be not only bad for the workers, but bad for the entire country. The entire telecom workers went on a successful One Day Token All India Strike on 31 December 1993 against the recommendations for corporatisation and privatisation. The government was compelled to shelve the proposal for corporatisation and privatisation for the time being. This was a big victory for the struggling workers.

(Will be continued).

Free/ Concessional telephones to BSNL/DOT retirees.

04 Saturday Jan 2020

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AIBDPA had taken up the issue with BSNL management  of providing free/concessional mobile connection to retired BSNL and DOT employees wherever residential land   line connection could not be provided due to technical non-feasibility, particularly after closure WLL exchanges. After continuous discussions and persuasion, now BSNL has issued the order;

VIEW THE ORDER >PROVISION OF GSM AT TNF

AIBDPA Action Plan for Pension Revision

01 Wednesday Jan 2020

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The Central Executive Committee of AIBDPA held at Guwahati on 24-25 November 2019 has charted the following Programme of Action for achieving the demand of Pension Revision for BSNL pensioners w.e.f. 01-01-2017 with 15% fitment recommended by III Pay Revision Committee:

1. Submission of Memorandum to the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, signed by tens of thousands of pensioners.All pensioners, irrespective of union/association of BSNL/DOT to be approached and signature obtained. It is beneficial to all.
2. Meet all the Members of Parliament and request to take up the issue with the government. A copy of the Memorandum also to be given and matters explained.
3. Massive Hunger Strike on 12th February 2020 in front of the CCA Offices in the circles.
4. Massive March to Parliament on 12th March 2020 being participated by thousands of pensioners.

The injustice being meted out to the BSNL/DOT Pensioners should be explained and propagated to the entire pensioners and BSNL employees. 13 years have passed without ny pension revision. Press releases and Press conferences be organised to get wide publicity. The fact that the Central govt is going back on its promises should be exposed.

Participate and make all the programmes successful.

AIBDPA calls for continuous Mighty Struggles for Pension Revision.

01 Wednesday Jan 2020

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(Giving below is the Editorial of Tele Pensioner, the journal of AIBDPA)

Chalo Delhi
It is pertinent to point out that the government had given certain concrete assurances during the formation of BSNL. Foremost of these were that the government will keep BSNL viable and compensate for the losses for providing rural telephony as part of its social obligation. The absorbed employees were assured of better prospects and necessary amendment in Rule 37A of CCS(Pension)Rules,1972 was incorporated to ensure pension from the government to the BSNL absorbed employees. Unfortunately, most of the promises were violated and BSNL had to incur losses due to the anti-PSU policy of the government, at the later stage, the naked pro Reliance Jio stand which is instrumental for the distress of entire telecom industry. We, therefore do not find any justification in denying wage revision to BSNL employees in the name of affordability condition stipulated by 3rd PRC. The former CMD,BSNL, Shri.Anupam Shrivastava had rightly pointed out that 3rd PRC itself mentioned that the affordability conditions are not applicable to those PSUs implementing government projects and as such BSNL is the fittest case for exemption. So the government should think seriously, particularly in the post VRS scenario, to implement wage revision which is a must to motivate the remaining employees. But pension revision is no way related to loss or bad financial position of BSNL as the liability is of the central government alone.

The decision of the Central Executive Committee meeting held at Guwahati to launch a phased programme of agitation against the negative approach of central Government on the genuine issue of pension revision of BSNL absorbed retirees, has evoked great enthusiasm among the pensioners. The CEC after serious discussion and review of the latest developments, particularly, Hon’ble Communications Minister’s statement in the Parliament to the effect that pension revision is possible only after wage revision as pay scales are must for pension revision.

There is nothing to be disappointed or dejected on the statement of the Minister. It is true that 50% of the minimum of the revised pay scale has to be ensured for pension revision. Pay scales are also required for implementing Option 3 , implemented to the central government pensioners as an alternative to Option 1, recommended by the 7th Pay Commission for parity in pension to past pensioners. However, the fact remains that pay scales are very much available for pension revision. 3rd PRC has recommended the pay scales for the executives and for the non-executives BSNL management and the recognized unions through bilateral negotiations have agreed for the pay scales subject to approval of the DoT. The BSNL absorbed retirees have paid the pension contribution at the maximum of their pay scales and as per Rule 37A of CCS(Pension) Rules, 1972, amended from time to time, the entire liability of pension and pensionary benefits to the BSNL absorbed retirees ,lies with the government.

Therefore, AIBDPA rightly demands that Pension Revision of BSNL absorbed retirees be granted from 01-01-2017 with 15% fitment based on the revised pay scales, delinking wage revision. And the CEC felt that another phased programme of agitation is the need of the hour, rather than approaching the court and get the issue frozen. As directed by the CEC, General Secretary wrote to five important pensioners organizations to explore the possibility of a joint struggle. Three organizations responded with limitations and two, AIBSNLPWA and SNREWA did not even reply. So we had no other option than going ahead independently.

Accordingly, a massive signature campaign in the memorandum to be submitted to the Hon’ble Prime Minister will be undertaken at all levels to ensure maximum mobilization of pensioners. Meanwhile, District/Circle leaders will approach all the Members of Parliament to seek their support and help to take up the issue with the government. This important work has to be completed in the month of January, 2020. Next program is Mass Hunger Strike at all CCA offices on 12th February,2020 with large participation. And the culmination is the Parliament March on 12th March, 2020 in which thousands of BSNL and DoT pensioners will participate from all parts of the country.

Struggle is our path, unity and struggle our slogan and victory is our aim. Let us make the programme historic and stupendous. Yes, comrades, we shall march forward, overcome all the hurdles and come out victorious.