Category Archives: General

Private telecom companies are allowed to reap undue benefits by DOT.

18 Monday May 2015

Posted by in BSNL News, General, Telecom

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Reproducing below a report from “Business Line” on the CAG report on Telecom.   

“The Telecom Ministry has sought legal opinion on a CAG report that stated undue benefits were extended to companies including Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, RCom and Tata Teleservices on a number of issues.

According to a source: “The Ministry has sought legal opinion on the matter so as to undertake further course of action.”

Taking note of CAG’s findings, Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has asked the ministry officials to seek legal opinion, sources said.

Raising concerns over various policy issues in the telecom sector, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has recently flagged financial gaps to the tune of over ₹31,000 crore including towards non-imposition of fines and the undue gains to private operators.

Reliance Jio Infocomm got undue benefit of ₹3,367.29 crore after the Department of Telecom (DoT) allowed it to provide voice calling facility under the new licensing regime, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) had said in its report.

Whereas Bharti Airtel made an undue gain of ₹499 crore because of DoT’s decision to merge Chennai telecom circle with Tamil Nadu in a hasty manner in 2005, the government auditor said.

Reliance Communications and Tata Teleservices got undue benefit to the extent of ₹882.06 crore (2009-10 to 2013-14) after the DoT granted telecom licences for dual technology in October 2007/January 2008, the CAG said.

The companies concerned had maintained that there was no wrong doing on their part

The CAG had also said the DoT allowed operators to enter into mutual commercial agreements for intra-service area roaming in 2008 resulting in adverse financial impact on revenues.

The auditor had also highlighted undue favour to CDMA operators when the DoT decided not to auction 800 MHz spectrum for enhanced voice data optimised (EVDO) services in 2010 though they were providing 3G EVDO services with the available 2G spectrum (800 MHz) without liberalisation of spectrum.”

How the telecom department was supporting the private companies is very clear from the above report. While the government is not prepared to give any assistance to the BSNL, thousands of crores of rupees are allowed to be pocketed by private companies on various counts.

Do not infringe on the democratic rights of the state government

18 Monday May 2015

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The intervention of the Lft. Governor, Delhi,  in the appointment of the govt. secretaries and other connected matters of the Delhi Government is not appropriate. It is not only the Constitution alone, but there are conventions and method of democratic functioning. Delhi Government should be allowed to function with out infringement on its democratic rights.

Railways in acute need of 2,000 additional wagons

17 Sunday May 2015

Posted by in General, Neo-liberal policy

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It is reported that Railways is in acute shortage of wagons to carry goods, especially coal. As per the Railways Minister Shri Suresh Prabhu, more than 2,000 additional wagons are required. The tenders are yet to be finalised.

It seems that the BSNL example is being repeated here. Making shortage of required wagons, the railways will be in difficulty. And then running of goods trains can be taken over by the private corporates. There is every chance that the shortage is planned to weaken Railways, as it was done to BSNL by cancelling the tender for required mobile connections, which was the main reason for starting of its down fall.

WFTU Calls for support to Nepal Earth Quake Victims

17 Sunday May 2015

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15 May 2015

NEPAL, SOLIDARITY

The World Federation of Trade Unions -WFTU- is following closely the recent developments in Nepal after the catastrophic earthquakes that left thousands dead and its impact for the working class and the people of the country. The WFTU affiliates in the country have also paid a heavy toll by losing members and trade unionists from this disaster.

We extend our deepest sympathy to the families affected by this tragedy. WFTU has supported morally and materially the Nepali people and union movement after this disaster. The WFTU feels the need to keep solidarizing with the Nepali people in this time of need and calls to support the local union movement and its efforts to rebuild the country and help it recover from this disaster. We support the demands of the Nepali trade unions, of WFTU affiliates in the country, that the Government of Nepal and all concerned agencies, national and international organizations provide assistance in rescue and relief initiatives. We urge the Government of Nepal to ensure the fundamental human needs, while managing post disasters activities. We request that the government takes actions of reconstruction and rehabilitation in a sustainable and permanent way, according to the modern needs of the workers and the people in the country.

Stop this menace of unnecessary medical tests – Society of Doctors

17 Sunday May 2015

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I am reproducing a news in “Times of India” dated 17-05-2015 below:

“Several doctors from all over India and across disciplines are joining hands to fight against the menace of unnecessary investigations. The Society for Less Investigative Medicine (SLIM), which was initiated last year by a few cardiologists in the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi, is now becoming a national society of Doctors.”

  • This is a good decision. Many Doctors are regularly prescribing unnecessary medicines as also many unwanted tests only to  get monetary benefits for their hospital,for the medical companies as for themselves. This is anti-social and has to be curtailed strictly. As such, the decision of the society of Doctors itself is worthy of appreciation. Let it not be a declaration alone, but be it implemented, which will give some relief to the patients and their family.

Oppose Child labour Bill – CPI(M)

16 Saturday May 2015

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The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) strongly opposes the Union cabinet’s approval to legalise child labour in “family enterprises”. This is a retrograde measure which legalizes the exploitation of the labour of children below the age of 14. To suggest that “poverty and the social fabric of India” justify the use of child labour is to punish children for their poverty. Instead, people expected this Modi government to take meaningful measures to ameliorate growing poverty of the majority of our people.

Modi government’s economic reforms promote ‘outsourcing’. Many developed industries farm out work to contractors who further farm out work to families who work round the clock at exploitative rates. This is in addition to other trades such as bidi making, agarbattis, carpet weaving etc., where children are forced to work. Since it is impossible to regulate “family enterprises” such an amendment will open the floodgates for the rampant use of child labour.

Coming as it does in the wake of the severe cuts in the budgetary allocations for children’s development, the proposed amendment exposes the callous approach of this government to children’s rights.

The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) calls upon all democratic minded citizens to join in forcing the government to withdraw this anti-child amendment to our laws.

Petrol, Diesel prices hike Rs. 3.13 and Rs. 2.71 respectively for a litre

15 Friday May 2015

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From tonight the prices of petrol and diesel will go up substantially. The increase for petrol is Rs. 3.13  and Rs. 2.71 for diesel per litre. The government justifies the hike on the plea that the international price for crude oil has gone up. This is the second time within a short period the prices have been increased.

When the international prices come down, it is not reflected on the price to the consumer since government increase the tax etc. But the prices increase the full burden is put on the shoulders of the customer.

26 May All India Convention by Central Trade Unions

15 Friday May 2015

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The 11 Central Trade Unions  are organising an All India Convention at Mavlankar Hall New Delhi on 26th May 2015 on the 10 point demands raised by them and for declaring action programme on the same.  In addition to the central trade unions, all India Federations of employees like BSNL, Central/ state government will also participate.It is expected that important decisions will be taken by the Convention.

Land Bill Parliamentary Committee – Left is left out from Rajya Sabha

15 Friday May 2015

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This is complete discrimination. Left was one of the parties which strongly opposed the Land Bill in the Rajya Sabha and almost co-ordinated the opposition in the issue. Now  a Joint Parliamentary Committee of both the houses has been formed by the Government to examine the bill. But interestingly, no CPI(M) member from the Rajya Sabha is  there. It is complete discrimination. Com. Sitaram Yechuri, leader of the CPI(M) in Rajya Sabha should be included.

Nepal shattered by continuous earth quakes, liberal help necessary.

13 Wednesday May 2015

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Nepal needs India’s help. The people of India should continue their help to the bleeding Nepal people who are suffering beyond words, due to the continued earth quakes.

Very liberal donations are required to help Nepalese people in their difficult times.