Category Archives: PSU

BSNL and MTNL have a combined debt of Rs. 18,579 crore

05 Thursday Mar 2015

Posted by in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation, BSNL News, Neo-liberal policy, PSU, Telecom

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The BSNL has a debt of Rs. 4,459 crore and MTNL Rs. 14,120 crore  as on 2013-14, Communications Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told the Parliament on 4th March 2013. The total debt of all the telecom operators including the private  will come to 2.42 lakh crore.

At the same time, the FDI in telecom sector has increased from$ 177.69 million in 2000-01 to $ 2.66 billion in 2014 taking to a total of FDI $ 16.83 billion.

While the private operators through FDI has got  $ 16.83 billion in about 14 years, BSNL has not got any tangible help from government, but even the Rs. 40,000 crore was taken away by it putting BSNL with no money to purchase equipment. The government action is not accidental, it is a well planned one.

While the government make funds available for private companies through FDI, it takes away all the funds from BSNL creating such a situation that it can not purchase equipment and expand.

This crony capitalism has to be defeated.

Insurance Bill Passed by Lok Sabha amidst strong opposition

04 Wednesday Mar 2015

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Using its brute majority, the BJP government ensured that the  the Lok Sabha to day passes the Insurance Bill amidst strong protests from the opposition benches. The bill passed will increase the FDI in Insurance sector from 26 % to 49%. Both the UPA as well as the NDA governments have been pushing for the increase of FDI in Insurance Sector for the last two decades, but could not succeed. The US and other imperialists have been putting much pressure on the Indian government to fully open the Insurance sector which is a very profitable sector.

The entire working class in the country is opposed to the increase of FDI in Insurance. In fact it will destroy the confidence of people in Insurance since the claims will be denied and delayed under private companies as happened earlier, before the Life and General Insurance was nationalised by taking over from the private companies.

We strongly oppose this anti-people decision of the government.

Strategic Sale of PSUs a policy statement – Disinvestment Secretary

04 Wednesday Mar 2015

Posted by in PSU, SAVE BSNL CAMPAIGN

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The strategic sale of PSUs is being taken as an important policy of the government.This was stated by Ms. Aradhana Johri, Secretary, Department of Disinvestment, in an interview published in the Economic Times dated 4th March 2015.

The strategic sale is applicable both to profit making as well as loss making PSUs. At the time of the earlier NDA government, such sales were made privatising BALCO, Centaur Hotels, VSNL etc. The Modi Government is also on the same line.

United struggles are the only way to save the PSUs from being grabbed by the MNCs and Indian Corporates. Prepare for such united and mighty struggles to defeat the government move and save the assets of the country.

Unions oppose Port Privatisation

03 Tuesday Mar 2015

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The proposal of the government to privatise profit making ports in the country has been strongly opposed by the All India Ports and Dock Workers Federation.

The government is proposing to privatise the profit making ports keeping the loss making only with the government. This is to favour the private companies who can maximise their profits as in the case of the privatised airports.

We strongly protest the privatisation proposal and demand the government to stop the process.

NDA Government on Privatisation mode – Oppose and Defeat it

02 Monday Mar 2015

Posted by in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation, Forum, PSU, SAVE BSNL CAMPAIGN

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The NDA Government has started serious planning for selling of PSUs, both profitable and loss making. It is nothing new for the NDA, led by the pro-corporate BJP. It was during the earlier Vajpayee-led  government that the profitable PSUs viz. VSNL, BALCO, Hindustan Zinc, Indian Petro-Chemical Corporation, Centaur Hotels etc. were handed over to the private corporates, that too for far less than actual value. It failed to sell NALCO due to the strong opposition of the workers and the people of Odisha. In the same way BSNL workers through mighty struggles defeated the decision of the government to disinvest shares of BSNL.

Those dark days of disinvestment and privatisation of PSUs are coming back with revengeful aggressiveness. Only the united struggle by the workers and the people can stop this selling of peoples’ assets to the corporates for maximising their profits. This crony capitalism has to be opposed and defeated.

BSNL workers are on the struggle path for revival of BSNL and to defeat the Disinvesment of BSNL. The Two Days Strike on 21-22 April will show the mighty protest of the workers.

SAVE BSNL – SAVE NATION!

DEFEAT THE ANTI-WORKER POLICY OF THE NDA GOVERNMENT!

FORUM OF BSNL UNIONS & ASSOCIATIONS ZINDABAD!

Central Budget – Govt. propose to raise Rs.69,500 crores through Disinvestment and Privatisation of PSUs

28 Saturday Feb 2015

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New Delhi, Feb 28 The government today proposed raising Rs 69,500 crore from disinvestment and strategic sale in state-owned companies.

Of  the total budgeted proceeds, Rs 41,000 crore is estimated to come from minority stake sale in PSUs, and the remaining Rs 28,500 crore is projected to come from strategic sale in both profit and loss-making companies.

As regards disinvestment in the current year, the government is expected to mop up only Rs 31,350 crore as against the budget target of Rs 63,425 crore.

The revised estimates have pegged the disinvestment receipts from minority stake sale in PSUs at Rs 26,353 crore, as against the target of Rs 43,425 crore.

In addition, Rs 5,000 crore will be raised from PSU Exchange Traded Fund (ETF).

“We have an elaborate disinvestment roadmap in front of us. As far as strategic sales are concerned, certainly we are not averse to the idea. Wherever we find the possibility existing, we will certainly consider it,” Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told reporters here.

The government has raised about Rs 24,500 crore through disinvestment in SAIL and Coal India in the current fiscal. It expects to raise Rs 6,850 crore in the remaining one month of the fiscal ending March.

Five per cent stake sale in REC and PFC are on cards in current fiscal.

The disinvestment department has lined up a host of companies including 5 per cent in ONGC, Dredging Corp, and Bharat Heavy Electricals (BHEL).

Besides, 10 per cent each in Indian Oil Corporation, National Aluminium Company (NALCO) and NMDC are also being planned.

It is also planning to list RINL and Hindustan Aeronautics through a 10 per cent stake dilution. (PTI)

 

General Insurance Employees will go on strike against Insurance Bill

28 Saturday Feb 2015

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The General Insurance Employees All India Association has stated that the more than 75,000 employees in the sector will go on strike if the Central Government bring the Insurance Bill in the Parliament.

The General Insurance Employees’ All India Association comprises four public sector general insurance companies — National Insurance Company, New India Assurance Company, Oriental Insurance Company and United India Insurance.

The Bill is being brought to increase the FDI in the sector from 26 to 49%, which the employees are opposing vehemently. The move is only to help the corporates both Indian and foreign.

Our solid support and solidarity to the struggle.

Conciliation on Bank Strike failed – To continue on 23rd February

21 Saturday Feb 2015

Posted by in PSU, TU News - India

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The conciliation meeting on 19th February called by the Chief Labour Commissioner  Shri P.P.Mitra,between the Bank management and the United Forum of bank Unions (UFBU) failed  since the Management was not prepared to accept the demand raised by the unions. The conciliation talks are being held to find a settlement on the Strike notice issued by the unions, which is to start from 25th February.

It is reported that another meeting will be held on 23rd by the CLC to come to an agreement.

Stop Selling Airports to Private companies

13 Friday Feb 2015

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The move of the central government to privatise Chennai, Kolkata, Jaipur and Ahmedabad has been strongly opposed by the Airport Authority Employees Union. The Airport Employees organised massive protest demonstrations in front of AAI offices demanding that the privatisation move should be dropped.

It is to be mentioned here that all these airports which are now managed by the Airport Authority of India has been modernised with improved infrastructure by spending more than Rs. 50,000 crore. There is no need as such for further modification or spending money at present. The government’s move is only to favour private companies to get the benefit from running the airports. All these four airports are profitable. There are many airports under AAI which are loss making and the same is compensated by the profit making airports.

The Government has already privatised the most profitable airports in the country, viz. Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad. The air-travellers are compelled to pay airport charges, which was not there when these were managed by AAI. Everything in the airports like tea, coffee, stationary, parking  etc. have become more costly after privatisation.  This will  repeat in the new privatised airports also.

The privatisation of airports is completely against the interests of workers, travellers and the country. It is only to maximise the profit of the private companies  by acquiring the well maintained airports. Strong opposition should come from the people and opposition political parties.

 

 

Discrimination against BSNL customers by private telecom operators scrapped by Supreme Court. A report in CNBC

02 Monday Feb 2015

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Discrimination against BSNL customers by private telecom operators scrapped by Supreme Court. A report in CNBC

Telcos have lost a differential tariff case dating back to 2008 at the Supreme Court. The private telcos charged higher for calls to BSNL, MTNL   customers in states like Maharashtra, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh. However, calling the move as arbitrary, the apex court said that customers cannot be differentiated based on call origination. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has asked telcos to set aside extra amount collected.(courtesy :CNBC TV)