The govt. Is proposing to spend about Rs.69,500 crores for telecom, IT and Infrastructure by 5 years up to 2019. This is part of its ‘Digital India Programme’.
The expenditure for Broadband connectivity to 2.5 lakh villages will be Rs.32,000 crore, for mobile connectivity, Rs. 16,000 crore, for infrastructure, Rs.15,686 crore, for rolling out common service centres Rs.4,750 crore, for training purposes Rs.200 crore, for wifi Rs.790 crore and Rs.98 crore for secure email.
These proposals are reported to have been approved by Cabinet.

Well known progressive writer and Jnanapitam Award winner U R Anantamurthy passed away today, 22 August 2014, after a brief illness. He was 82.
A great thinker and celebrated author has left us.
We pay our respectful homage.

Madras, now called Chennai, completes 375 years today, 22 August 2014. The city has its start when the the place was given as grant to East  India Company by Nayak of Wandiwash, part of the Vijayanagara Empire on 22 August 1639.
The history of Madras is full of historical incidents like wars, treaties, victory and defeat. It was the centre of Independence struggle, formation of trade unions and progressive forces as also the revival of the Dravidian Culture and Dravidian parties. Madras was the capital of Madras Province, which included the present states of T.Nadu, A.P., Karnataka and Kerala, till the state reorganisation was effected.
While the city celebrates completion of its 375 years of existence, we also share the same.
Our Best Wishes to the citizens of Chennai for further progress and achievements. (Courtesy: Front Line)

Reports from many centres in the country show that heavy rains are pouring and landslides and floods continue.
But in Delhi, situation is entirely different. Severe heat continues and people are sweating and swearing. Despite July and August are almost over, except one or two light rains, there has not been the usual amount of rains.

K.V.Choudhary, Chairman, Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has disclosed today that out of search and surveys, it has been found that the undisclosed income comes to Rs.90,000 crores in 2013-14. The real undisclosed will be manyfold.
There are about 3.5 crore taxpayers in the country  out of which a good portion are employees whose income tax is deducted at the source
itself. It is the big business, corporates etc. who avoid paying tax by adopting dubious means.
This year 2014-2015, the target is to collect Rs. 7.36 lakh crore, out of which Rs. 1.51 lakh is already collected.

The Reserve Bank of India is on the move to introduce Plastic Notes instead of Paper Notes. The plastic notes will first be tried in a few cities as on experimental basis and then all over India.

Trinamool goons with support of the state police are attacking and terrorising the workers in W.Bengal. Union offices are being ransacked and demolished. There were attacks against BSNLEU offices also.
In the recent days Trinamool elements have once again tried to attack our workers who are on struggle on the demands of BSNL employees  and casual and contract workers. We congratulate Com.Animesh Mitra, Dy GS and Circle Secretary, BSNLEU, Com.Saibal Sengupta, AGS and Circle Secretary, Kolkata and other comrades for courageously defending the workers.
We strongly protest against such attacks on the workers and their unions and extend all solidarity and support to the W.Bengal Comrades.

BSNL employees as per call of the Forum of BSNL Unions/Associations organised a well attended lunch hour demonstration at BSNL C.O.premises protesting against the anti-BSNL, anti-worker recommendations of Deloittee Consultants. Hundreds of workers participated.

About 1.23 crore employed in government are temporary or contract workers as per a study by Indian Staffing Federation (ISF). This will be about 43per cent of the govt. work force. This also means the serious exploitation by the  govt. itself.

A National Protest Convention of Workers will be held at Mavelankar Hall Annexe on 15 September 2014 as decided by the Central Trade Unions. The Convention is being organised to oppose and protest against the proposed changes in the labour laws which are  completely against the interests of the workers. BSNLEU will be part of this Convention. Further details will be posted later.