Category Archives: Uncategorized

BSNL Crisis – Not due to wage increase but due to less Revenue

13 Friday Dec 2013

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The government, BSNL Management, media and vested interests are continuously propagating that the crisis in BSNL is partly due to the increase in wages of employees which has shot up to 52% of the total revenue.
This propaganda is completely false and based on wrong premises. The fact is that for the last five years, there has not been any increase to be mentioned as such in the wages of the employees. Just go through the following figures showing the wages for the past few years:
2009-10 : Rs. 13455.04 crore, 2010-11: Rs. 13790.95 crore, 2011-12: Rs. 13406.04 crore, 2012-13 : Rs. 13757.82 crore
But the Revenue has been going down as can be seen below:
2007-2008: Rs. 32842.30 crore, 2008-09: Rs. 30169.42 crore, 2009-10: Rs.27913.44 crore, 2010-11: Rs. 27044.71 crore, 2011-12: Rs. 25982.13 crore, 2012-13: Rs. 25654.81 crore.
While the wage expense from 2009-10 to 2012-13 was almost the same with very minor difference, the revenue came down from 2007-08 to 2012-13 from Rs. 32842.30 crore to Rs.25654.81 crore,a reduction of more than Rs. 7,000 crore. If the revenue had increased or at least maintained its position, the percentage of wages should have been far less, say about 33%.
As stated earlier it is not that the wages have increased, but it is that the revenue has decreased. The Management and Government very well know this fact, but want to mislead the workers and public. But the workers are also aware of the facts.

2G Report by JPC – ” Fraud, Fabricated and Perverse Report” says Opposition

10 Tuesday Dec 2013

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There were strong protests from the opposition against the arbitrary report on 2G Scam presented in Parliament by the Chairman of the JPC on Shri P.C.Chacko. Almost all the opposition party members in the Committee has opposed the report, which completely put the responsibility on Former Minister A.raja. The demand of the opposition to examine Prime Minister and Finance Minister who were also part of the decision making in the matter was rejected by the Chairman. Even the demand for examining A.Raja, who himself volunteered for examination, was rejected by the Chairman, well knowing that such an examination will certainly involve the PM and FM.
In rejecting the opposition party members in the JAC, the Chairman had violated rules as also conventions. The report is only a cover up according to the opposition members.
Although the demand of the opposition not to allow presentation of the one-sided report was rejected by the Speaker, it is sure that a discussion on the report will bring fire and thunder. The government is sure to be exposed.

Homage to Nelson Mandela, Condolence Meeting

09 Monday Dec 2013

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A Condolence meeting was held at AKG Bhawan New Delhi to pay homage to Nelson Mandela, former President, S.Africa and one of the top leaders the world has ever seen. Comrade Hari Singh Kang, presided. Comrades Varadarajan, A.K.Padmanabhan and other senior leaders of CPI(M) and many other comrades were present.
Com.Sitaram Yechury, PBM, CPI(M), spoke in length about the life of Nelson Mandela, his struggle against British imperialists for the freedom of S.Africa, the formation of the militant unit to fight against British, Umkhonto We Sizwe (Spear of the Nation) of which he was the first Commander-in-Chief, his arrest and solitary confinement in Robben Island for 27 years, his release due to the strong protest from the nations all over the world, freedom from British Supremacy, his election as the first black President of S.Africa, the joint functioning of the African National Congress (ANC), South African Communist Party (SACP) and COSATU, the workers organisation. He retired from the post of President after the first term, though everybody pressed him to continue. Com. Sitaram Yechury also informed that he will be leaving to S.Africa to participate in the farewell function along with the President Shri Pranab Mukherjee, Opposition Leader Smt. Sushma Swaraj and other leaders.
The participants stood in silence for one minute paying respectful homage to the memory of the departed leader.
Red Salute to Comrade nelson Mandela!

World Leaders to attend Mandela’s Last Journey

09 Monday Dec 2013

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Johannesburg, Dec 9 : President Pranab Mukherjee will
be among 70 heads of state and government and global figures
who will attend a memorial service in South Africa tomorrow
for anti-apartheid legend Nelson Mandela, making it one of the
largest such gatherings in generations. Scores of foreign dignitaries have already arrived in the country for the memorial service at the 95,000-seat FNB Stadium, where Mandela made his last major public appearance during the 2010 football World Cup.

President Mukherjee will lead a high-level delegation to the memorial service of the former South African President, who died at the age of 95 on December 5. The delegation will comprise UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj, Union Commerce Minister Anand Sharma, CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury and BSP leader Satish Mishra, a Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesman said in New Delhi.

There has been “unprecedented interest” to attend therevered statesman’s funeral, South African Foreign Minister
Maite Nkoana-Mashabane told a news conference here. The other dignitaries who have confirmed their attendance include US President Barack Obama, Brazilian leader Dilma Rousseff, French President Francois Hollande and British Prime Minister David Cameron. Obama will be accompanied by his wife Michelle and three living former occupants of the White House — Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and George W Bush. Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas, Sri Lanka President
Mahinda Rajapaksa, Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid and UN
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon will also attend the event.Britain’s Prince Charles will represent Queen Elizabeth II at the memorial service.
Authorities have mobilised around 11,000 security personnel to ensure security during the service. Some leaders are expected to travel to Mandela’s rural village of Qunu for his funeral service and burial on December 15th. (PTI)

Beware! – Aadhar has CIA Connection.

05 Thursday Dec 2013

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The report that the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has tied up with a US company with CIA links is a matter of deep concern. According to a report in the Economic Times, a US company, MongoDB, is providing the software to manage the data base for the registration of Aadhar. One of the investors in this company is the CIA.

Earlier too, the UIDAI had entered into contracts with the US based company, L-1 Identity Solutions, and another French company for the Aadhar project. The collection of personal data and biometrics of all Indian citizens through the Aadhar programme has been made available to the United State’s agencies through the employment of these companies. It is now known through the Snowden files that the US authorities have been suborning all data through US telecom and internet companies. The Indian government and the UIDAI has compromised the vital data collected of Indian citizens by such tie-ups.

The UIDAI collection of data has no legal basis. It is also being used illegally to make the Aadhar number compulsory for delivery of social services and subsidies.

We demand the cancellation of the tie-up with foreign companies and a suspension of the Aadhar scheme till Parliament deliberates and decides on its future and, if required, a legislative enactment.(Coutsey: Press

Karnataka Govt. bringing ESMA

02 Monday Dec 2013

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It is reported that Karnataka Government has moved a bill in the Winter Session of the Assembly being held at Belgaum against striking workers. The bill called Essential Service Maintenance Bill, when passed will be utilised against striking workers in the essential services like water, power, health, transport etc.
The striking worker can be punished will jail term or fine or with both.
We strongly oppose this draconian bill. We, the Central government employees, had the bitter taste of the draconian Essential Service Maintenance Ordinance promulgated by the Central government at the time of the historic strike of July 1960 when thousands of the striking workers were put in jail. Even those outsiders who supported and gave solidarity to the strike were arrested and jailed.
We strongly oppose the ESM Bill and support the Karnataka workers fighting against this draconian Bill.

The NSA hacked more than 50,000 computers with malware

26 Tuesday Nov 2013

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It is reported that the National Security Agency(NSA) of USA has hacked more than 55,000 computers and infected them with malware. This is according to the classified documents revealed by the whistle blower Edward Snowden, who is being haunted by the US government.
There is no limit to what the US imperialists will do to continue their top position in the world. For the US, there is nothing except their world hegemony position. Anything can be done for that purpose, murder, attacking other nations, drone attacks, economic blockade of any country etc.
There should be an end to this inhuman and barbaric aggression.

CLC Conciliation on Ghaziabad issue on 18th November 2013.

17 Sunday Nov 2013

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The Chief Labour Commissioner has called the concerned Unions and the BSNL authorities for conciliation on the agitation declared by the unions demanding that the culprits in the murder of Sukhendra Pal Singh, DS, BSNLEU, be arrested and suspended etc. The next meeting is fixed on 18th November at 1100 in the office of the CLC.
In the last meeting of the Conciliation, it was stated by the Unions that the culprit, GM Ghaziabad, is not even attending the office and is sitting some where and doing a mockery of work. Evidence was also given for the same. Anyhow, the GM has now been transferred out of Ghaziabad.
The government / BSNL should take immediate further action against the GM and other culprits.

Union offices shifted from Writers Building, Kolkata

17 Sunday Nov 2013

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It is well-known that W.Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata banerjee, does not like strike, bandh and agitations against the government. The Left Unions were the target of her attacks.

Now, it is reported that the state government employees’ unions which had their union offices in the State Secretariat Building, Writers Building, have been asked to shift from there. Though the shift is demanded in the name of maintenance of the building, shifting may turn out to be permanent. The employees’ unions strongly protested against this arbitrary decision.

Only 8.5% interest for EPF in 2013-14?

17 Sunday Nov 2013

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I am giving a report from the PTI below:

Retirement fund body EPFO will pay at least 8.5 per cent rate of return on Provident Fund (PF) deposits for 2013-14 to its over 5 crore subscribers as provided in the previous fiscal and the decision in this regard could be taken as early as next month.

“The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) will not pay less than 8.5 per cent interest rate on PF deposits for the current fiscal,” an EPFO official said.

“The decision in this regard could be taken in December as the body is planning to schedule a meeting of its apex decision making body Central Board of Trustees (CBT) next month,” he added.

EPFO had provided 8.5 per cent interest rate for 2012-13, up from 8.25 per cent in 2011-12.

Trade unions have written to the Labour Ministry to urgently convene the meeting of EPFO’s apex decision making body CBT to decide on the interest rate.

Ever since the CBT was reconstituted in May, no meeting has been held so far. Since the new CBT has not met after its reconstitution in May, no sub-committees could be reconstituted. The term of the sub-committees is co-terminus with the CBT.

The EPFO official said that CBT would have to meet at least twice before deciding interest rate on PF deposits for the current fiscal.

In the first meeting, the trustee would constitute FIC and in the second meeting they would decide on interest rate based on the recommendations of the committee looking at the proposal.

The proposal for the interest rate is prepared by the EPFO which is vetted by the FIC and goes to CBT for final consideration. Once approved by the CBT, the decision on interest rate requires concurrence of Finance Ministry which has to notify it.

Only after notification, the interest is credited into the accounts of subscribers.

As per the norms, EPFO is expected to announce rate of interest on PF deposits before the beginning of a financial year. However, for the past few years the same has been delayed.