The Government is cutting subsidies to the common people. Number of BPL families are being reduced on one plea or another and the food subsidy is also being cut. The government is very reluctant to grant subsidy for bail out of PSUs like Air India. It says that PSUs should manage their own without seeking help from Government. BSNL is deprived of its cash surplus through dubious means like ‘notional loans’ etc.

But the same government has no difficulty in gifting lakhs of crores of rupees as subsidy to the corporates and private bigwigs. See below how much amount has been spent by the government towards concession and bailing out the corporates:

Year                            Amount

2008-2009              Rs. 4,14,099 crore

2009-2010              Rs. 5,02,299 crore

2010-2011                Rs. 5,11,630 crore

Total                          Rs 14,28,028 crore.

A total of Rs 14,28,028 crore gifted to the corporates! One can understand on whose side the government is!

The government doesn’t miss  a chance to publicise its love towards the farmers and its programmes to help them. But what is happening in the country? Crores of farmers are languishing under debts and loans unable to repay them. They are unable to buy seeds for cultivation. They are in utter poverty.  The government should open its eyes and see the misery of the farmers. The following list of suicides of farmers show the utter callousness of the government towards their problems: Only the number of suicides in 4 states are given.

Farmer Suicides  in 16 years  from 1995 – 2010

Maharashtra       30,415

A.P.                       31,120

Karnataka           35,053

M.P.                     41,062

Total                  2,56,913

It is reported that President Putin’s party United Russia Party has scrapped through with a lean margin. But what is important is that the Communist Party (CPRF) has improved its votes and had advanced much. The people have started comparing the present economic situation with the earlier USSR when Communist Party was in power.

Let us hope that the pendulum is swinging towards Communism, especially after the great recession and job loss in the capitalist countries.

The Steering Committee against PFRDA Bill has submitted the Memorandum against PFRDA BIll directly to the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on the day of the massive Parliament March on 25th November 2011. Memorandum signed by thousands of workers have already been submitted. But it is understood that many circles/districts are yet to send the signed copies to the CHQ.It is very much necessary that all these copies of memorandums be sent to the CHQ so that it can be sent to the PM through the Steering Committee.

The Steering Committee is scheduled to meet on 20th December to review the earlier programmes and to chalk out further programmes. Due to the stalling of the Parliament, the issue is yet to be discussed. Our pressure should be intensified.

As per the call of the JAC, massive rallies are to be organised on 8th December in preparation and propagation of the One Day Strike on 15th December 2011.  The main demands include ‘No VRS’, ITS absorption issue, Bonus, procurement of equipments etc.etc.

Management has not so far even called the JAC for discussion in the matter. Let us organise the rally on 8th in a massive way.

I am at Chennai today, 3rd December 2011, attending the Circle Executive Committee of BSNLEU T.Nadu Circle. When I spoke, I mainly dwelt upon the decision of the Central Trade Unions calling the workers to go on strike on 28th February 2012 on the major demands of the Indian working class. I also touched upon the 15th December one-day strike decided by the JAC.

Comrade P.Abhimanyu, GS, S.Chellappa, Circle Secretary T.Nadu Circle, Punitha Udaya Kumar, All india Vice-President. K.Govindaraj, Circle Secretary, C.K.Narasimhan, Circle Secretary, AIBDPA, Murugaiah, Circle Secretary, BSNLCCWF  and other leaders were there.

T.Nadu Circle Union is a circle union functioning systematically, holding regular CEC meetings, issuing circulars, taking up cases with the management etc. Its website is daily updated with latest information.

I could not stay till the end of the CEC since I had to urgently return to Delhi. My Greetings to the T.Nadu comrades.

Inordinate delay has occurred in the waiver of the spectrum by the Defence which can be used for providing services to the people. It was agreed between the Departments of Defence and Telecommunications that a portion of the spectrum now with the Defence will be transferred to DOT after creating a net work for the Defence by DOT which is entrusted to the BSNL. Is it not over so far?

Is it the fault of the DOT, Defence or BSNL? Any way delay has taken place. Unless things move fast there will be further delay in transfer. this is to be avoided.

There are about 47.1 million subscribers to EPF with a corpus of more than Rs. 3.5 lakh crore. Now there is no fixed minimum pension for the subscribers  to the EPF.There are pensioners getting even Rs.20 only per month. About 7 lakh workers are only getting about Rs. 1,000. In contrast, many states are paying minimum pension @ Rs. 500 to Rs.1000, without any contribution from the senior citizen.

The Central trade unions have been demanding a minimum of Rs. 2,000 as pension to the EPF contributors. Although consensus have been reached at Rs.1000 as minimum pension between the employer and the employees representatives, no decision has been taken so far. It is reported that the Central Board of Trustees  of the EPFO, in its meeting to be held on 23rd December is expected to take a decision in this matter.

It is only appropriate and need-based to fix a minimum of Rs. 2000 at least as the minimum pension. This is what the government has to do for justice to the pensioners.

Almost every thing is settled for the purchase of the own building of the BSNLEU. It is expected that the registration will take place on 8th December 2011.

It is utmost necessary that the building fund collected by the Branches/Districts are sent to CHQ urgently.

The Central Working Committee meeting of FNTO at Chennai is over by today, 2nd December. I have earlier requested on behalf of the JAC that a decision be taken to join the strike on 15th December, called for by the JAC and joined by the NFTE with its allies.

I hope that they have taken a correct decision to join the strike.