20 Thursday Aug 2015
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An Emergent Meeting of the BSNL Casual and Contract Workers Federation (BSNLCCWF) will be held at New Delhi on 4th September 2015. Notice has been issued which is posted in the BSNLCCWF website. SMS has also been sent to the CEC Members. They have been requested to intimate their time of arrival so that arrangements can be made. The ensuing All India conference on 3-4 October 2015 and other urgent matters necessiated the emergent meeting.
20 Thursday Aug 2015
Posted in Disinvestment
The government has decided to disinvest 5% shares of the Dredging Corporation. The selling spree continues.
Selling family silver has become the most important function of the Modi government. The government is the custodian of the nations’s assets and not their owner.
20 Thursday Aug 2015
The government is in a dilemma. Whether to allow mobile towers in hospitals or not?
It is a regular complaint that in most of the hospitals, the mobile connectivity is very low or nil, since the mobile towers are not installed near hospitals due to the risk of radiation to the patients. Now, Prime Minister’s office has asked the DOT, why the connectivity is not in the hospital premises and asked them to ensure connectivity.
This is a serious question. Whether to install mobile towers near hospitals or not. The decision is to be taken after fully considering the full implications.
20 Thursday Aug 2015
Posted in Corruption, Telecom
Tags
CBI, corruption, Raja, Telecom
The CBI registered a disproportionate assets case against former Communications Minister A.Raja along with 16 others. Raja is already facing a CBI inquiry in the 2G spectrum allocation case.
It is interesting to note that many of the former Communication Ministers like Sukh Ram, Dayanidhi Maran had faced corruption cases. Of course, telecom is one of the most profitable sectors and bribery, corruption, favouritism are all part in the crony capitalism.
20 Thursday Aug 2015
Posted in Neo-liberal policy
It is reported that the Central Government has decided to put on hold the proposal of modernisation (read privatisation) of the Airports at Chennai and Kolkata. It was earlier decided to hand over these two airports to the private companies like Delhi and Mumbai, in the name of modrnisation. There were strong protests from the employees as well as public since privatisation will result in higher charges for the passengers. Further, modernisation worth thousands of crore of rupees have already been done by the Airport Authority. By putting a few hundreds of crores, the private companies were to get the running of these two airports and huge profit.
At the same time, the government has not dropped the proposals for the ‘modernisation’ and handing over of airports at Jaipur and Ahmedabad, which have also been upgraded by the Airport Authority. These two airports are also profit-making ones.
It is interesting that neither the government proposes to privatise any of the loss making airports; nor the private companies are prepared to take them.
The government policy is that the ‘profit for the private and the loss for the public.’
20 Thursday Aug 2015
Posted in General
At last, the Department of Posts has been granted Payment Bank Licence by the Reserve Bank of India. The application was pending for a long time. The RBI took the decision to grant Payment bank licence to 10 other organisations also. Telecom companies Vodafone and Airtel are in the list.
The Payment Bank can accept deposits up to one lakh, maintain SB and Current Accounts, issue debit cards and also offer internet banking. But they can not give loans or issue credit cards.
It is hoped that the Department of Posts and the people at large will benefit since the DoP has Post offices through out the nook and corner of the country.
19 Wednesday Aug 2015
Posted in Obituary, Tributes
Com.M.K.Pandhe, the veteran trade union leader, former President of CITU and PB Member of CPI(M) left us four years back on 20th August 2011. 20th August 2015 is the fourth death anniversary which will be observed in a befitting way.
Com. Pandhe was highly educated and a voracious reader. His speeches were trade union classes. In organising the strikes and struggles against the anti-worker neo-liberal policies since 1991, he had a pivotal role and was always in the leading position.
Com. Pandhe was a guide and teacher to the telecom Workers and BSNL Employees Union specially. In all the crises, he was there to help and give advice. We remember the inspiration he has given to us to march forward in the TU activities.
Red Salute to Com. M.K.Pandhe on his 4th death anniversary!
19 Wednesday Aug 2015
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It is good news for BSNL! There is growth in SIM sales!
According to reports received, BSNL has increased its SIM card sales by 85% within the two months June and July 2015. The total sales in May was 8,67,086, which increased to 11,76,143 in June and to 16,10,061 in July 2015.
While the maximum % of increase is in Kolkata ( 793%) and UP West ( 431.95%). Maximum number of SIMs sold in July are in UP(East) ( 1,91,660) and A.P.(1,50,478).
The increase is naturally due to the new schemes and cheap rates. In addition, the “Save BSNL Campaign” started by the Forum had its own effect.
Hearty Congratulations to all the Comrades who made this growth! We have to continue and increase our efforts for the revival of BSNL.
19 Wednesday Aug 2015
Posted in BSNLCCWF - Casual and Contract workers, BSNLEU
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BSNLCCWF and BSNLEU have been putting pressure on the management for implementation of gratuity for casual labour. It is now approved by the BSNL Management Committee. But before placing the same to the BSNL Board, the financial implications are to be found out and for this purpose all the CGMs have been asked to inform the necessary details. Since some of the circles are yet to submit the details, the Corporate Office has reminded on 19-08-2015 the circles to furnish the information. The order is placed in the BSNLCCWF website.
Circle Secretaries of BSNLEU and BSNLCCWF are requested to check with the concerned CGMs whether the details have been furnished to the C.O. or not. In case, it is not so far submitted, ensure that it is done without any further delay. THIS IS TO BE TREATED AS MOST URGENT.
19 Wednesday Aug 2015
Posted in BSNLCCWF - Casual and Contract workers
After much efforts by the BSNLCCWF for implementation of gratuity to the BSNL Casual labours and also taking up the matter in the Parliamentary Standing Committee and several rounds of discussion with the BSNL Management, the BSNL Managing Committee has approved the same. This has to go to the BSNL Board for approval, before necessary orders are issued.
This is a great achievement for the casual labours. Congratulations to BSNLCCWF!
