BSNL adds 0.43 million connections in April 2015

09 Tuesday Jun 2015

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It is good news. BSNL has added 0.43 million connections in April 2015. This is a trend change from losing connection to adding connections.

Now BSNL has got 16.18 million landline connections and 77.50 mobile connections, including wireless connection, thus a total of 93.67 million. In the landlines it is first and in the mobiles it is in the 5th position after Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Essar, Idea and Reliance Telecom.

The Teledensity by the end of April 2015 stands at 80% with about 1 Billion (100 crore) connections.

BSNL has to go miles and miles. BSNL was number two up-to 2006. Can’t it come up again? Make  all out efforts.

Arrest of Delhi Law Minister an arbitrary exercise of power, the Lt. Governor should resign – CPI(M)

09 Tuesday Jun 2015

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The CPI(M) has issued the following Press Statement:

“The arrest of the Law Minister of Delhi Jitender Singh Tomar by the police is a shocking instance of  arbitrary exercise of power by the Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung.  The Delhi police is  under the jurisdiction of the Lt. Governor.  The arrest has been effected when the matter of an alleged false degree acquired by the Minister is before the court.

The BJP government at the Centre is using the Lt. Governor to ride roughshod over the elected state government of Delhi.  The Lt. Governor has by a series of actions showed that he will not abide by democratic and federal norms.  He should quit office immediately.”

Refund of BWA Spectrum Charges, Assistance from USOF to BSNL

09 Tuesday Jun 2015

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Com. V.A.N.Namboodiri, former Convener, Forum of BSNL Unions/Associations and Patron BSNLEU met Smt. Aruna Sunderarajan, Administrator, USOF today, 9th June 2015 and requested that the Rs. 1,250 crore allotted for BSNL for 2012-13 be paid at the earliest. Administrator told that USOF had cleared the same and it is for the DOT to pay. Com. Namboodiri met Smt. Annie Moraes, Member (Finance) and Shri V.Umashanker, Joint Secretary(T) and pointed out the urgency of payment of both the above, since BSNL is having no funds to purchase equipments, when a large number of applications for landlines are being generated due to the new schemes announced by the BSNL like free roaming, free night calls etc.

Joint Secretary (T) stated that the DOT is fully aware of the requirement. After the meeting of the Secretary, DOT with the Forum on 1st May 2015, process for the same has started. He expressed the hope that a decision in the matter will be taken soon.

78.2% IDA Pension Fixation – File Approved by Minister

09 Tuesday Jun 2015

Posted by in AIBDPA - BSNL DOT Pensioners

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After the meeting with Communications Minister Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad by Com. V.A.N.Namboodiri, Advisor, AIBDPA on 13th May 2015 and pointing out the extreme delay in finalising the Cabinet Note on 78.2% IDA pension fixation, the things started moving. The Cabinet Note was finalised and forwarded to the Minister for approval, The Minister has approved and send it back to DOT.

Today, Com.V.A.N.Namboodiri, Advisor, AIBDPA met Smt. Annie Moraes, Member (Finance) and request for early forwarding of the Note to the other departments for approval before sending to Cabinet. Now the file has been forwarded to Member (Services) for further action. Shri N.K.Yadav, Member (Services) could not be met as he was in MTNL, being the officiating CMD MTNL.

It is expected that the cabinet Note will be forwarded to the other departments like, Pension, Law, Public Enterprises and Expenditure within a few days. AIBDPA is pursuing the case continuously.

Tata Steel UK workers to strike on 22nd June 2015

09 Tuesday Jun 2015

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All the 4 unions in the Tata Steel UK have decided to go on strike on 22nd June 2015 against the proposal to close the Pension Scheme in the company. The unions have taken strike ballot and there has been huge support for the strike from the 12,000 and odd workers.

In the European countries, including UK, there are moves to curtail the pension benefits. Struggles are taking in many countries.

We fully support the fully justified strike of the Tata Steel UK workers.

Struggles by Workers to Defend and Save BSNL : 2004 – 2015 – ( 6 )

09 Tuesday Jun 2015

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2006

Negotiations with Secretary DOT on 4th January 2006.

At the last moment, when the Joint Forum was meeting at about 07.30 PM on 4th January 2005 , just four hours before the start of the strike in the night of 4/5th January 2006, the Secretary DOT called the unions for a meeting. The Joint Forum, which was in session authorized Com. V.A.N.Namboodiri, General Secretary, BSNLEU & Convener, JF, to conduct the negotiation, since it was felt that the last minute discussions were only meant to confuse and delay matters. The Communications Minister was abroad and the State Minister out of Delhi. After protracted discussion, the Secretary DOT gave written assurances as below:

Yashwant Bhave, Additional Secretary, Department of Telecommunications dated 04-01-2006

Dear Shri Sinha,

Mr. V.A.N.Namboodiri, General Secretary of the BSNL Employees Union met Secretary (Telecom) today on behalf of the Joint Forum and expressed the following concern to him in connection with the notice of the strike given by the union.

  1. Disinvestment in Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd.
  2. Unbundling of the local loop.
  3. Grant of Navaratna status to BSNL
  4. Views of the Union in connection with the proposed Telecom Policy

The Secretary has assured Mr. Namboodiri as under:

  1. That there is no proposal regarding disinvestment in Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd.
  2. That unbundling of the local loop is not under consideration
  3. That all efforts will be made towards obtaining the Navaratna Status toBSNL.
  4. That the views of the Union will be duly considered as and when the draft Telecom Policy is formulated.

Yours

(sd)

Yashwant Bhave

To

Shri A.K.Sinha,

CMD BSNL,

Statesman House,

Connaught Circus,

New Delhi- 110001

Copy to

Shri V.A.N.Namboodiri, General Secretary, BSNL Employees Union

Strike Deferred on assurance from Secretary, DOT

The written assurances given by the Secretary, DOT were discussed by the Joint Forum which was in session and which unanimously decided to defer strike on the basis of the assurances.

Unity Strengthened, Gun Powder Kept Dry

The assurances given were very important, since for the first time, it was made clear that there is no proposal for disinvestment. The Navaratna status was assured. It was also assured that there is no proposal to unbundle the last mile copper cables of BSNL. The unions will be consulted on National Telecom Policy -2005. These written assurances were a big victory for the BSNL workers. The workers all over the country were jubilant that the Joint Forum has been able to get such vital assurances. The Joint Forum congratulated the workers whose determination and preparation for the strike compelled the government to come to the negotiating table and give assurances.

Protest Demonstration on 1st March 2006 against reduction in ADC and changing of connectivity charges to Revenue Sharing Scheme for Private Telecom Operators.

The TRAI, the telecom regulator, once again showed its partiality to the private telecom operators by drastically reducing the Access Deficit Charges (ADC) to be paid by them to BSNL for providing loss making connections in rural areas, which are financially unviable, but socially essential to fulfill the commitment of the government for universal service.

Instead of calculating the ADC on the basis of the period of talk (per minute) for STD and local calls as earlier, the procedure for payment of ADC is calculated as only 1.55% of the Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) which will reduce the ADC from Rs. 5300 crore to about Rs. 2,000 crore, adversely affecting the development plans of the BSNL. The ADC for the ILD (International calls) continued, but it was reduced for incoming calls from Rs. 3.20 to Rs. 1.60 and for outgoing calls from Rs. 2.50 to Rs. 0.80 per minute. These were all done to favour the private telecom companies.

Lunch Hour Demonstrations on 01-03-2006

The Joint Forum strongly opposed the same and issued a press statement. The meeting of JF also decided to agitate against the order. Lunch our demonstrations were organized on 01-03-2006 throughout the country and in front of corporate office with massive participation.

BSNL Management states adequate equipment are supplied

08 Monday Jun 2015

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

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BSNL Management has issued a circular noting the equipment, like cable, drop wire, modem etc. supplied to the circles, which shows at least some equipment are available. But the report from the workers in many centres is that sufficient equipment are not available. This seems to be contradictory.

It is the immediate task of the leaders of the unions/associations and also Forum to find out the veracity of the statement by BSNL Management that equipment are available in all the circles. Circle Secretaries can immediately meet the CGM and find out in which SSAs these have been allotted and supplied.

Today, 8th June 2015, the one month programme to Save BSNL has been started by the BSNL employees as per the call of the Forum. It is necessary that the workers should be able to show much improvement in this period. The co-ordination between the Management and the employees will increase the effectiveness of the programme.

Struggles by Workers to Defend and Save BSNL : 2004 – 2015 – ( 5 )

08 Monday Jun 2015

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Meeting with the Communications Minister on 25-11-2005

In the meanwhile, Com. V.A.N.Namboodiri, Convener, Forum and other leaders met the Secretary, DOT Shri J.S.Sharma and also Communications Minister Shri Dayanidhi Maran on 25th November 2005. The seriousness of the present situation was brought to the notice of the Minister, but no relief was granted.

The Joint Forum met for 5 continuous days from 21st November 2005 and discussed the whole issue. It was felt that industrial action is the only way to stop the attack against BSNL. Hence the Joint Forum decided to go on agitational programmes.

Decision for One Day Strike

As mentioned above the marathon meetings of the Joint Forum for five days from 20th November 2005, decided to organize the following agitational programmes, including strike:

  1. Lunch hour Demonstration and meetings on 8th December 2005.
  2. Dharna on 21st December 2005
  3. One day strike on 5th January 2006.

The demands included:

  1. No Disinvestment of BSNL
  2. No increase in FDI
  3. No opening up of last mile copper
  4. No reduction in Revenue Sharing and ADC
  5. Grant of Navaratna Status to BSNL
  6. Expand Mobile and Broad Band services
  7. Grant Autonomy to BSNL
  8. Absorb Group A/ ITS Officers

Strike Notice was issued by the Unions/Associations separately. BSNLEU, NFTE, FNTO, AIBSNLEA, SNEA, BSNLMS, TEPU, BSNLWRU, and BSNLOA served the strike notices. Massive propaganda was unleashed. This was the first time that all the unions of non-executives and executives have jointly decided for a strike, that too, only on the issues of the company and not on their own financial benefits.

Press Statement was issued by the Forum informing the decision of 3.5 lakh workers going on strike on the BSNL issues, which was widely carried in the papers.

Joint Dharna on 21st December 2005

The Joint dharna called for by the Joint Forum was organized in a very big way all over the country. Workers enthusiastically participated, because they understood that BSNL will be weakened and privatized if  the attack is not countered at the initial stage itself.  The programme was well covered in the press also.

The management did not hold any discussion with the Joint Forum on the plea that all the demands were related to the policies of the Government. However, on the direction of the Regional Labour Commissioner, who conducted  conciliation proceedings, a meeting of the senior officers of the DOT and BSNL with the Joint Forum was held , but without any agreement. The Forum decided to go on with the strike, since there was no favourable response from the management or the government.

Trilateral discussions between India, Japan and Australia – US behind the scene

08 Monday Jun 2015

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The change in the foreign policy of the Modi Government is coming more and more in the open. The latest is the trilateral meeting of India, Japan and Australia at New Delhi starting today. Though US is not directly a participant, it can be assumed that it is the main brain and co-ordinator.

No such co-ordination involving all these US allies were held till last UPA regime. Now the BJP government is directly going for the strategic partnership with US and its allies.

This will certainly have adverse impacts with India’s relation with its neighbors, China and Russia.

Modi Government abandoning decade old Palestine Policy

07 Sunday Jun 2015

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It is now clear that the Modi Government is abandoning the foreign policy which India has been following since independence on the Palestine issue. India always supported the demand of the Palestine people for their own nation.  But now, with the proposed visit of Prime Minister Modi to Israel, a change is going to take place. It is more and more turning to US and its strategic partners. The recent visit to Japan, Australia and now to Israel clearly shows the trend.

Abandoning Palestine for Israel is not good. The Indian people are against it. The government of India should not deviate from its Palestinian policy. The opposition parties should take the lead in compelling the government to continue the earlier policy.