Auction for Spectrum starts on 12th November 2012

11 Sunday Nov 2012

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New Delhi, Nov 11 : The government will begin tomorrow the auction for telecom spectrum through which it is hoping to meet Rs 40,000 crore revenue target.     The auction for the airwaves or frequencies freed from the cancellation of 122 telecom licenses, belonging to mainly eight companies, by the Supreme Court in February, will start at 0900 hours on Monday.     “We have taken quick decision, firm decisions in the telecom sector. The result of which is that we are in process of auction. 12th of November that auction will start,” Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal said at an event on Saturday.     The cancelled permits included Uninor’s 22 licences, Loop Telecom (21), Sistema Shyam (21), Idea Cellular including Spice Communications (13), Videocon (21), Etisalat DB formerly Swan Telecom (15), S-Tel (6) and Tata Teleservices (3 CDMA licences).     Instead of auctioning entire spectrum freed from cancellation of licences, the government is auctioning a maximum of 11 blocks of airwaves frequencies in each circle, barring Delhi and Mumbai where there are only eight blocks, to attract high price for spectrum.     The apex court had allowed the companies, whose permits were cancelled, to get spectrum reallocated for continuing their business if they win rights for the airwaves frequencies in the auction.     The government has fixed starting price for spectrum in the auction at Rs 14,000 crore for 5 Mhz of GSM spectrum on pan-India level which is  around 7 times more than the price of Rs 1,658 crore at which telecom companies were given pan-India permits between 2001 to 2008.     Comptroller and Auditor General has estimated that allotment of permits in 2008 at 2001 prices caused loss to government exchequer to the tune of around Rs 1,76,000 crore.     Out of eight companies whose licences were cancelled, only three companies — Idea Cellular, Videocon and  Telenor (majority stakeholder in Uninor) — have submitted bids for auction of airwaves frequencies.     These companies will have to win at least 5 Mhz of spectrum, divided in blocks of 1.25 Mhz each, to continuetheir services in areas where their licences were cancelled.     Telecom major Airtel and Vodafone are also participating in the auction to buy additional airwaves frequencies. These players can bid for maximum of two blocks in a telecom area.     Since there has been partial impact on permits of Idea Cellular, the company will need to bid for at least four blocks of spectrum, amounting to 5 Mhz of airwaves, in seven telecom circles to continue its operations.     These circles include Tamil Nadu (including Chennai), Kolkata, West Bengal, Orissa, Assam, North East and Jammu and Kashmir service areas. In rest of the circle, Idea Cellular can bid for maximum of 2 blocks only like Airtel and Vodafone.     Industry experts, however, are pessimistic over whether the auction can fetch government the Rs 40,000 crore target it seeks to achieve by selling spectrum.(Courtsey: Ganashakti)

Casual / Contract workers will participate in the16th November Strike

11 Sunday Nov 2012

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BSNLCCWF CHQ has called upon the Casual and Contract workers to participate in the one day strike on 16th November called by the BSNL Employees Union and the United Forum of BSNL Unions strongly protesting against the brutal murder of Com. Sukenderpal Singh, District Secretary, BSNLEU, Ghaziabad and demanding immediate arrest and suspension of Adesh Kumar, GM, Ghaziabad  against whom FIR has already been filed under IPC 147 and 302 for murder.

The BSNLCCWF Circle/District units have been asked to contact with the BSNLEU & United Forum leaders and jointly make the strike a great success.

 

 

Com. Sukenderpal Murder – Arrest, suspend GM, Ghaziabad immediately!

11 Sunday Nov 2012

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It is 20 days since Com. Sukenderpal Singh, District Secretary of BSNLEU, Ghaziabad, U.P(West), has been brutally murdered in the GM’s office on 22nd October 2012. FIR has been filed on the same day at Kavi Nagar Police Station, Ghaziabad under IPC No. 147 and 302, charges including murder, against Adesh Kumar, General Manager, BSNL, Ghaziabad and other culprits. Post-mortem report has shown serious wounds on the head which might have caused the death.

In addition to filing the FIR by the children of Com. Sukenderrpal, memorandum has been given by the BSNL Employees Union on 23rd November to the Sr. Superintendent of Police, Ghaziabad to immediately arrest the GM and other culprits. Although assurance was given in this connection, no action has been taken so far.  Against the delay in the arrest, on 8th November, more than 1500 workers gheraoed the office of the SSP, Ghaziabad sitting in dharna for more than two hours shouting slogans demanding arrest and against the inaction on the part of the police authorities.  Union leaders met the District Magistrate as also the Addl. DM and demanded that the police authorities be directed to take immediate action. The workers of UP(West) went on one day strike in immediately after the murder demanding arrest of the culprits.

BSNLEU leaders have met the Member (Services), CMD BSNL and other senior officers demanding the suspension and repatriation of the GM immediately. Later we met the Communication minister Shri Kapil Sibal and demanded that immediate action be taken. But the GM has been neither suspended nor repatriated.

The BSNL Workers all over India organised lunch hour demonstrations protesting and demanding the arrest and suspension of the GM and culprits.

Workers have understood that both the Police and the BSNL Management will not take any action unless there is strong agitation in the matter. The Police- Management nexus involving money & influence as also the affinity of the higher classes have been exposed. If it was an ordinary worker involved, hundreds of workers would have been arrested and kept in custody as we have seen in the Maruti company  incident, where 200 workers have been retrenched and 147 workers are in jail for the death of a Manager of the company. But here, the police and the Management have completely refused to take any action.

It is in this contest that BSNLEU and the United Forum have called for a one day strike on 16th November. The Forum of BSNL & MTNL Unions/Associations have declared their solidarity and support  to the struggle and demanded the BSNL Management  to immediately arrest the GM or repatriate him to DOT.

This is a fight for justice. Neither the police nor the BSNL Management/DOT is giving any  human consideration or value for a valuable life butchered.  Let us give a suitable and strong reply to them. The agitation and struggle will continue till justice is met.

 

It is in this contest that BSNLEU and the United Forum have called for a one day strike on 16th November. The Forum of BSNL & MTNL Unions/Associations have declared their solidarity and support  to the struggle and demanded the BSNL Management to immediately suspend/repatriate him.  But the management is still keeping a stoic silence.

Best Wishes for a Happy Diwali and Good Times Ahead!

11 Sunday Nov 2012

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The Festival Season is in full swing. Durga Puja, Dussehra, Navarathri and other connected festivals are over. Now it is Deepavali or Diwali, The Festival of Light, which is celebrated almost all over India. The arrival of the winter and the nice climate cheer the people looking towards a good Diwali.

This year the entire days  from 10th to  18th November will have celebrations, the Holiday on 13th merged with the other days in the week. It is a time for celebration, enjoyment and happiness.  In Delhi, as in many other places, Diwali is celebrated with all pompness.   It is a big time for the business. All shops are decorated and ready to receive the large number of customers. Since Bonus and financial benefits are paid at this time, the people will having money at their disposal. It is a time to give presents to the near and dear. Sweets have to be given to friends and relatives. Business people have to give gifts to their valued customers. The sweet shops prepare days ahead to make large quality of all kinds of sweets and also make special arrangement for sale of the same since there will be heavy rush. You can see persons buying  50-60 packets of sweets at the same. It is the same case with the purchase of dresses. All other gift materials are also having high demand. Business houses offer many concessions and special offers to the customers.

Fire crackers of varieties are for sale and every night for so many days you can continuously hear the noise of the crackers bursting. The children especially enjoy, since holidays are given by the schools.

My Best Wishes to all my Comrades, Friends and Well Wishers for a Happy and Pleasant Diwali!

Red Salute to Chicago Martyrs!

10 Saturday Nov 2012

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125 years have passed  since the Hay Market (Chicago) massacre and hanging of trade union leaders August Spies, Adolph Fisher, Albert Parsons and George Engel. It was on 11th November 1887 that these comrades were hanged by the US colonialist rulers who wanted to protect the interests of the capitalists and exploiters. When they were being marched to the gallows they sang the Marseillaise, the international revolutionary anthem of the period. Before being hanged August Spies stated: “The time will come when our silence will be more powerful than the voices you strangle today”. How prophetic!

1st May, the day of  Chicago massacre in 1886, is celebrated as May Day, International Working Class Day, in memory of the workers struggle and the martyrdom.

The working class world over will ever remember their great sacrifice. My Red Salute to the Chicago Martyrs!

Supreme Court stays all cases in High Court on 2G

10 Saturday Nov 2012

Posted by in 2G Scam Corruption

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The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the proceedings on all petitions relating to the 2G spectrum allocation scam, pending before the Delhi High Court, on a CBI plea. “All proceedings pending before the Delhi High Court shall remain stayed,” said a bench of justices G.S. Singhvi and K.S. Radhakrishnan. In its plea, the CBI cited a Supreme Court order of April 11, 2011, which had directed that no court other than the Supreme Court shall entertain any application relating to the case. The court was informed that there were 20 petitions or applications pending before the High Court after the filing of the charge sheets in the 2G case. The bench issued notices and sought replies of various parties within six weeks on the CBI application. The Supreme Court had expressed its displeasure on November 8, 2012 that the Delhi High Court was hearing the matter relating to the 2G spectrum scam despite its order restraining courts below it from adjudicating issues linked to the case. “Despite injunction the Delhi High Court has entertained petition relating to the 2G spectrum case. It is very surprising on the part of the behaviour of the high court,” the court had said. CBI counsel K.K. Venugopal had said the bench can pass an order and stay such proceedings. The bench said an application can be filed by the CBI so that it can give a clear-cut order. “We will hear your application,” it had said. “We will make it clear that no court will entertain any petition (on the 2G case),” the bench had said after senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, who is representing Essar Group in the case against them, sought clarification on the injunction. Mr. Rohatgi had said the legal right available to the affected parties cannot be taken away and one such right was to approach the High Court. He had said it was for Parliament to make or amend laws and the legal rights available cannot be denied. “We cannot say anything for Parliament to amend laws. Law making is in their domain,” the bench had observed. (Ganashakti )

Swiss Accounts – Exposure by IAC

10 Saturday Nov 2012

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One of the most damning allegations against the UPA government had hit the target. It is about the Swiss Accounts of about 700 high ups and business tycoons, which has been kept under the carpet by the UPA government.  The UPA government might have thought that  the issue has gone in to oblivion as has been the case with many corruption charges.

Now Arvind Kejriwal  of India Against Corruption has exposed at least 10 names out of the 700, which includes Anil Ambani, Congress M.P. Ms Anu Tandon, Jet Airways chairman Naresh Goyal, Reliance Industries Ltd. etc. According to a 2006 CD  handed over to the government by the Swiss government,  all the names of the account holders in Swiss Bank were available, but on one pretext or other, the government did not release it. Now at least 10 names are out, which clearly shows the connection between a corrupt government and the big corporates and corrupt politicians.  The most dangerous side of this is  that this was felicitated by HSBC Bank,  through which it is alleged that hawala money is also involved which might have been used for anti-national and terrorist activities.

Now that the exposure has been made about the Swiss Accounts, what the government is going to do. What is the defence in addition to denial that the government is going to make?

Exempt BSNL and MTNL from charging for extra-spectrum

09 Friday Nov 2012

Posted by in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation

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According to the Cabinet decision on the recommendations of the Empowered Group of Ministers(EGoM) yesterday,  an amount of Rs.31,000 crore will be charged from the telecom operators as a onetime charge  towards the cost for the extra spectrum of more than 4.4 MHZ available with them.  Out of this, an amount of Rs. 10,890 crores ( by another calculation Rs. 11,818 crores) is to be paid by the BSNL and MTNL, the Public Sector companies. By any calculation, this amount to be paid by these PSUs for  pan India presence is much more than being charged from the private telecom companies like Airtel, Vodaphone etc. which comes to only Rs. 5,000 crore or less. This is completely discriminatory and unjustified.

Further, both these PSUs are in loss for the last three years, especially by the loss incurred for providing connections  in villages and rural areas in implementation of the universal service obligation and social commitment of the government. Private companies shirk away from providing connections in these remote areas due to the heavy loss that will be incurred. Both the PSUs are not in a position to pay these hefty charges also.

As such, the Joint  Forum of BSNL & MTNL Unions/Associations demands the Government to waive the charges for extra spectrum  from the BSNL and MTNL  and allow them to hold the extra spectrum in the interest of the nation.

Cabinet decision on spectrum issues.

08 Thursday Nov 2012

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The government has once again succumbed to the pressure of the private companies. They are now allowed to share spectrum with other companies. This was one of the demands of the private companies.

In fact Airtel, Vodafone etc. had already given service to all of India, even though it they did not have license for the same. The private telcos did not auction for all circles, but shared the spectrum  amongst them making a kind of cartel to cheat the government and people also. DOT had asked the companies to stop this illegal practice.

The present decision will help the private companies.  BSNL which had Rs. 10,000 crore for all over India licence will be  at heavy loss.

Another decision taken by the Cabinet today is that the companies will have to pay a one time charge, which will be found out after the 2012 auction. BSNL and MTNL will have to remit an amount of Rs.10,890  as per government calculation. The Joint Forum of BSNL Unions/Associations  as also the BSNL and MTNL management has asked to waive this one time payment, since both PSUs are in loss for the last two years. But as per the press report no concession is given to BSNL & MTNL. It will be only justice if the BSNL and MTNL is excused from paying this amount.

Again mobile subscriber base gone down in September 2012

08 Thursday Nov 2012

Posted by in BSNL News

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For the third consecutive month, the mobile subscriber base in India has gone down.  The subscriber base was reduced from 908.36 millions in August 2012 to 906.62 millions in September.  Within one month 17.4 lakh connections have been reduced.

At the same time BSNL added 3.93 lakh additional connections.  After Air-tel, BSNL added more connections.