A day of freedom for the Indian people strapped by Emergency.

26 Monday Mar 2012

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March 27, 1977 was a day of freedom for the people of India, who were faced with the draconian Emergency imposed on the country by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi . Faced with the election debacle, Indira Gandhi promulgated the Emergency on 25th June 1975. Democratic rights were taken away, the press was made silent, free speech was taboo. Almost all opposition political leaders were put in jail. Fundamental rights bore the maximum attacks. Trade unions were derecognised and no struggles could take place. No increase in DA, even after 5 DAs were eligible. The country became one big prison, with a complete nation gagged.

Trade Union leaders were also arrested in large numbers and jailed. I was taken in to custody twice, but was released after long hours’ interrogation. But many other P&T comrades both in Kerala and W.Bengal were jailed including Com. N.J.Iyer.

The Emergency was revoked by Indira Gandhi in the miscalculation that the Congress will win in the election just announced. But the people reacted to the hated Emergency completely by routing the Congress. For the first time, a non-Congress Government, headed by Janata Party came in to power.

Let there be no such ‘Emergency’ again.

MOU signed between DOT and BSNL – VRS in the agenda

26 Monday Mar 2012

Posted by in BSNLEU

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As usual the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the DOT and BSNL has been signed with the targets, action plan etc. for the year 2012-13.

One of the proposal is to retrench 15% of the staff through VRS. As on 31-12-2011, the staff is 2.71 lakhs. Hence the 15% will come to 40,650. This means the DOT/BSNL themselves have halved their target of sending out one lakh workers. It is also under consideration for grant of a loan of Rs. 15,000 by DOT to BSNL, which may probably for this purpose only.

Indeed, the government is not prepared to give money for development and expansion, but is prepared to give for retrenching  workers ! But the BSNLEU will resist the move with all its strength and defeat the same as earlier.

Wage Agreement in Coal Industry

26 Monday Mar 2012

Posted by in PSU

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Wage Agreement has been signed in the Coal sector for the five-year period from 01-01-2011 to 30-06-2016. The earlier agreement was also for five-year from 2001 to 2006. The workers will get a minimum of 25% fitment.

It is also agreed that contract labour will be granted al rights provided in the rules and government acts and the management as the Principal Employer will ensure that these are implemented by the contractors.

My congratulations to the workers and unions in the Coal industry. We have to try to get the five-year negotiation and settlement in BSNL also.

Rs. 9.9 crore allotted for VRS – Labour Minister

26 Monday Mar 2012

Posted by in PSU

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Shri Mallikarjun Kharge, Minister of Labour and Employment has informed Rajya Sabha last week that the Government has allocated Rs. 9.9 crore for implementation of VRS(Voluntary retirement Scheme) in certain PSUs in the financial year 2012-13.  Certainly it should be the Minister for Labour and Employment who should take initiative in sending out workers from their jobs after giving some pittance. Government has no money to give employment, but has sufficient money to send them out to the streets.

It is to be remembered that for the last 25 years, there has been no recruitment in the Central government and the PSUs. Mostly contract workers are engaged by giving a small amount to do the job of the regular employees. Government itself is exploiting the workers, instead of granting them minimum wage and social security. It will be appropriate if the minister is called Minister for Unemployment and Exploitation of Labour.

Govt. received Rs. 16,767 crore as interim divident from PSUs

26 Monday Mar 2012

Posted by in PSU

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The Central Government has received Rs. 16,767 crore as interim dividend from 17 PSUs this year. Some more are yet to declare their dividend. Coal India, ONGC and NTPC tops the lists with dividend of Rs. 5,400, Rs. 4853 and Rs. 2,439 respectively. Last year the interim dividend paid was only Rs. 12,254 crore. The aggregate dividend paid last year was to the tune of Rs. 26,507. This year it is expected to be more.

As seen above, the PSUs are hens giving golden eggs. But the Government wants to hand over them to the private companies to benefit them instead of the government and the people. For the government, the rich and affluent 1% of corporates and big business are more dear than the 99% of the common people. It is not only in US, but in India also the 99% has to fight for their right to live.

Rs. 205 crore for President’s foreign travel !

26 Monday Mar 2012

Posted by in General

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It is outrageous! The government has spent Rs.205 crore towards the foreign trips of President Smt. Pratibha Patil.During her tenure so far, she has visited 22 countries spending 79 days for the same. This is much more than the amounts and days spent by either Shri Abdul Kalam  or Shri K.R.Narayanan, former Presidents, who were more known and honoured. This information has been received through RTI. The government was very reluctant to give the information and kept it pending for a long period, but were compelled to give after continued pressure.

And interestingly Rs. 16 crore are yet to be paid to the Air india which was used by the President for the tours!

 

Rs.100 increase for cooking gas ?

25 Sunday Mar 2012

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It seems that the government is all set up to increase the price for gas, diesel etc. Certain reports indicate that the price of cooking gas may be increased by Rs.100 which will increase the present price to about Rs. 440. The reports also indicate that if all the subsidies are stopped the cooking gas cylinder price will be increased to Rs. 730.

The government is withdrawing the subsidy to the petroleum products year after year. While last year an amount of Rs. 68,481 crore, it has been reduced to Rs. 24,901 this year, which clearly show that the government is backing out of subsidies. This will adversely affect the common people and their budget.

BSNL starts network in NE through Bangladesh

25 Sunday Mar 2012

Posted by in Telecom

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Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has planned to set up telecom connectivity through Bangladesh for North Eastern region of the country due to tough terrain and geographical isolation, top BSNL Executive said today. “Ministry has attached much importance in consolidating telecom network in NE region and we are interested in setting up an alternative route through Bangladesh due to tough terrain,” Chairman and Managing Director of BSNL R K Upadhayaya told reporters here. Connectivity would be set up between Agartala and Dhaka via Akhaura in Bangladesh and between Sabroom in south Tripura and Cox’s Bazar in Chittagong in Bangladesh to provide smooth telecom connectivity, he told reporters. “Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) has been laid between Kolkata and Dhaka. With the implementation of new telecom policy in next financial year, BSNL would be able to expand telecom network across rural India,” Upadhyay said. He hoped that BSNL would retain its business and buy more equipments to provide better service in the country and compete with other telecom companies. Upadhyay came here to discuss with the Chief Minister Manik Sarkar about the development plans in Tripura and the region. Government has planned to extend OFC to 25000 panchayats across the country to provide broadband services, he said.

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We remember Com.K.T.Mohammed, veteran drama writer and actor

25 Sunday Mar 2012

Posted by in P&T TU History

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Today, 25th March, 2012, is the fourth death anniversary of Comrade K.T.Mohammed, the renowned drama writer, drama artist and cultural leader. He passed away in 2008. He was in the forefront of presenting dramas with progressive outlook and had written and  directed many dramas and also acted in the same.

I had very close connection with him. KT was a postal worker. He entered P&T Department as a packer, then as an ED and later as Postman. He was fully engaged with the union work. In the 1968 strike he was suspended, and later removed from service. He never came back.  His entire life was dedicated to cultural activities, mainly drama. He formed a drama troupe  and presented many dramas. Despite his full engagement with the drama life, he used to come to the Post Office now and then and also attended and addressed many of the union conferences. I was at New Delhi when he passed away and could not be at the cremation. He was very close with most of the P&T leaders and the connection lasted till the end.

On this death anniversary of Com. K.T., I pay my respectful homage !

Com.Mihir Dasgupta donated Rs. 60,000 to Building Fund – Well done Comrade!

25 Sunday Mar 2012

Posted by in BSNLEU

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There are many comrades who have donated Rs. 10,000, Rs. 5,000 etc. to the Building Fund from their own pocket in addition to the collection from the members. It is their commitment and dedication to the union. But here is a special case. Com. Mihir Dasgupta former Asst. General Secretary (CHQ), BSNLEU has donated Rs. 50,000 to the Building Fund. He gave Rs. 25,000 at the time of the AIC at Thiruvananthapuram then and there when it was decided to purchase a building. He donated another Rs. 25,000 at the time of his retirement. His wife, Com.Swastika Das, who is also one of the senior leaders of Kolkatta Telephones, donated another Rs. 10,000. Together, they have donated Rs. 60,000.

My Hearty Congratulations and thanks to these comrades for your full support and liberal donation to this great cause.