For months together, reports have been published that the new CMD for BSNL will be appointed immediately. But till now there is no information who is the new CMD. Is the government sleeping or is it intentionally delaying the matters so that BSNL will suffer and become loss making. It will help the govt. propaganda for privatisation.

The workers demand that a new CMD should be posted immediately.

I am in Calicut (Kozhikode) for the last three days. Today, 19th May 2011, I had a new happy experience. I was invited for lunch in the Nalanda Hotel by a few officials in the BSNL who are going to retire by the end of this month. I have seen co-workers giving send off parties to the retiring employees; this was different – the retiring employees were giving lunch to those from whom they are departing.

It was a huge gathering. Almost all the employees came to participate in the lunch, batch after batch. I could meet a lot of retired as well as working employees with whom I had worked earlier. Everyone was in a hurry. After taking lunch and exchanging pleasantries they returned to their work quickly.

Of course the retiring employees will be getting a few lakhs of rupees on retirement due to the sustained struggles of the unions and they may like to share the joy with their co-workers. Anyhow, it is a very good gesture and an excellent opportunity to thank their co-workers for the camaraderie.

DPE vide No. 2(70)/2008-DPE(WC)GLVII/2011 dated 13-04-2011 has issued orders increasing IDA by 4.2% w.e.f. 01-04-2011 making total IDA to 47.2%. Pension is also increased.

BSNL orders are expected early.

There is no justification for the central government to delay ban on use of Endosulfan, which has caused innumerable diseases to thousands of people and whose lives have become a continuous suffering.

Endosulfan, a strong pesticide, is mainly used in the cashew cultivating areas, like Kasargode in Kerala. India produces about 9000 tons of endosulfan and half of it is being used in India itself. In Kasargode area, thousands of children as well as old people are affected by this pesticide which adversely affects growth, maims and result in all kinds of diseases. The Kerala Government has banned it, but the Central Government still refuses to ban it to help the big business and trade interests. A large number of nations have already banned it, but Indian Govt. is keeping silent.

By not banning Endosulfan, Govt. is protecting the interests of trade instead of the people/

The Kerala LDF Government has started supply of rice at Rs. 2/- per kg through the fair price shops as decided earlier. The above decision of the government was stayed by the Election Commission on the objection of the UDF. Now the stay has been removed and the supply will start.

This will help a large number of families with low-income. The UDF has already got the nickname ” Rice obstructors” for stopping the rice supply.

As per the call of the Joint Action Committee of BSNL Associations/ Unions, an “Employees Awareness Week” is being organised w.e.f. 18th to 24th April 2011.

The present financial viability of BSNL is not good. The total loss for 2011-12 is feared to be more than that of last year. Many BSNL subscribers are shifting to other companies for getting better service. If BSNL has to survive and got strengthened, the entire workforce in BSNL along with the management have to plan and implement quick remedial measures including better customer service. May 2011 is going to be organised as the “Customer Delight Month” and before that in order to motivate and encourage workers for better service, the” Employee Awareness Week” is being organised.

Let all of us make the programmes a big successs to ensure that the BSBL survives and strengthens.

The latest move of the Central government to close about 10,000 post offices in the country is a sure indication of its move to privatise the Postal Services.

Postal Department was the only postal service in the country earlier. After the government started implementing the neo-liberal policies, licence was given to the private courier service. A good portion of the service provided by the Postal Department was diverted to the private couriers. Now, the UPA II government is moving for further privatisation and as a step towards this has decided to close 9797 post offices, as per media reports. It seems that the government is restricting one post office only within five km area. This is in fact an attack on the service to the people and has got to be resisted strongly not by the workers alone, but by the [public also.

I am of the strong opinion that the arbitrary closing of these post offices should be strongly opposed by the people and defeated.

Kerala was the first state in India to be declared as fully literate. It was on 18th of April 1991. 20 years have elapsed, but no other state could get such a full literacy declaration so far.

The literacy campaign was one of the most important project the LDF government has started. For more than one entire year thousands and thousands classes for the aged and the uneducated were organised throughout Kerala. Most of the classes were in the night and the teachers included students,teachers, government employees and anybody who can teach. No fees, allowances or remuneration was given or taken. The state government gave printed books free to the students. Spectacles were given to the old people to enable them to read.

The programme has given empowerment to the ordinary people. Just like the Land Reforms in the first EMS Ministry in 1957, the declaration of fully literate state was also a landmark in the advance march of Kerala.