All efforts are being made to make BSNL financially viable: Govt

THE government is making all efforts to make state-run BSNL robust and financially viable again and has prepared a comprehensive plan for its revival, an official has said, on the eve of a nationwide strike called by the employees unions over their demands. "All efforts are being made, and will continue to be made, to make BSNL robust and financially viable," a Communications Ministry statement said.
BSNL employees and officers have given a three-day country-wide strike call from February 18 to highlight their long-pending issues, including allotment of 4G spectrum to the telecom major and wage revision for the workforce.
The strike which had been called by All Unions...
and Associations of BSNL (AUAB) – a united platform of various organisations including BSNL Employees’ Union, National Federation of Telecom Employees, All India Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited Executive’s Association, Sanchar Nigam Executives’ Association, All India Graduate Engineer and Telecom Officer’s Association, Telecommunication Employees Progressive Union, BSNL Officers Association among others – started the protest at 12 am on Feb 18, and it will continue till Feb 20.
The unions are opposing any move to privatise or disinvest BSNL. Other demands by the employees include payment of pension contribution by BSNL as per the government rule, approval for BSNL’s Land Management Policy without any delay, scrapping of BSNL’s outsourcing for the operation and maintenance of its mobile towers etc.
The final demand in the charter is the settlement of the left out issues of the 2nd Pay Revision Committee.
"The main demands of the All India Unions and Associations of Bharat Sanchar Nigam (AUAB) include benefits to executives under the 3rd Pay Revision Committee (PRC) with 15 per cent fitment and to non-executives as per the 8th wage negotiations w.e.f. 1.1.2017, allotment of 4G spectrum to BSNL, revision of pension for BSNL retirees w.e.f. 1.1.2017 and delinking of same with pay revision for PRC implementation, and deduction of payment of pension contribution by BSNL on actual basic pay instead of on the highest level of the pay scale. Government wishes to re-emphasize that it will continue to engage with the BSNL management and representatives of the unions and associations, to support their reasonable demands, and to guide the organization towards a revival," the government said.
Noting that the Department of Telecommunications (DOT) is taking "positive steps" regarding each of these demands, the ministry said the issue of alloting 4G spectrum to BSNL is being referred to telecom regulator TRAI "to recommend on the issue of administrative allocation, quantum, price and appropriate frequency band".
"Further action will be taken on receipt of the said recommendation. In parallel, a comprehensive proposal for revival of BSNL has been prepared, which will be taken up for consideration by competent authorities very soon." It also noted that a Coordination Committee comprising senior officers of the DoT, BSNL management, and representatives of AUAB is already working in this regard.
"Representatives of AUAB have also held meetings with the DOT Additional Secretary in which they have been duly apprised of the progress being made in relation to their demands," the statement said.
It pointed out that the BSNL management has appealed to its employees not to resort to any agitation at this critical juncture when the organization is engaged in "sincere and serious efforts" to protect and enhance the company's market share, "and when any disruption in services can only adversely impact the interests of BSNL and its customers, employees and other stakeholders."