In a major development, the government of India gave it’s approval yesterday for “Net Neutrality”. Under the principle of Net Neutrality, every Internet user must have equal access to all lawful online content, at the “same cost and speed”. The necessity for the government to announce this Net Neutrality arose because, some time back, the private operators attempted to start a system, in which those who pay extra money alone will be getting access to all the internet sites at assured speed, and others will be having only limited access and slower speed. The Telecom Secretary, Ms.Aruna Sundararajan announced yesterday that, this policy comes into effect immediately, and any violation of rules would attract severe penalties.

India has become the 6th largest economy in the world now, based on the country’s performance in 2017. India’s GDP was 2.59 trillion US dollars in 2017. Thus, India pushed back France to the 7th place, whose GDP was 2.58 trillion US dollars in 2017. It is also expected that India will soon overtake Britain, which is having a GDP of 2.62 trillion US dollars. All these news make every Indian to feel proud. At the same time it also pains to note that India is a country, with the largest number of poor people in the world.

It is a matter of pride for every one of us that, the BSNL has launched the country’s first Internet Telephony Service yesterday. It was inaugurated by Shri Manoj Sinha, Hon’ble Minister of State for Communications at New Delhi. According to this facility, a customer, using BSNL’s mobile app called “Wings”, can dial any number in India, using internet service or Wifi of any telecom operator. To avail this service, the customer has to pay an annual fee of Rs.1,099. The Hon’ble MoS(C) appreciated the BSNL for enabling a customer, to make calls without a SIM. He also appreciated BSNL for increasing it’s market share, in the present competitive environment.

As per the call of the AUAB, a very enthusiastic demonstration was organised at BSNL Corporate Office today, demanding implementation of the assurances given by the Hon’ble MoS(C), on wage revision, 4G spectrum, pension contribution and pension revision issues. A large number of employees of the Corporate Office participated in this demonstration. This programme was conducted throughout the country yesterday. However, it is organised in the BSNL Corporate Office only today, in view of the Sanchar Shri award giving ceremony held at the Corporate Office yesterday. Both the GS,BSNLEU and the Dy.GS, BSNLEU are out of Delhi, and Com.Ramesh Chand, Organising Secretary(CHQ) participated.

The call given by the AUAB, for conducting demonstrations throughout the country today, demanding implementation of the commitments given by the Hon’ble MoS(C), on wage revision, pension revision, 4G spectrum and pension contribution, was organised successfully. As per the report received from various circles, the Non-Executives and Executives throughout the country have participated in the demonstration enthusiastically. The CHQ of BSNLEU heartily thanks all the constituents of the AUAB for the excellent response. Photos of the programme, received from various circles will be uploaded on CHQ website tomorrow.

Com. Swapan Chakraborty, Dy.GS,BSNLEU addressed a largely attended meeting of BSNL employees at Guwahati  on 9th July 2018. The meeting was organised by the Local Co-Ordination Committee of BSNLEU, Guwahati infront of CGMT,Assam office during lunch hour for the preparation of incoming agitational programme called by All Unions and Associations of BSNL  (AUAB) on 11th July demonstrations infront of CCA office,  Relay Hunger Strike on 24th to 26th July demanding settlement of 3rd PRC, pension contributions on actual basis, allotment of 4G spectrum etc. As assured by the Hon'ble MoS(C) and also to start the programme "BSNL at your door step" called by AUAB. The meeting was presided over by com Subrata Nath, president, LCC. Com Bijoy Deka,CS,BSNLEU, Assam gave introductory speech. Com Sailen Sharma,CS, AIBDPA spoken. Addressing the meeting com Swapan Chakraborty, Dy.GS, narrated in details on the background of taking agitational programmes by the AUAB on Wage Revision, pension contributions on actual basis, pension revision, allotment of 4G spectrum etc. He appealed to all employees to participate in the marketing programme called by the AUAB considering present financial crisis of the company to ensure payments of wage revision benefits to each and every employee. Vote of thanks given by com Prasanta Baruah,DS,BSNLEU, CGM office. A large number of Non-Executives and Executives attended the meeting.

The AUAB has given call to the BSNL employees, to organise demonstrations throughout the country tomorrow the 11.07.2018, demanding implementation of the assurances given by the Hon’ble Minister of State for Communications on 24.02.2018, with regards to the settlement of wage revision, pension revision, allotment of 4G spectrum and payment of pension contribution as per Government Rules. At the circle level, these demonstrations should be organised in front of the offices of the CCA. All circle secretaries are requested to organise this programme successfully, in coordination with the other constituents of the AUAB.

BSNL Management is organising the function at Corporate Office on 11.07.2018, to distribute Sanchar Sree Awards. The Hon’ble Minister of State, Shri Manoj Sinha, is participating in this function. To facilitate the peaceful conducting of this award giving ceremony, to the meritorious employees of BSNL, the AUAB has decided to hold the demonstration at Corporate Office on 12.07.2018, instead of 11.07.2018. As regards, the demonstrations at circle level, it would be organised on 11.07.2018, as per the schedule.

The AUAB, in it’s meeting held on 26.06.2018, has unanimously decided to organise demonstrations on 11.07.2018 and relay hunger strike on 24^th, 25^th and 26^th July, 2018, demanding implementation of the assurance given by the Hon’ble Minister of State for Communications. This meeting was attended by General Secretaries / representatives of BSNLEU, NFTE, SNEA, AIBSNLEA, FNTO, AIGETOA, BSNL MS, TEPU and BSNL ATM. Com. Mohinder Singh, represented FNTO in this meeting. According to the unanimous decision taken in the meeting, notification was issued to the DoT and BSNL, for holding the agitational programme. In accordance with the practice being followed in AUAB, the letter has been sent with the signatures of the General Secretaries of all the Unions and Associations taking part in the AUAB. However, it is a matter of deep regret and serious concern that the GS, FNTO and GS, SEWA BSNL, have written to the DoT and BSNL Management, dissociating themselves from these programme. Circle and district secretaries of BSNLEU are requested to effectively organise the demonstration and the relay hunger strike with the other constituents of the AUAB.

The BSNL Management has already taken steps for the constitution of the Joint Committee for wage negotiations. BSNLEU has been directed to nominates it’s five representatives to the Joint Committee for wage negotiations. BSNLEU has already sent it’s nominations. Today’s Com.P. Abhimanyu, GS and Com. Animesh Mitra, Vice President (CHQ), met Shri A.M. Gupta, GM(SR), and demanded that the meeting of the Joint Committee should be conducted immediately, desirably in the 3^rd week of July itself. The GM(SR) assured to take the needful action.

From the very beginning, the casual labourers in BSNL are being paid wages based on the lowest of the CDA pay scale. However, their wages are not revised after the implementation of the 7^th CPC pay scales. BSNLEU and BSNL CCWF are continuously taking up this issue with the CMD BSNL and Director (HR). The issue was raised in the 36^th meeting of the National Council also, held on 12.06.2018, for which the Director (HR) responded positively. Com. P. Abhimanyu, GS and Com. Animesh Mitra, Vice President (CHQ), met Shri Sourab Tyagi, Sr.GM(Estt.) today and insisted for the early implementation of the 7^th CPC scale for the casual labourers. The Sr.GM(Estt.) assured to do the needful.

Com. P. Abhimanyu, GS and Com. Animesh Mitra, Vice President (CHQ), met Shri A.M. Gupta, GM(SR) today and discussed certain issues related to the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana circles. In the last National Council itself, it was demanded that the soft tenure given to those who were sent to Vijayawada, should not be a one time affair, but should be perpetual. It was agreed in the National Council meeting itself. In today’s meeting it was demanded that the period of the soft tenure should be reduced from 3 years to 2 years. Further, it was also demanded that the officials retiring shortly, should be sent back to Hyderabad, otherwise it will create difficulties in the payment of their pension.

CHQ has already intimated that, the BSNL Welfare Board meeting would be held on 03.08.2018. CHQ has also requested the CEC members and other interested comrades to send items, to be taken up for discussion in the Welfare Board meeting. Since the time is running out, CHQ requests that, the items may please be submitted by 15.07.2018.

The decision of the AUAB to launch “BSNL at your door steps” movement has been appreciated by Shri Anupam Shrivastava, CMD BSNL. He has also expressed the desire of the Management to jointly implement this movement with the AUAB. If accepted by the AUAB, “BSNL at your door steps” movement would be implemented jointly by the AUAB and the BSNL Management, as “Service With A Smile” movement was implemented.

A meeting of the All Unions and Associations of BSNL (AUAB) was held yesterday the 04-07-2018, under the chairmanship of Com.Prahlad Rai, GS, AIBSNLEA. The meeting seriously discussed about the steep fall in the revenue collection of the Company, due to the predatory pricing of Reliance Jio. It is felt that this is an undesirable situation, especially when the employees are awaiting the 3^rd wage revision. Hence, the meeting seriously felt the need to take urgent steps, to immediately boost the sales and revenue collection of the Company. The meeting decided to take the following steps, to implement the call.
 

1. To call upon the employees to observe "BSNL AT YOUR DOORSTEP" movement, till the end of the current financial year, to reach out to the public, for boosting BSNL's sales and revenue.

2. To form separate committees, consisting of the employees at circle and district levels, for intensifying the marketing of FTTH, broadband, leased lines, and mobile.

3. To call upon each employee (other than those who are posted in the marketing), to dedicate at least a day in a week, for marketing activities.

All circle and district secretaries of BSNLEU are requested to take immediate steps, in coordination with the other constituents of the AUAB, for the immediate implementation of the above stated decisions. Meeting of the AUAB must be convened immediately at all circle and district levels, and the decisions should be implemented vigorously.

In the meeting with the CMD BSNL on 11-06-2018, the General Secretaries of BSNLEU, NFTE,SNEA and AIBSNLEA bitterly complained that many of the top officers, at the circle and district levels, are not going out of their offices, for the purpose of marketing. They pointed out that marketing by top officers is very much required for roping in high-end customers. The CMD BSNL fully agreed with this view, and told that there is a need to implement a “KAMRA CHHODO ANDOLAN”( Quit the office room movement), by the top officers at the circle and district levels. The AUAB meeting held yesterday, has decided that the spirit of the CMD BSNL’s call for “KAMRA CHHODO ANDOLAN” should be implemented at the circle and district levels, especially when the Non-Executives and Executives are taking efforts to boost the sales and revenue collection of the Company. The AUAB at the circle and district levels should meet the top officers, and urge upon them to go out and carry out marketing activities.