The attention of the circle and district secretaries is drawn to the above subject. The Corporate Office, vide it’s letter dated 31-05-2022, has issued a revised form, to be filled in by the employees who want to change their option on union membership. The revised form is enclosed here with.

Employees are having opportunity to change their union membership once in a year. In accordance with this, the employees can change their union membership from 16^th June to 15^th July, 2022. The Corporate Office has issued letter to this effect today. Copy of the letter is enclosed for the information of circle and district secretaries.

The BSNL Management has initiated the process for holding the 9th Membership Verification for the Non-Executives. It will be held in the month of October, 2022. Shri S.N. Gupta, GM(Restg.), BSNL CO., has been appointed as the Chief Returning Officer.

A core committee, with Ms. Anita Johri, PGM(SR), Shri S.P. Singh, GM(Admn.), Ms. Samita Luthra, GM(Rectt.) and Shri Santosh Kumar, DGM(SR), as members has also been formed.  

The annual premium of the GTI (Group Term Insurance) of the Non-Executives expires in February, 2022. However, the Corporate Office has not taken action for the deduction of the annual premium February, 2022 salary. Hence, BSNLEU wrote a letter to the Corporate Office yesterday, demanding action. The Corporate Office has acted immediately and has issued letter today (F.No.BSNLCO-A/11(11)/2/2022-ESTAB/2 dated 17.02.2022), directing the Heads of the Circles to take action for the deduction of the annual premium from the salary. The Non-Executives who are presently members of the GTI scheme can withdraw their membership w.e.f. 01.03.2022. Similarly, the Non-Executives who want to join the GTI scheme can also join w.e.f. 01.03.2022. BSNLEU thanks the Corporate Management for taking immediate action on it’s letter.

The DPE has already issued letter on 27.10.2021 for increase in IDA from 01.07.2021 and from 01.10.2021. The IDA has increased from 170.5% to 179.3% during this period. Today, the Corporate Office has issued letter for payment of this IDA increase. 

The tenure of the BSNL Staff Welfare Board, as well as the BSNL Sports and Cultural Board, expired in March, 2020 itself. However, these two Boards were not reconstituted by the Corporate Office. BSNLEU has been consistently demanding that, these two Boards should be reconstituted immediately. A number of letters have been written by BSNLEU on this matter. As a result of this, the Corporate Office has decided to reconstitute the Sports and Cultural Board now and has called for the nominations. BSNLEU will ensure that the Welfare Board is also reconstituted at the earliest.

BSNL Corporate Office had issued letter sometime back stating that, all retired employees should submit option for availing Medical Cash allowance facility, irrespective of whether they had already submitted option or not. BSNLEU took up this issue with the Sr.GM(Admn.) and demanded that the retired employees who had already given option for 2020-21 should not be compelled to give option once again. Based on this, Corporate Office has issued letter today, clarifying that fresh option should be given only by those whose bank account number has changed and those who want to change their option.

On 02.08.2021, the DPE issued circular, regarding the details of IDA increased w.e.f 01.10.2020 to 01.04.2021. However, the DPE did not inform how much IDA has increased w.e.f  01.07.2021. Today, the BSNL Corporate Office has issued letter stating that, as per DPE letter, IDA has increased from 159.9% to  170.5% w.e.f 01.07.2021.

The Freezing of IDA imposed by the  Government of India, on the Executives and Non-Unionised Supervisors of the Public Sector Undertakings has  ended. Hence, increased rates of IDA should be paid to the Public Sector employees w.e.f. 01.07.2021. However, the DPE did not notify the quantum of IDA rates that have increased from 01.10.2020. BSNLEU wrote to the Secretary, DPE on 31.07.2021, demanding to immediately notify the increased rates of the IDA. Under these circumstances, yesterday, the DPE has notified the increased rates of IDA. According to this, (5.5%) IDA has increased w.e.f. 01.10.2020. And w.e.f. 01.01.2021, another (6.3%) IDA has increased. However, the IDA has decreased by (-1.2%) w.e.f. 01.04.2021. Further, the DPE has not notified the quantum of IDA that has increased w.e.f. 01.07.2021.

BSNLEU has demanded that, concession should be provided to the serving and retired BSNL employees on FTTH connections. Earlier, such a concession was given on broadband connections. However, for a very long time, no concession is given to serving and retired employees for FTTH connections. BSNLEU first took up this issue and wrote to the Management on 29.09.2020. (BSNLEU letter no.BSNLEU/518(PHONE) dated 29.09.2020). BSNLEU demanded that 50% concession should be given, without any ceiling. BSNLEU continuously pursued this issue with the Management. As a result, Corporate Office issued letter yesterday, providing 40% concession to the serving and retired employees of BSNL on FTTH connection. However, a ceiling of Rs.300/- has been fixed.  BSNLEU will take steps to remove this ceiling also.