Two days ago, the DoT issued directions to the Central Government Departments, and the CPSEs, making it mandatory to avail the landline, broadband and leased circuit services of BSNL. Yesterday, the DoT has issued a similar letter to the Secretaries of the state governments, directing that the state governments and their Public Sector Undertakings should avail the landline, broadband and leased circuit services of BSNL.

BSNLEU heartily thanks Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad, Hon’ble Minister of Communications, for mandating the Central government and State government departments, as well as their PSUs to avail BSNL’s landline, broadband and Leased Circuit services. At the same time, BSNLEU will take up the matter with the Hon'ble Minister of Communications, demanding that similar mandate should be issued directing the Central Government Departments, CPSEs, State Governments and their PSUs to avail BSNL’s mobile service also.

The DoT, vide it’s letter dated 12^th October, 2020, has communicated the decision of the Government of India, as per which the mandatory utilisation of BSNL’s & MTNL’s network for internet / broadband, landline and leased line requirements by all Ministries / Departments of Government of India / CPSEs and Central Autonomous Bodies, has been decided. We welcome this decision, even though it is a much delayed step. BSNLEU and the joint platforms of unions and associations of BSNL have raised this demand more than a decade ago. We have to get satisfied that, it is “Better delayed then Never”. 

It is important to note that most of the Government Departments and the CPSEs are already using only BSNL's landlines, broadbands and leased circuits. Whereas, they are using mostly mobile service from private operators. Now, the government has not mandated that BSNL’s / MTNL’s mobile service should also be availed by government departments, CPSEs, etc. This is the era of mobile service and not including the same in the above mentioned order, has been done with the ulterior motive of benefiting Jio. Because, many ministries like the Railways, have already adopted Jio’s mobile service. Hence, BSNLEU demands that, mobile service should also be brought within the ambit of the above mentioned decision of the Government of India.  

As a part of the ongoing restructuring, the STR and STP have been merged and hereafter it will be called as Core Network South. While doing this, the Management decided to shift the Head Quarters to Bengaluru. Presently, the Head Quarters of both STR and STP are located at Chennai. BSNLEU took up this issue strongly with the CMD BSNL and demanded that the Head Quarters of the Core Network South should be retained at Chennai itself. Yesterday, in the meeting held with BSNLEU, the CMD BSNL informed the representatives of BSNLEU that, letter has been issued to retain the Head Quarters of Core Network South at Chennai itself.

Validity of the BSNL MRS Card of  the retired employees has earlier been extended up to 30.06.2020. The retired employees came under pressure to fill up the form and apply for revalidation of the BSNL MRS Cards before 30.06.2020. Hence, BSNLEU wrote to the GM (Admn.), BSNL Corporate Office, demanding to extend the validity of the BSNL MRS Card up to 30.09.2020. This demand was raised in view of the hardships that  the retired employees would have to undergo, for filling up the forms for the extension of the validity, at a time when the Corona Virus infection is spreading fast. The BSNL Corporate Office has accepted the demand of BSNLEU and the validity of the BSNL MRS Card has been extended up to 30.09.2020, in respect of the retired employees. 

The BSNL Corporate Office has extended the revalidation of the BSNL MRS medical card for the retirees till 30-06-2020. This has been done in view of the ongoing lockdown.

Consequent to the government's announcing certain concessions in the payment of Income Tax, the BSNL Corporate Office issued letter on 20.04.2020, directing the employees to submit their option to continue in the old tax regime or to switch over to the new tax regime. The last date for submitting this option had been fixed as 28.04.2020. Citing the shortage of time, as well as the difficulties created by the lock-down, due to the COVID-19, BSNLEU wrote to the Sr.GM(Taxation),BSNL CO, demanding to extend the last date by one month. Accepting the demand of BSNLEU, the Corporate Office has issued letter, extending the last date up to 31.05.2020. BSNLEU thanks the Sr.GM (Taxation), for accepting the demand.

The Ministry of Finance has issued letter today the 23.04.2020, for freezing the Dearness Allowance (DA) of the Central Government employees and pensioners, up to 01.07.2021. As per this letter, the Central Government Employees and pensioners will not be paid any DA for a period of 1 ½ years, i.e., from 01.01.2020 to 01.07.2021. When the DA is restored on 01.07.2021, it will be done only prospectively and no arrears will be paid. The Central Government has taken this retrograde measure, in the name of fighting the crisis created by the Corona Virus Disease. BSNLEU strongly denounces this anti-worker measure of the Modi government.

Shri B. L. Varshney, who has been working as the interim Director (EB) has been promoted and posted as the Advisor, AP, LSA. In view of this, the DoT has issued letter, according to which, Shri Arvind Vadnerkar, Director (HR) has been given the additional charge of the Director (EB) also.

The DoT has issued instruction yesterday that, the Director (Establishment), nominated in each telecom circle by the DoT, will act as the cadre-controlling officer of the unabsorbed Group ’C’ & ‘D’ employees working in BSNL. It is stated in the letter that, matters related to issuing of retirement / struck-off order, granting NoC for going abroad and permission for acquiring immovable and movable property, in respect of the unabsorbed Group ’C’ & ‘D’ employees, will be dealt and decided by this Director (Establishment).

On 22.12.2015, the BSNL Corporate Office issued a letter for the fixation of pay of the officiating JTOs and  deputing them to the JTO Phase-I training. In that letter, it was mentioned that, the pay of the officiating JTOs would be fixed under FR22(1)(a)(i). It was further mentioned in that letter that, the officiating JTOs would be reverted to their parent cadre of TTA, before being deputed for JTO Phase-I training. Now, based on the judgement given by the principal CAT on 05.02.2020, the BSNL Corporate Office has issued a letter today the 09.07.2020, nullifying the reversion of the officiating JTOs to their parent cadre of TTA.

The Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, has issued a letter yesterday the 08^th July, 2020, extending Sovereign Guarantee to BSNL and MTNL, for issuing long term bonds. The Sovereign Guarantee is for Rs.15,000 crore, out of which BSNL’s share is Rs.8,500 crore. In this letter, the following is stated in para no. iii :-

“Guarantee given by Government of India shall be non-transferrable and would cease to exist in case the ownership of the entity is transferred from Government of India….”

From the above clause included in the letter for Sovereign Guarantee, it becomes very clear that the Government of India is open to the option of transferring the ownership of BSNL and MTNL. In other words, this clause of the letter indicates that, the Government of India is having the option of privatising BSNL and MTNL.

वित्त मंत्रालय ने पत्र जारी किया, अब सरकार लंबी अवधि के बांड जारी करने के लिए BSNL और MTNL को सर्वोच्च (सोवेरिन) गारंटी प्रदान करेगा ।

वित्त मंत्रालय के आर्थिक मामलों के विभाग ने लंबी अवधि के बांड जारी करने के लिए BSNL और MTNL को सर्वोच्च (सॉवरिन) गारंटी प्रदान करते हुए कल 08 जुलाई, 2020 को एक पत्र जारी किया है।  सर्वोच्च (सॉवरेन) गारंटी 15,000 करोड़ रुपये की है, जिसमें से BSNL का शेयर 8,500 करोड़ रुपये है।  इस पत्र में, निम्नलिखित में पैरा नं।  iii: -

 "भारत सरकार द्वारा दी गई गारंटी गैर-हस्तांतरणीय होगी और  इन इकाई का स्वामित्व भारत सरकार से  हस्तांतरित होने की स्थिति में मौजूद रहेगा।" 

 सर्वोच्च (सॉवरेन) गारंटी के लिए पत्र में शामिल उपरोक्त खंड से, यह बहुत स्पष्ट हो जाता है कि भारत सरकार BSNL और MTNL के स्वामित्व (मालकाना अधिकार) को स्थानांतरित (ट्रांसफर) करने के विकल्प के लिए खुला रहेगा।  दूसरे शब्दों में, पत्र का यह खंड दर्शित करता है कि, भारत सरकार के पास BSNL और MTNL के निजीकरण करने का विकल्प खुला होगा।

The DoT has issued letter stating that the Director (Estt.) nominated to the telecom circles will deal and decide the matters like issuing of retirement / struck off order, granting of NoC and permission for accruing movable and immovable properties, in respect of unabsorbed Group C&D employees working in BSNL.

On 27^th March, 2020, the DoP&T has issued a letter stating that, the Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) should be exempted, while drawing up the roster of staff who are required to attend essential services. However, this instruction was not implemented in BSNL, since the DoP&T letter was not endorsed by the BSNL Corporate Office. Hence, BSNLEU wrote to the Corporate Office on 02.04.2020, demanding the BSNL Corporate Office to endorse the DoP&T letter. Accepting BSNLEU’s demand, the Corporate Office has issued letter, endorsing the DoP&T letter. Circle Secretaries are requested to kindly ensure the implementation of the DoP&T instruction.