BSNLEU has already  filed a case in the Hon’ble Kerala High Court, against the freezing of 3 instalments of IDA of the Non-Executive employees. The hearing on this case took place yesterday. We are very sure to get a favourable judgement next week. Already the Kerala High Court and the Karnataka High Court have given   judgements in favour of the Non-Executives. Apart from this, BSNLEU  has also written a strong  letter to the Secretary, DPE, demanding to immediately issue order for the payment of the 2 installments of IDA, that have already become due w.e.f 01-10-2020 and 01-01-2021. 

Under these circumstances, the DPE has issued guideline yesterday, stating that, the freezing of 3 instalments  of IDA is not applicable to the Non Executive employees. Certainly, the DPE has been compelled to issue this guideline, only because of the pressure created through the legal action. BSNLEU feels proud that, it has played an important role in compelling the DPE to issue this guideline. 

The Non-Executive employees will now get payment of 5.5% IDA w.e.f 01-10 -2020 and 6.1% IDA w.e.f 01-01-2021(Totally 11.6% IDA). This is a significant victory  for the efforts  taken by BSNLEU. Hearty congrats to the entire Non-Executives of BSNL.

In the discussion held with Shri Arvind Vadnerkar, Director (HR) yesterday, Com.P.Abhimanyu, General Secretary, expressed  his extreme unhappiness over the delay in implementing the Group Term Insurance (GTI) to the Non-Executives. The Director (HR) assured the General Secretary that, prompt action would be taken in this respect. Accordingly, yesterday itself, the Director (HR) has constituted a Committee to negotiate the terms and conditions of the GTI with LIC. The Committee consists of Sr.GM(Estt.), Sr.GM(SR), Sr.GM(CA), GM(Admn.) and DGM (Welfare). In addition to this, the Corporate Office has also forwarded the proposals of the LIC, on GTI, to the Recognised Unions, calling for their views.

Ms. Yojana Das, who had served in the Corporate Office for long years, is appointed by the government as the Director (Finance) of BSNL. After the retirement of Shri K.C.G.K. Pillai, the post of Director (Finance) was lying vacant for many years. Both BSNLEU and the AUAB have conducted many programmes demanding to fill up the Director (Finance) post. Thereafter, Shri S.K. Gupta, was appointed on an interim basis. Finally, we are glad that BSNL has got a full-fledged Director (Finance). BSNLEU heartily congratulates Ms. Yojana Das and wish her all success in her new assignment. 

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.