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.  

After prolonged efforts taken by BSNLEU, the Standing Committee of the National Council has been reconstituted by the Management, and letter is issued. Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS, Com.Balbir Singh, President and Com.Swapan Chakraborty, Dy.GS, are BSNLEU's representatives in the Standing Committee, which will review the implementation of the decisions of the National Council.

BSNLEU has long been pressurising the Corporate Office to issue notification for holding the JTO LICE under 50% internal quota. However, the same was being delayed, since the Establishment Branch had sought the views of the Personnel Branch on this matter, in the wake of the BSNL Board’s decision to implement the CPSE Cadre Hierarchy. BSNLEU insisted with the Director (HR) and Sr.GM (Estt.) that Corporate Office has to conduct the JTO LICE, for the vacancies that have already arisen under 50% internal quota, irrespective of whether the CPSE Cadre Hierarchy is implemented or not. Due to the continuous pressure exerted on the Management, Corporate Office has now set the ball rolling for holding the JTO LICE. The Establishment Branch of the Corporate Office had given it’s approval for holding the exam vide letter no.5-1/LICE/2018-Estt-IV dated 17.09.2018, based on which the Recruitment Branch vide letter no.12-2/2018-Rectt. dated 26.09.2018, has written to the CGMs, directing them to provide the vacancy position to the Corporate Office by 05.10.2018. BSNLEU will ensure that the examination is conducted at the earliest.

The newly reconstituted Standing Committee of the National Council is meeting on 24.01.2018, for which Corporate Office has issued the notification. We thank Shri A.M.Gupta, GM (SR) who has taken action to promptly hold the meeting. Review of the decisions taken in the 35th meeting of the National Council, held on 11-05-2017 and 13-11-2017, will be undertaken in this meeting.

Corporate Office has issued the minutes for the formal meeting, held between BSNLEU and the Director (HR) on 08-01-2018. Certain important issues were discussed in the meeting. The Director (HR) has fixed responsibilities to each of the seven GMs who attended the meeting, for the settlement of the issues. CHQ is following up with those officers regularly.

BSNL Management issued letter on 01-01-2018, reducing the annual ceiling for reimbursement of outdoor treatment expenses, from 25 days to 23 days. Management justified that, this reduction was effected consequent to the implementation of 78.2% IDA merger. However, BSNLEU strongly protested this reduction. The issue was discussed with the Director(HR) and other officers of the Corporate Office many times. Restoration of the ceiling from 23 days to 25 days, was an important demand of BSNLEU in it’s protest demonstration programme, organised throughout the country on 03-05-2018. Despite our severe protests, the Management has issued letter reiterating the outdoor treatment ceiling as 23 days.

In many instances, original certificates of employees, especially new entrants, are retained by BSNL authorities and are returned to the employees only after a specified period. The Corporate Office has now issued letter that BSNL has not issued any order for such actions. Hence, all certificates should be returned to the employees, immediately after verification, says the letter.

The Hon’ble Supreme Court of India has directed that excess payments, wrongly made in the past, should not be recovered from the salaries of Non-Executive employees. BSNLEU has taken up this issue in the National Council, and has also written a number of letters to the Corporate Management, demanding implementation of the Supreme Court judgement. Now, the Corporate Office, in it’s letter addressed to the CGMs, has clarified that circles are authorised to take decision on excess payment due to wrong fixation of pay in case of Non-Executives which are done prior to 06.02.2014. In view of this circle unions are requested to take up such cases with their respective CGMs immediately.