New Year Greetings

FNTO Tamil Nadu Circle Union

wishes You all

A Happy, Healthy, Peaceful and

Prosperous NEW YEAR 2015

Let Us Save BSNL and Employees from the Evil Designs of Destructive & Anti-National Forces

Telecom secretary pulls up BSNL executives for 'Delayed Decisions'

முடிவெடுப்பதை இழுத்தடிக்கும் அதிகாரிகள் மீது நடவடிக்கை பாயும் - BSNL அதிகாரிகளுக்கு தொலைத்தொடர்பு செயலாளர் எச்சரிக்கை

 
டிஜிட்டல் இந்தியா திட்டத்தின்படி BSNL மூலம் Broad Band இணைப்பு கொடுப்பது இழுத்தடிக்கப் பட்டால், தனியார் நிறுவனங்களை  அரசு ஈடுபடுத்தும் நிலை ஏற்படும் போல் தெரிகிறது.
 

Telecom secretary Rakesh Garg pulls up BSNL executives for 'Delayed Decisions'

KOLKATA: Telecom secretary Rakesh Garg has warned that top BSNL executives could face administrative action if "delayed decision making" on their part results in a failure to meet the March 2016 deadline set by the Prime Minister's Office for concluding the national broadband venture.

"There is a need to improve decision-making and administrative action should be taken against officers who are not taking decisions or are delaying them, which is holding up the project," said Garg, according to the minutes of a recent internal review meeting of the national broadband venture with BSNL's leadership.

Garg's ultimatum was triggered by a revelation that "all BSNL circles are lagging behind schedule in issuing work orders and in finalising tenders relating to the broadband project", the meeting minutes showed, a copy of which was reviewed by Economic Times.

The stakes are high since the national broadband network is positioned as the communications backbone of the Modi government's .

Rs 1.13 lakh-crore 'Digital India' venture, through which it aims to deliver e-services to rural end-consumers, which could be homes, schools, hospitals, banks or other institutions. The project is already three years behind schedule.

State-run BSNL has been mandated to handle 70% of the countrywide cable laying, trenching and ducting operations, which is the most expensive piece of the national broadband project that will take high-speed internet access across the hinterlands.

The balance 30% is to be handled by PowerGrid Corporation and RailTel.

Garg reiterated at the meeting that "the national broadband rollout is being monitored at the highest level as it will form the basic infrastructure of the 'Digital India' programme", which is why, "all BSNL field units should take responsibility of successfully concluding tendering and finalising work orders".

BSNL could not be reached immediately for comment.

The latest developments come at a time when the DoT is looking to involve private firms, a mix of infrastructure providers, telcos and content developers, to speed up the national broadband rollout.

It is also keen to leverage the renewed interest in the country's technology space among top foreign investors, especially in the US and Japan, after a debilitating image crisis post the Vodafone retrospective tax case and the 2G scam. Global firms such as Google, Facebook and Microsoft are known to be vying to deploy alternative technologies to offer last-mile broadband links in India's inaccessible regions to provide access to high-speed internet.

Christmas Greetings

WISH YOU ALL
A MERRY
CHRISTMAS

கண்ணீர் அஞ்சலி - தோழர் ஜெயபாண்டியன் காலமானார்

தேசியச் சங்கத்தின் முன்னணி செயல் வீரர்களில் ஒருவரும், தூத்துக்குடி மாவட்டச் செயலாளருமான தோழர் T.ஜெயபாண்டியன் உடல்நலக் குறைவால் இன்று காலமானார். மறைந்த தலைவனுக்கு நமது கொடிதாழ்த்திய அஞ்சலியைக் காணிக்கையாக்குகிறோம்.

அன்னாரது நல்லடக்கம் நாளை (24/12/2014) தூத்துக்குடியில் நடைபெறுகிறது.

தலைவனை இழந்து தவிக்கும் அவரது குடும்பத்தாருக்கு தமிழ் மாநிலச் சங்கத்தின் சார்பில் நமது ஆழ்ந்த இரங்கல்களைத் தெரிவித்துக் கொள்கிறோம்.

FNTO is not a signatory to the Indefinite Strike, why ?

Comments on the demands for indefinite strike announced by the BSNL unions and associations – D.Chandrasekaran, Joint General Secretary, FNTO

1) Filling up of CMD / BSNL and Director (Finance) and Director (HR) of BSNL Board which are vacant for months.

This demand has no direct bearing on the welfare of the BSNL employees. However selection of the CMD and Director (Finance) and one more Director (EB) has been done by the PSEB. In fact the sufferings of the BSNL and the BSNL employees are due to the negative attitude of the Recognised union i.e. BSNLEU and not due to the above factors. Is indefinite strike necessary for this?

2) Stop formation of subsidiary companies of BSNL.

The Govt. has proposed formation of subsidiary companies because of the negative attitude of the Association and the unions only. The BSNL was offered Rs.20,000/- crore project to carryout laying of cable to connect every village panchayats  by Broad band services. This has been funded from USO fund. But the BSNL executives or the employees are not prepared to undertake the work. The Govt. is pressing the DOT to complete the job. Even the private operators are demanding the job to be given to them to carryout. Then there is no alternate to DOT but to form separate subsidiary to BSNL to undertake the work, by the DOT itself.

Tower Corporation: Unions opposed sharing of even passive infrastructure with private operators. Ultimate result is the private operators join together erected towers and sharing the infrastructure themselves for their development. Now there is no operator to share our towers even if you offer and thus we are losing revenue. If separate Tower Corporation is formed, that company will lease towers to all operators including BSNL to earn revenue. Thus this is also as a result of the negative approach of the BSNL unions / Association.

3) Compensation for land lines for rural / remote area service.

The SSAs should prepare the cost of each Rural exchanges the loss for each such exchanges by working out the cost and put up claims to the Govt. through BSNL CO. without doing this simply demanding compensation for loss is incorrect.

4) Procurement of equipment for development, expansion and better service, more focus on laying of cable to strengthen the transmission net work.

Where is the necessity for expansion of land line when there is no demand for the same? Even there is no demand for mobile connections due to poor signal quality in many areas. The ultimate aim is to get business for Chinese companies such as ZTE and Huwai etc. by the CITU controlled union. Already the surplus cash of 40,000 crore of the BSNL was spent for this purpose only. The equipments purchased from Chinese companies have become outmoded due to frequent change of technology. Nowadays cities are being expanded and the development is in the outskirt of towns. Our field officers are not interested to asses the requirements of the residences of new areas to prepare estimate to lay cables for giving connections. For this we cannot blame the BSNL as a whole.

5) Transfer of assets to BSNL it has no direct bearing on the employees or the company.

6) Drop proposal for merger of BSNL and MTNL.

Both are Govt. PSUs. There is no justification to oppose it. It is said there is a loan of Rs.14,000/- crore to MTNL. BSNL is also having a loan burden of 30,000 crore. If the disinvestment in MTNL is the reason for opposition, we can demand buy-back of share disinvested. The merger can be utilized for removing the stagnation etc of BSNL pay scales. We have to convert this merger proposal to the benefit of BSNL employees instead of opposing it. If opposed, it will result in the sale of MTNL also like VSNL.

7) Spectrum liberalization and Trading. It needs elucidation. Already the 3G spectrum trading by the idea cellular is being questioned by the political parties and T/U leaders.

8) Pension contribution for actual basic pay.

This should be discussed with the DOT and the HM(c) first and then go for strike. It has no direct bearing on the welfare of the BSNL employees. Our agreement is very clear to the effect that the pension contribution is to be paid under FR 116. It now stands amended to pay contribution to the actual pay.

9) Reject the recommendation of TRAI to force BSNL to surrender 12MHz spectrum in premium 900 MHz band.

This is the job of DOT and BSNL management. These spectrum are idle in BSNL for want of customers. Therefore, the TRAI is suggesting surrender. Is this should be a demand for indefinite strike?

10) Deloittee recommendation.

The unions and associations should be in a position to give alternate suggestions to improve the performance of BSNL. When it is not so, what is the use of opposing it by going on strike. Why the earlier proposal of the revenue based restructuring of SSAs was not discussed and implemented by the unions / Associations and BSNL.

11) Free allotment of spectrum to BSNL.

This demand is against the level playing field between Govt. and private companies. There is no reason or justification in this demand. Instead, workers and executives should work sincerely to earn more revenue by improving the performance. This demand is not a justified one for strike that too indefinite strike.

12) Financial assistances to BSNL to expand network.

Even for the existing network of landline and mobile connection there is no customer or demand. In these circumstances, where is the need for expansion. This demand is put up with ulterior motive of finding market for Chinese companies and not in the interest of the Nation or BSNL employees.

13) BBNL should be merged with BSNL Remark as against the demand at sl.2.

14) BSNL should start 4G service 

Our priority should be to stabilize the existing 2G network and the landline network to attract Broadband customers. The 3G services have no attraction. So introduction of 4G is not a priority job and for this no indefinite strike is justified.

15) Refund of BWA spectrum charge for the surrender of spectrum by BSNL.

The Govt. has already approved the refund and not justifies for strike. The HM(c) has already announced this in the parliament.

16) 78.2% IDA merger for pre-and post 2007 pensioners.

It is the creation of BSNLEU which has agreed for merger of 68.8% IDA instead of 78.2%. BSNLEU has deliberately ignored the advice of the then HM(c) Sri.A.Raja on 20.04.2010 and willfully and whole heartedly signed the agreement on 07.05.2010 accepting the 68.8% IDA merger without any written assurance to consider 78.2% IDA merger on a later date. Now, with what face it is going on strike putting the above demand. The BSNL employees, pensioners and executives have all lost crores of rupees because of the attitude of BSNLEU only.

17) Pension revision of BSNL Pensioners

There is no separate scheme as BSNL pension. BSNL absorbed DOT employees are given Govt. Pension only that too from the consolidated fund of India as per the agreement reached between Govt. and NFTE and FNTO unions in Sep-2000. BSNLEU has taken a stand that no pension is admissible in BSNL and not joined the strike in Sep 2000. Out of ignorance of these facts this demand is notified. In fact revision of pension for Govt. pensioners including BSNL absorbed DOT employees are under consideration by the VII CPC. If the union wants to ensure revision, it should submit a memorandum to 7^th CPC and not to go on strike that too indefinite strike.

18) Fresh Recruitment of Staff.

Union should say in which cadre it wants fresh recruitment. Already recruitments are under way for TTAs, JTOs and JAOs in the open market. With vague demands the staff should not be forced to go on strike loosing their wages.

19) BSNL services to be mandatory to central Govt., State Govt. and PSUs.

By offering better services only we can demand like this. When our services are not to the satisfaction of the customers, our own employees and their wards prefer the services of private operators in the field of mobile and Broad band. It is for the Govt. to look into the matters. Our Executives also should take interest to market BSNL products not only to the Govt. agencies but also to the large companies and institutions.

20) Condition of mandatory purchase of equipments from ITI to be scrapped.

ITI is a Govt. PSU. Why we should not purchase equipment from ITI. Whether these unions and Associations want to purchase the same from Chinese companies? Are we the marketing agents of Chinese companies or for our own PSUs?

21) Implement cabinet decision on 30% superannuation benefit to BSNL direct recruited employees.

This issue is already under discussion with the Management by the BSNL Executive Associations and Non-Executive employees recognized unions. It is dragging on due to poor financial condition of BSNL. Unions / Associations and BSNL Management should sit together and discuss ways and means for improving the revenue of the company instead of creating industrial unrest in BSNL and thereby losing salary / wages to the employees.