IDA increases by 5.5% from 01/10/2016

IDA increases by 5.5% over the present 114.8%. Revised IDA from 01/10/2016 will be 120.3%.

GPF Withdrawal/Advance for the month of Sep.2016

GPF Withdrawal/Advance already applied and sanctioned for the month of Sep.2016 may be paid in Oct.2016 on receipt of funds from corporate office. Hence, the application for GPF Withdrawal/Advance for the month of Sep.2016 should not be cancelled.

Those employees who have not applied for GPF Withdrawal/Advance for the month of Sep.2016 but require GPF in Oct.2016 may apply for the same from 02/10/2016 to 05/10/2016. They may be paid if additional funds are received from corporate office.

We expect that the GPF payment will be released before Pooja.

For circle office letter 1, Click here
For circle office letter 2, Click here

BSNL should connect 1 lakh Gram Panchayats at the earliest - Telecom Minister Shri Manoj Sinha's stern message to BSNL

Press Information Bureau

Government of India

Ministry of Communications & Information Technology

27-September-2016 19:16 IST

 BSNL should connect 1 lakh Gram Panchayats with broadband connectivity at the earliest - Manoj Sinha

The Telecom Minister Shri Manoj Sinha today gave a stern message to BSNL that he will not tolerate any delay and the Telecom PSU should connect one lakh Gram Panchayats (GPs) through Optical Fiber Cable (OFC) to set up a network infrastructure to serve the rural masses. He said, all are working with zeal to achieve the target of connecting 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats with Broadband Network within stipulated timeframe, which is the vision of the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for Digital India.

Speaking at an award ceremony function of BSNL here, Shri Sinha said, those who are working with zeal should be rewarded and those should take VRS from where reports of negative growth is coming on a continuous basis. The Minister urged the BSNL to find new invention, new research and new technology and to give World Class products for achieving Prime Minister’s vision of Transforming India through Digital Revolution. He said that there is need for innovation as India cannot afford to emulate the Developed Economies due to limited resources. He said, if India will lag in catching up with emerging technologies, the very existence of the country will be at stake. He exhorted the officials and other stakeholders to “Walk the Talk” and underlined that it is our bounden duty to digitally empower the huge chunk of population particularly in rural areas who are still deprived of IT revolution.

Shri Sinha asked BSNL officers and employees to set an ambitious target of 15 percent Telecom penetration within a time frame from the existing 10.4 percent and asked the PSU to any competition head on and compete with other big Telecom Operators as BSNL is now equipped with new technology, dedicated work force, equipment and financial resources. He also expressed concern that despite the worldwide trend, the number of land line connections in India is decreasing every day and BSNL should think seriously about this issue. He said, unless the BSNL will not improve its service quality, Plan-49 or Plan-II-49 will not succeed to have connection at Rs 49. BSNL through the above two plans have made call free on Sunday and from 9.00 pm to 7 am each day and the Telco PSU is also providing Broadband connectivity at cheaper rates. He also asked BSNL to resolve all the complaints promptly and any reluctance on this front will not be tolerated. Shri Sinha said that the Country is on the verge of Data Revolution, and if India will lag behind on this front, history will not forgive us. He said, it is easy to befool through jugglery of data and facts, but ultimately work should be seen to have been done.

Speaking on the occasion, Secretary, Telecom Shri J.S.Deepak said that it is a matter of pride that since April, 2015, BSNL has come to operating profit it is gaining market share on a regular basis but it should work hard to become the global giant. Referring to connectivity initiatives in North East, Left Wing Extremist areas, where 2200 towers were installed for better connectivity for the security forces and for the rural masses living in the remotest areas, Shri Deepak said that in the 2nd phase 2,000 additional towers will be installed in the naxal-hit areas. He also called for performance audit of the PSU from time to time.

In his address, the CMD of BSNL Shri Anupam Srivastav said that the revenue of BSNL IN 2015-16 was Rs 28,450 crore, which is 4.4 percent more than the revenue in the year 2014-15. He assured the Minister that BSNL is ready to compete tariff to tariff with any Telecom Operator and also called for collaborative efforts where the country’s interest is involved. Shri Srivastav said that due to paucity of instruments and equipment from 2006-2012, BSNL missed the voice bus, but in the last two years several initiatives were taken and BSNL is ready for any challenge. He informed that in the last two years 26,000 mobile towers were installed and in this financial year 20,000 additional towers will be installed.

BSNL HQ directions to implement Transfer Policy in True Spirit

23-09-2016:  BSNL Head Quarters issued guidelines to circles to ensure proper implementation of BSNL Transfer policy in SSAs. This issue was in our demand list for the proposed Lunch hour demonstration to be held on 27^th September which was deferred on the request of Management after reaching a written agreement. 

This is an achievement to our union and our forum.

For copy of the letter, click here

BSNL Management discusses issues - Agitation deferred

22-09-2016:  As per the directions of CMD & Director (HR), fruitful discussions were held with GM (SR) today at Corporate Office regarding the issues raised in the notice for the Lunch Hour Demonstration proposed to he held on 27/09/2016 throughout the country. An agreement was reached between the administration and the “Organisation of BSNL Unions & Associations”. Based on the request of the Management, we have decided to defer the proposed agitation on 27/9/16.

For Minutes of the meeting, click here.

Bonus Rs.3000 for BSNL Workers

19-09-2016: Today, leaders of our forum “Organisation of BSNL Unions and Associations” Convener K.Jayaprakash, GS, NUBSNLW(FNTO), Chairman Sri S.P.Sharma, GS, BSNLWRU, Sri Zile Singh, GS, BSNLSU and Sri Satya Dev Sharma, GS, BSNLATM met the CMD, BSNL and discussed about Payment of Bonus , formation of Wages Negotiation Committee and Scrapping of BSNL Transfer policy and also delay in payment of GPF Advance to the staff. 

CMD responded positively and assured to pay Rs. 3000 as bonus and the GPF Advance before Pooja, remaining points will be discussed in a few days by the Directer (HR).  

Commuted Pension – A Money Minting Business of the Government

Startled? Bitter but true. It is a harsh reality that the Government has made a profitable business out of the apparently innocuous ‘welfare measure’ called “Commutation of Pension”. Calculations show that the Government recovers much more than the amount it extends ostensibly as a welfare measure to the retiring personnel. The main reason projected by the Government for excess recovery is the ‘mortality risk factor’ as the balance recovery is waived in case of death. The hard fact remains that commuted pension is like any other advance/ loan on which the Government charges interest (currently 8%) at market rate! The Government keeps on chewing on the pension for 15 years though it recovers the full amount with interest in 10 years and 10 months (in case of post-1.9.08 retirees). In the case of earlier retirees, it fully recovers in less than 13 years. 

As per extant rules [Central Civil Services (Commutation of Pension) Rules, 1981], commuted pension is restored 15 years after the date of drawal of the commuted amount. This period of 15 years is arbitrarily fixed, without any legal or mathematical basis. This amounts to an unjust and immoral enrichment of the Government at the cost of the pensioners/ senior citizens. This affects all the services, irrespective of the rank/ level of the pensioner. What right/ justification has the Government got to overcharge the pensioners and recover even a penny more than what it has paid? The Government is behaving like a typical rural money lender and is knowingly milking the pensioners.

For further details, click here.

Reliance Jio entry a challenge, will match competition in tariff: BSNL

NEW DELHI: State-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd today termed Reliance Jio's entry into the market as a "challenge" for all operators, but said it expects to match the intense competition "tariff-by-tariff".

BSNL Chairman and Managing Director Anupam Shrivastava told PTI that the telecom PSU will adopt an aggressive stance on tariffs going forward.

BSNL, which unveiled a promotional unlimited wireline broadband plan that effectively translates into less than Re 1 per GB download cost for very high usage subscribers, a day after Reliance Jio made public its 4G plans - believes it is in a position to match Reliance Jio's tariffs successfully.

"It is a question of survival in the market... there is no other way but to match Jio, tariff by tariff. If tariff of Jio is aggressive, the tariff of BSNL and of all other operators is also going to be aggressive," Shrivastava said.

Terming Rjio's entry as a "challenge for all operators", Shrivastava said competition is good for consumers as it ushers better offerings.

"As far as challenge is concerned, we cannot wish it away... I believe, BSNL is in a position to match Reliance Jio's tariffs most successfully, because we are incumbent operator. We are landline and optical fibre operator so our broadband tariff rides on our own network... We don't have to start procuring, investing and then come out with offerings," he said.

On whether Reliance Jio's entry would also prompt BSNL into announcing more aggressive tariffs, Shrivastava replied in affirmative saying "absolutely, there is no doubt".

BSNL offers unlimited night calling on any network in the country between 9 pm to 7 am as complimentary service for all its landline customers. Last month, it announced that its landline subscribers will be able to make free unlimited calls on any mobile or landline number in the country on Sundays.

BSNL has also announced a national unlimited 3G mobile data plan for Rs 1,099 and doubled the data usage limit in some existing plans, to counter competition in the market.

Asked if BSNL too would consider giving free voice calls for its mobile subscribers, Shrivastava said, "We will think about it... in the next 2-3 months, we will see the impact of what is happening in the market. We could consider giving voice free, from our network but after charging some fixed monthly rate... Fixed-mobile convergence may be the basis of free voice calls."

General Strike on 02/09/2016 - FNTO also participates

Notice given by INTUC alongwith other Central Trade Unions- BMS, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, UTUC and LPF.

All the NUBSNLW (FNTO) Leaders/Members are requested to Participate in the General strike on 02-09-2016 and make it grand success. 

List of Demands

1. No Contractorisation of work of permanent/perennial nature and payment of wages and benefits to the contract workers at the same rate as available to the regular workers of the industry/establishment.

2. Amendment of Minimum Wages Act to ensure universal coverage irrespective of the schedules and fixation of statutory minimum wage at not less than Rs 15,000/-.

3. Remove all ceilings on payment and eligibility of Bonus, Provident Fund; Increase the quantum of gratuity.

4. Assured Pension for all.

5. Concrete measures for employment generation.

6. Strict enforcement of labour laws.

7. Universal social security cover for unorganized workers and creation of National Social Security Fund.

8. Compulsory registration of trade unions within a period of 45 days and immediate ratification of the ILO Conventions Nos. 87 and 98.

9. Concrete measures to contain price rise.

10. Stoppage of disinvestment in Central and State PSUs/ Undertakings.

11. No to FDI in Railways, Defence and other strategic sectors

12. No unilateral amendments to labour laws.