GS writes to Smt. Aruna
Sundararajan, Secretary (Telecom): Immediate action
solicited to withdraw the guidelines issued by BSNL putting total ban on all capital
expenditures --- this retrograde decision will cut the revenue sources and growth
of BSNL, thereby all the efforts for revival of BSNL.
Meeting with Shri S P Tripathi, DIR(CM&HR)
on 23.07.2019: GS, President and AGS met DIR(CM&HR) and held discussions
on:
1) Arranging fund for meeting the OPEX and
CAPEX: We
appraised the ground realities in the field units where the works are largely
affected due to fund shortage. Since services are started affecting, hundreds
of connections are getting closed every day which will have serious impact on
the revenue in the coming days. Director also shared our view and informed that
efforts are going on for getting bank loan to tide over the situation
temporarily. The response from the Bankers meeting on last friday was positive.
2) Promotions in different cadres and
notification of CPSU Hierarchy for bringing uniformity and parity in promotions:
We
expressed our serious concern for not getting any promotion orders. In the name
of court cases and contempt, no promotion is taking place for the last one year,
further demoralising the Executives. As a solution to this situation, BSNL
Board approved the new promotion policy but BSNL is not implementing it for the
reasons known to the management alone. It is doubted that mgt is not implementing
it as it is more beneficial to the Executives and the Executives will get
timely promotion. Director assured to work out on this for giving due
promotions at the earliest. On DGM promotion, actions are taken to file the MA at
Hon CAT, CDG.
3) Stopping the proposed move of reversion
of SDEs promoted in 2008 through LDCE: We explained the issue
and requested Director to review the decision for reversion and not to revert
the eligible JTOs of 2001 batch.
4) Wrong implementation of Perquisite Tax: We cited the IT
provisions, f IT Tribunal, Indore orders on the subject and the instructions
issued by IT Department exempting Perquisite Tax for the accommodation provided
by another CPSU, HMT Ltd to justify our demand that Perquisite Tax is not
applicable for the Quarters allotted to BSNL employees. Director assured to
take appropriate action.
5) Pending request transfers: We requested to clear
all the pending request transfers, including the shortage Circles. Executives
are posted to the shortage Circles on the assurance that they will be given
transfer after completion of 2 years. Director assured to clear the request
transfers.
Tenure Transfer order of SDE (Telecom) - Modification reg.
Promotion and posting of JTOs to the grade of SDE( Telecom) under Competitive Quota on the basis of SCF and correction thereof - reg.
Our
continuous persuasion with BSNL Management, DoT, Hon Minister and Hon Prime
Minister for arranging funds getting momentum:
On last Friday, 19.07.2019, different
bankers had a meeting with BSNL management for arranging loan for BSNL. As a
follow up action, a meeting being held at DoT today, 22.07.2019 with the
bankers, chaired by Secretary DoT. CMD BSNL made a detailed presentation to the
bankers. BSNL and Govt is impressing upon the bankers about the BSNL revival
plan and the urgent need for loan.
SNEA drawn the attention of the Govt at
various level by taking up the issue with Secretary/DoT, Hon Telecom Minster
and finally at the highest level of Govt by writing to the Hon Prime Minister on
15.07.2019 for facilitating immediate loan to BSNL for meeting the expenditure
towards OPEX and CAPEX, till revival package is implemented.
Meeting with Sri Arun Kumar, PGM(Pers) on
22.07.2019: GS, President and both AGSs met PGM (Pers) and held discussions on:
1) Stopping the proposed move of reversion
of SDEs promoted in 2008 through LDCE: We
informed PGM (Pers) that JTOs of 2001 batch are eligible as per the provisions
of RR and the clarifications issued by BSNLCO to different Circles during the notification
of LDCE. Since BSNL declared them eligible, it is the responsibility of BSNL to
protect their promotion also. The subsequent clarification issued after the
conduction of the LDCE should be applicable prospectively, not retrospectively,
we told. SNEA also drawn the attention of PGM about the earlier instances SNEA taken
up the issue and the stopping of reversion on earlier occasions. Since they are
already promoted as SDEs, they could not appear for subsequent LDCEs conducted
by BSNL, sealing their future. PGM informed that BSNL is interested to protect
them and will try to help them but it is a court verdict.
2) DGM (T) promotion: The
MA is filed at Hon CAT, CDG. It is expected to listed for hearing this week.
3) Pending request transfers: PGM
assured to clear the request transfer which are forwarded through proper
channel.
It is understood that the Group of Ministers
suggested considering VRS for the employees above 50 years of age. Accordingly
the draft Cabinet note will be modified and circulated to the nodal ministries by
this week end. Earlier proposal was VRS for the employees above the age of 55.
Eligibility list of CAO (Regular) for promotion to the grade of DGM on adhoc basis-Conduction of CPC in Telecom Finance-reg.
Transfer and postings in the grade of Accounts officer- reg.
Calling of Volunteers in the cadre of AGM T for posting in WB Circle on own cost reg.
AGM Tenure transfer order.
GS writes to Shri.
Sheetla Prasad Tripathi, Director (CM):
Finalisation of staffing norms for the new
business areas like Broad Band, Transmission mtce, Leased Circuits, MPLS
Circuits, FTTH connections, Wi Max, Sales and marketing etc in addition to
landline and mobile sectors. Opinion of the Recognised Executives Association
reg:
GS writes to Shri
P. K Purwar, CMD, BSNL: Revival of
BSNL --- Urgent measures to close down
thousands of loss making landline Telephone Exchanges which are maintained just
to provide Telecom connectivity as part of social obligations of the Govt.
Thousands of Crores of rupees can be saved just by this measure on electricity
payments, rentals, labour charges etc alone in addition to payment of salary:
GS writes to Smt. Aruna Sundararajan, Secretary,
DoT: Instructions
may be issued to the State Govts not to disconnect the power supply for
Telephone Exchanges and BSNL Towers for maintaining the Telecom Services till
the Revival Plan is implemented – your kind intervention
The Cabinet Memo on BSNL and MTNL Revival
Plan is approved by the Hon Minister and will be sent to other nodal Ministries
today or tomorrow for their comments:
It is learned that Cabinet Memo is
redrafted based on the discussion between Cabinet Secretary and Secretary DoT.
The proposal includes:
1) 4G spectrum by 100% Govt equity infusion.
2) Taking over all the loan of BSNL and MTNL by an SPV with land parcels for equal amount. SPV will care of debt only.
3) Allowing BSNL to monetize the remaining
land, monitored by a Committee of officers from DoT and BSNL.
4) VRS for the employees above 55 years age and then retirement age reduction to 58. Funding will be through bonds having sovereign guarantee of Govt of India. The ex-gratia is worked out in such a manner that ex-gratia plus pension amount will be 25% higher than the present pay.
5) Merger of BSNL and MTNL in a phased
manner after addressing the contentious issues. Initially, debt free MTNL will
become a subsidiary of BSNL.
GS, President and both AGSs Com P P Rao and
Com Sanjeev Sharma met DIR(HR) on 10.07.2019 and held discussions on the
following issues: PGM(Pers) and GM(Restg) also present.
a) Promotion in different cadres, JTO to
SDE, SDE to DE, AO to CAO by diversion of posts, JTO(C/E/TF/Arch) to SDE(C/E/TF/Arch)
and DE to DGM(T). Director (HR) informed that management is making its best
efforts but due to litigations, not able to give promotions. Unnecessary litigations
spoiling the career of thousand of comrades.
b) CPSU Hierarchy notification: Management
is taking steps in this regard.
c) Restructuring proposal for BSNL:
Director (HR) informed that the review of sanction of posts will be undertaken immediately.
BSNL Board already put on hold all the recruitments. New norms will be worked
out soon and accordingly number of posts will be determined.
d) Review of transfer to BR Circles from OR
Circle. We suggested to distribute it to other Circles. DIR(HR) assured to
examine the case.
GS and both AGSs Com P P Rao and Com
Sanjeev Sharma met PGM(Pers) on 09.07.19 and held discussions on promotion in different
cadres. On DGM promotions, MA is proposed to be filed shortly for early hearing
of the matter. Now vacancies available to accommodate all the eligible AGM/DEs on
DGM promotion as large number of AGMs and Adhoc DGMs are retired. Further we
demanded review of transfer of DEs to BR Circle.
Congratulations...
Cabinet Committee on Appointment (ACC) on 09.07.2019 approved the appointment of Shri Pravin Kumar Purwar as CMD, BSNL.
Outstanding dues in Enterprises segment alone
is Rs 3,000 Crores: Special efforts may be taken
to collect the outstanding dues urgently. This amount will help us to
overcome the present financial crisis to a great extent. The CSs, SSA Secs and
activists may coordinate with all concerned.
GS writes to Shri P. K. Purwar CMD BSNL
regarding Austerity measures --- Corporate Office should set example
for other units to follow – unfortunately just reverse is happening.
GS writes to Shri P. K. Purwar, CMD & Director(HR)
BSNL regarding posting of AGMs to Bihar Circle: The requirements in
shortage and tenure Circles should be met by distributing the Executives among
all the Circles, especially major Circles having more Executives — request to
review the transfer from Odisha Circle from where more than 40 Executives are
already working in Tenure Circles
Meeting with Shri S K Gupta, Director (Finance)
on 08.07.2019: GS, President and both AGSs Com P P Rao and Com Sanjeev Sharma
met Director (Finance) and held discussions on various issues:
i) Allotment of funds: Director informed
that 75 Cr is allotted for Electricity payment and 50 Cr for payment of Infra
charges. Some more funds will be allotted on other heads tomorrow. We requested
to release payment towards labour payments as services are started affecting
and closure of connections taking place. On getting bank loans, Director explained
the difficulty in getting the loans even after the intervention of DoT and Finance
Ministry.
ii) Closure of loss making Exchanges: We
requested to take immediate action to close all the Exchanges where the number
of connections are few and even not getting atleast Rs 20,000 per month revenue.
BSNL will be able to save huge electricity charges, rent and labour charges by
this and the available resources can be utilised for maintaining other
Exchanges. Our activist at various level may interact with management at
different level and ensure that electricity/rent payment is done for the
Exchanges giving good revenue to BSNL and the payments for loss making Exchanges
can be avoided (except those having co-located BTSs, leased circuits etc).
iii) Introduction of OLA/Uber at BSNLCO as
part of austerity measures: We expressed our serious concern for not implementing
it at BSNLCO, giving wrong signal to the filed units. He assured to examine it
and do the needful.
Further we requested special consideration
for fund allotment to Maintenance Regions for labour payment, vehicle running,
diesel etc.
GS, President and both AGSs Com P P Rao and Com Sanjeev Sharma met Congress Chief Whip in Lok Sabha Shri Kodikunnil Suresh, MP and submitted a memorandum seeking support for the revival of BSNL. He assured his support and promised to write to the Telecom Minister in this regard.
Memorandum submitted to Congress Chief Whip in Lok Sabha Shri Kodikunnil Suresh, MP
AUAB
meeting with Shri P. K. Purwar, CMD/BSNL on 04.07.2019: AUAB had a detailed
meeting with the new CMD on various important issues like BSNL revival for more
than one and half hours:
1) On BSNL Revival, CMD explained the status
of various issues like 4G spectrum, monetization of land, merger of BSNL and
MTNL, VRS/Retirement age reduction/salary support. Discussions are going on
at various level on all the issues.
On immediate financial support and Bank
loan, CMD informed that there will be no financial support from DoT and very
difficult to get bank loans also. CMD indicated very tough time ahead.
On
the specific query on VRS, whether BSNL worked out the actual number of employees
required or number of surplus employees, CMD informed that he is not aware of any
such data worked out by BSNL CO.
2) Making over of BBNL (Bharath net) OFC
mtce to an SPV of DoT: CMD informed that the present rate of Rs
12000 per KM is not sufficient to meet the expenditure. BBNL and DoT is not
ready to hike the rates. So BSNL is not much interested in continuing with the
work on such a loss making proposition.
3) Proposed move to takeover ALTTC and other
land:
CMD assured to take up the matter with DoT and of the firm view that the entire
asset belongs to BSNL and DoT unilaterally cannot take over. If DoT is
interested in the land, BSNL is ready to part it on market rate. This will be
communicated to DoT.
Details of Land Parcels proposed to be transferred to SPV for monetization - View Corporate Office instructions.
GS writes to Shri. Ravi Shankar Prasad, Hon’ble
Cabinet Minister for Communications:
Considering the delay in finalization of revival plan, BSNL requires
urgent financial support in the form of Bank loan or soft loan from the Govt
for clearing the outstanding payments above Rs 6000 Cr towards OPEX and CAPEX.
DoT should appreciate the fact that unlike others, BSNL did not got any
financial support so far from the Govt for its operations, all the expenditure
is met by its own resources:
Your kind intervention is solicited immediately for:
i)
facilitating BSNL to get bank loan or soft loan till the monetization is
effected.
ii)
payment of pension contribution on actual basic pay and refund of excess
payment to the tune of Rs 2,100 Crores.
iii)
approval for land monetization proposal of BSNL submitted in July, 2018.
GS writes to Shri
P. K Purwar, CMD, BSNL regarding payment of Electricity charges, fuel charges,
rentals, labour charges, vehicle running expenses etc on priority for
maintaining the services:
Shri P.K.
Purwar, CMD/MTNL entrusted with the additional charge of CMD/BSNL, for a
period of three months w.e.f 01.07.2019 or till the appointment of a regular
incumbent to the post. It is expected that his regular appoint orders will be issued
very shortly.
SNEA
congratulates him and wish him all the success.
Message of Shri Anupam Shrivastava, CMD
BSNL to BSNL employees on his retirement on superannuation....
"It
certainly is very emotional moment of my life when I bid adieu to my BSNL
family, which is so close to my heart.
Today,
I am sure with combined energy, zeal and support of all of you, BSNL shall not
only endure the current challenges but emerge more stronger and resilient.
Let
us continue to "Be the Best"..
Anupam
Shrivastava, CMD BSNL
Editorial:
The top
management which given a new direction to BSNL is leaving. BSNL will ever
remember their contributions.
BSNL will
be in the hands of a new team with many challenges: immediate capital infusion,
restructuring of the organization and to make real, honest, unrelenting and
serious efforts to ensure massive revenue generation.
The team
of Shri Anupm Shrivastava, present CMD and the Ex Board of Directors Shri N. K.
Gupta, Shri R K Mittal, Shri N K Mehta and Smt Sujata T Ray were instrumental
in bringing BSNL back into revival path. They were very successful in that,
till the entry of Reliance Jio by making BSNL operational profit for 3
consecutive years 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17. Even after that, even with a
hostile DoT which is not willing to provide any assistance to BSNL, BSNL could
sustain till today to a great extend. Comparing to other operators, BSNL market
share and revenue, continues to be better.
It may
be recollected that they were taken charge almost in a similar situation as on
today, losses increased every year, cash flow issue, all the tenders were
failing, all the expansion plans in mobile, transmission etc failing and EB
business shrinking due to non expansion of MPLS / MLLN network.
The
following decision taken by that team of Directors really changed BSNL:
a) Massive
expansion in the mobile network, MPLS network, transmission network, deployment
of NGN etc.
b) Getting
refund of about 15,000 crores from DoT to BSNL in the form of excess payment of
Income Tax and BWA spectrum refund between 2015-2018.
c) Competitive
Tariffs and market intervention to compete with other operators.
d) Night
free calls.
e) Free
roaming.
f) Revaluation
of the assets and making BSNL, a company having more than 1 lakh Crores asset.
g) Visibility
in the electronic/ print media and the market.
h) The
experiment of providing 4G services with 3G spectrum.
However
the major initiatives taken in the HR front, E2/E3 pay scales, CPSU Cadre
Hierarchy implementation and 3rd PRC etc, did not succeed at all. Only on Superannuation benefits, management could succeed by
extending 5% contribution. BSNL Executives will never forget the record number of promotion
orders, more than 13,000, issued in June, 2018 even by upgradation of thousand
of posts. Management miserably failed in bringing HR
reforms and restructuring of the organization which played a very important
role in making BSNL an incipient sick company. Somehow the management could not
understand the huge significance and role of the huge work force in the
organization.
For the
new team of top management the challenges are many. First of all to make DoT sensitive
towards BSNL. With the new Telecom Minister, it may become easier. Infusion of
working capital for BSNL is the major challenge. The immediate requirement as
on today is Rs 6000 Cr to meet the expenditure on OPEX and CAPEX. BSNL cannot
wait for the implementation of the revival plan as it may take minimum 6 months
to generate revenue for BSNL.
Secondly
the massive HR reforms required in BSNL. This is an organization having huge
work force and its role and importance in the revival of BSNL should be
recognised first. The redeployment of the employees, according to the business
requirements cannot be delayed further. The mistakes of earlier management
should not be repeated by the new team of management.
Finally
to get the best out of the employees, they have to be highly motivated. Their
contribution towards revival of BSNL is to be recognised first. Employees commitment,
dedication and readiness to take the challenges in the field units by coming
out of the office rooms, voluntarily working few extra hours, every day, mean
business.
The top
Management should not delay the initiatives in this regard. We wish them all
the success.
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