SNEA(I)
CHQ congratulate all the activists throughout the country for the huge
mobilization and active
participation in the
demonstration.
Our G S Letter to DOT Secretary
SNEA(I)/CHQ/SEC DOT/2012-14/15 Dated 25th February, 2014.
To
Sri. M. F. Farooqui,
Secretary, DOT,
New
Delhi.
Sub: Organizational actions under
very compelling circumstances:
Respected
Sir,
While this Association has had been struggling tirelessly
towards revival of BSNL and has been consistently pleading with both the BSNL
Management and the owner of the Company, DOT, to address urgently plethora of
business and hostile policy issues that have and continue to impact the growth
of BSNL, some of the very recent developments have left us convinced that BSNL Management
continues to be virtually in deep slumber over deadly and fast emerging
challenges that BSNL is very soon to face from its competitors in the context
of recently concluded auctions in 900 and 1800 MHz frequency bands. On
the policy front too, not only has there not been any correction of existing
policy aberrations vis-à-vis BSNL but some of the recent policy decisions have
escalated policy aberrations which are bound to irreversibly jeopardize growth
of BSNL.
We are hereunder listing some of the issues for your kind
persusal.
A) Dismantling BSNL
by constituting subsidiary tower Company: We really fail to understand how a subsidiary tower
Company of BSNL headed by same people and governed by same rules of the game
becomes viable. Towers,
land bank and the transmission network are the biggest assests of BSNL and
formation of subsidiaries will weaken BSNL. We are quite convinced that the eventual move of the government is to
privatize potential tower business segment of the Company. Similar concerted attempts to unbundle precious copper of
BSNL were made way back in year 2005-06 by same people who are today in
EGOM for revival of BSNL and have recommended formation of subsidiary company. But
their designs to unbundle copper were exposed and defeated by employees of BSNL
and today copper is lifeline of BSNL.
B) Abject and
unpardonable failure of BSNL Management in not responding to deadly emerging
challenges that growth of Company faces, particularly its potential broadband
business segment, from its competitors, particularly Reliance- Jio venture: For quite some time we have been
urging upon BSNL Management to come out with a comprehensive plan of action and
strategy to effectively and successfully counter the deadly emerging challenges
that potential revenue earning segment of BSNL, wired line broadband, faces
from Jio-reliance. Unfortunately, as of now, let alone constituting strategic
groups who ought to have by got engaged in brainstorming strategic discussions
to work out a blue print to meet this huge challenge, even elementary thinking
in the Company as to how to go about is completely absent. It appears as if
nothing is taking place. It is unbelievable that on an issue of such strategic
business significance BSNL Management is in deep slumber while our competitors
are working day in and day out to capture data market. What is even more astonishing is that the
owner of the Company, DOT, is not taking Management to task for its abject
failure to respond to such a fast emerging and formidable challenge to growth
of BSNL.
C) Pension contribution by BSNL on actual basic
pay instead of on maximum: It is fundamental responsibility of DOT to honor the commitment made
by the government to employees of BSNL at the Corporation of BSNL and their
absorption in BSNL. Absorption of DOT employees into BSNL was consequent to
decision of Union Cabinet that payment of pension and all other issues related
to pension would be regulated strictly in terms of 1972 CCS Pension Rules and
would be akin to Central government departments. While government has taken decision in year
2009 mandating Central Government departments to pay pension contribution on
actual basic, it is incomprehensible as to how and in accordance to which provisions
of Rules, BSNL be forced to arbitrarily pay pension contribution on maximum of
pay scale. This is an issue which DOT will have to sort out urgently
with M.O.F (DOE) since DOT and government cannot abdicate from its fundamental
commitment to regulate pension and issues related to pension of absorbed
employees of BSNL in accordance to provisions of Rules that are prevailing and
applicable to Central government departments.
D) Discriminating BSNL in the context of not allowing it to trade and
share spectrum:
While all
the operators who acquired spectrum in 900 and 1800 MHz bands in the recently
concluded auctions can trade and share the spectrum, BSNL, who license is valid
up to year 2017, should not be disqualified from trading and sharing of spectrum. While Chairman TRAI, completely
unmindful of the fact that government also owns telecom Companies, is committed
in every manner to protect interest (legitimate/illegitimate) of private
sector, DOT has fundamental responsibility to protect legitimate interest of
its Company, BSNL.
In the compelling circumstances as mentioned above we are
observing the following trade union programs:
06.03.2014 :
Full Day DHARNA at CHQ, CIRCLE/SSA
HQs.
19.03.'14 to 21.03.'14 : RELAY
HUNGER STRIKE at CHQ, CIRCLE/SSA HQs.
We are confident that you will kindly intervene to resolve
the aforesaid issues as quickly as possible since their quick resolution will
surely bolster growth of BSNL.
With
regards,
(K.
Sebastin)
Copy
to:
1) Smt Annie Moreas, Member(Fin), Telecom Commission
for information and necessary action pl.
2) Sri S C Mishra, Member (S), Telecom Commission for
information and necessary action pl.
3) Sri R. K. Upadhyay, CMD, BSNL for information and
necessary action please.
4) Smt Rita Teaotia, Addl Secretary, DoT Telecom
Commission for information pl.
5-8)
All Directors, BSNL Board for information and necessary action please.
9)
Sri Neeraj Verma, GM(SR) for information and necessary action please.
