Kolkata: The Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations turned out be a non-event for the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) staff. Around 10-12 weeks before Independence Day, the Sanchar Bhawan indicated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi could announce a date for the launch of BSNL’s much-delayed 4G services during his I-Day address to the nation.

Subsequently, however, another story was doing the rounds: Modi might only announce a token launch from either Chandigarh or Ambala, where public sector technology firm Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) was testing its core network with the radio equipment of Tejas Networks Limited and other software components of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS).

Together, Tejas—a part of the TCS Group outfit—TCS and C-DOT “have been entrusted the responsibility by BSNL” for executing its 4G entry as a symbol of Modi’s Atmanirbhar Bharat drive and facilitating the graduation into 5G in due course. Though this information is in the public domain, the intriguing official silence on the role of the three companies continues. The three companies themselves are also mum. 

The optimism of BSNL employees about the launch of 4G services can partly be traced to the Union Cabinet’s announcement of Rs 1.64 lakh crore revival package for the beleaguered telecom service provider (TSP) on July 27. In the media briefing the same day, Union minister for communications Ashwini Vaishnaw went to the extent of predicting the telco’s return to profit by 2026-27 on execution of the four-year rescue package but was silent on when allotment of 4G spectrum and the timeline for its launch. 

However, a leaked audio of Vaishnaw’s first meeting with senior BSNL senior executives on August 4 revealed the minister warning the employees of voluntary retirement if they don’t’ perform. “I will be measuring the performance every month. Those who don’t want to work can take voluntary retirement and go home. Or you will be made to take voluntary retirement—like what happened in the Railways,” he was heard saying in the clip.

Warning the employees that “this is going to be the new normal from now on”, Vaishnaw further warned, “Perform or perish. Only your performance can save you in this competitive industry. I want to see the results in the next 24 months. I will see monthly report on your performance.” 

According to sources, Vaishnaw’s sudden warning has anguished and demoralised the BSNL employees. He blamed the employees for the telco’s present condition while not arranging for the spectrum and equipment needed for the launch of 4G services. 

On August 18, Vaishnaw announced on Twitter and Koo that 5G spectrum assignment letters had been issued to TSPs. “5G update: Spectrum assignment letter issued. Requesting TSPs to prepare for 5G launch,” he tweeted.

https://twitter.com/AshwiniVaishnaw/status/1560126664805613569

Further, The Economic Times had reported on August 15 that the department of telecommunications (DoT) has started to unlock and sell an additional 5,500 MHz of 5G spectrum worth more than Rs 35,000 crore. A strategy to incorporate 37.0-42.5 GHz as international mobile telecommunications (IMT) bands will be worked out by DoT’s internal committee, which will help in offering 5G fixed wireless access service. 

This will be another avenue for growth of private TSPs, trade unions alleged. All Unions and Associations of BSNL (AUAB) chairman Chandeshwar Singh, Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh national executive member SVS Subrahmanyam and BSNL Employees Union general secretary P Abhimanyu alleged that Vaishnaw is being “unfair” to the employees. 

“Some disgusted and angry employees feel that they were much better off in DoT,” said Singh. Subrahmanyam informed that “only some time back, our men erected a mobile tower at a widely visited temple at Saharanpur, UP, in just 20 days. The minister does not make note of such achievements. Our men provide services in extremist-infested areas and sensitive areas of the Northeast and also play a key role in defence communications”. 

Further mentioning the importance of BSNL, Singh said, “BSNL was asked in 2018 to implement the Network for Spectrum project, under which as a reciprocal gesture for release of spectrum held by the armed forces, the Centre had increased the allocation of funds for laying alternate communication network for the defence sector. Our engineers have often to spend a part of their salaries to keep the system going. They know that they will have to wait indefinitely for reimbursement if at all made by the company.” 

Abhimanyu said that “we will have no inhibition if we are asked to work with indigenously developed but proven technology”. But the government is “allowing private TSPs to import commercially proven technology and asking us to work with untested domestically developed technology”, he alleged. “Records will show how many times BSNL has been prevented from procuring equipment for 4G and upgradation of the existing network of base transceiver stations,” he further alleged.

“If roadblocks were not created, the company could have begun 4G services, at least, two years ago. The biggest damage to BSNL’s prospects was caused during the UPA regime by telecom minister A Raja,” Subrahmanyam alleged pointing out that “wage revision has been pending since 2017”.

For the record, the second rescue package of Rs 1.64 lakh crore has a cash component of Rs 43,964 crore and a non-cash component of Rs 1.2 lakh crore. A purpose-wise break-up is given below:

*Administrative allocation of spectrum in 900/1,800 MHz band at a cost of Rs 44,993 crore through equity infusion

*Capex support of Rs 22,471 crore over the next four years to boost development and deployment of  Atmanirbhar 4G stack

*Rs 13,789 crore to be provided as viability gap funding for commercially unviable rural wireline operation undertaken between 2014-15 and 2019-20 as part of the Centre’s social objectives

*To distress the company’s balance sheet, its statutory adjusted gross revenue dues (spectrum usage charges and licence fees) of Rs 33,404 crore will be settled by conversion into equity

*Balance sheet distressing action plan also includes providing sovereign guarantee for Rs 40,399 crore the company will raise by issuing long-term bonds to repay high-cost debt 

*Company to reissue preference shares of Rs 7,500 crore to the Union government

*Bharat Broadband Network Ltd, initially DoT’s SPV for incremental laying of optical fibre in gram panchayat areas and later converted into a PSU, is to be merged into BSNL [Scheme originally called National Optical Fibre Network and later rechristened BharatNet]  

*The company’s authorised capital is to be raised to Rs 1.5 lakh crore in lieu of dues, capex and allotment of spectrum. 

Vaishnaw told the media on July 27 that in the government’s reckoning, BSNL would emerge as a profit-earning entity in 2026-27 as these measures get executed in a pre-determined timeframe. [Rescue package I was granted on October 23, 2019, when the ministry was headed by Ravi Shankar Prasad. The bulk of the funds was meant for implementing the country’s most sweeping VRS which saw the exit of more  than 92,000 employees—78,000-plus from BSNL and the rest from MTNL on January 31, 2020—in one go. To leave no scope for any recruitment in their place, the DoT simultaneously abolished the posts.   

The writer is an independent journalist. Views expressed are personal

Courtesy: Newsclick

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File Photo.

New Delhi: Within just a week after the rolling out of the scheme on November 4, as many as 70,000 employees of the state-owned telecom company, BSNL, have opted for voluntary retirement, BSNL Chairman and MD, P K Purwar, told news agency PTI. As of November 12, the number of employees opting to retire crossed the 75,000 mark, Newsclick has learnt.

Meanwhile, another BSNL contractual employee in Kerala reportedly committed suicide on Tuesday due to non-payment of salaries, taking the total number of such deaths to eight so far.

BSNL had set an internal target of 77,000 employees opting for the Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS), which is open till December 3. As per the industry sources, the target will be achieved in the next two to three days.

Though the BSNL management is reportedly set to save crores in wage bills, the unexpected response among the executives and employees for the early retirement presents a worrisome picture of the road ahead for the corporation.

Foremost among these worries is the continuity of business as the workforce will be hit severely by the scheme. The current manpower strength of the state-owned corporation stands at nearly 1.60 lakh as of date. With almost half of them set to be relieved from duty by January next year, as per the schedule of the scheme, how the telephone exchanges to be manned and operations to be carried out remains a concern that is yet to be addressed by the government.

In a letter dated November 11 to BSNL’s Chairman and MD, Sanchar Nigam Executives Association shared similar apprehensions, urging the management to “engage the trade unions for constructive discussions and feedback, instead of VRS Mela.”

“More than 17,000 exchanges in the rural areas are loss-making and maintained by the BSNL employees. After VRS, it cannot be maintained by BSNL. It will be closed down before 31.01.2020 as we will not be able to maintain those exchanges.” the letter said.

According to the employees’ front, the scheme will also lead to increased work pressure over the remaining workforce which will have adverse effects over the telecom company’s day-to-day working.

Another equally disturbing concern is the outsourcing of jobs as a solution to addressing workforce shortage. In the wake of the apprehensions raised by the All Unions and Associations of BSNL (AUAB) to the management in a meeting held on November 7, the company is exploring the options on the table, one of which is outsourcing.

“Functions such as plant maintenance and running of rural exchanges may see some impact due to the absence of manpower after the VRS. We are taking care of this through an outsourcing model,” The Times of India quoted Purwar as saying.

However, as per the employees’ front, outsourcing of all the works may not be feasible and economical. Also, it leads to the worsening of the working environment for employees.

Abhimanyu P, General Secretary of the BSNL Employees Union has termed it a scheme to eventually “privatise” BSNL and MTNL, the state-owned sister telecom companies.

“Reducing manpower, cutting employees cost, restoring the operational profits, the objective behind all these measures is to privatise the corporation…In the name of restructuring, the resources will be sold off to the corporate patrons,” Abhimanyu told Newsclick.

With rumours such as retirement age to be changed to 58 from 60 and BSNL to shut down its operations any time soon, the management has created a “fear psychosis” among the employees which is the reason behind the unexpected response among the executives opting for an early retirement.

“The salaries of November have still not been disbursed,” he added, “and the message that it sends to the employees is that if you stay, this is how things are going to be.”

Speaking of salaries, one must not forget that over a lakh contract workers of BSNL across the country have not been paid for last 10 months. As many as eight cases have been reported where the temporary workers, owing to the non-payment of the salaries, have killed themselves. To them, the Modi government’s announced rescue package brings nothing, neither revival nor an end to their struggle.

Courtesy: NewsClick

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Image Courtesy: Dailyhunt

As many as 80,000 employees of India’s largest provider of fixed telephony and broadband service, BSNL (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited) have will be asked to leave, reports say.

The state owned telecom carrier has confirmed that as many as 50 percent of the employees will be asked to leave, and the process will shortly begin. This, even as the employees still wait for their August salaries.

Protests have erupted throughout the country to oppose this move.

BSNL Chairman, Pravin Kumar Purwar confirmed the news that employees will be asked to leave, on a voluntary basis.

VRS or Voluntary Retirement Scheme will be offered to these 50% employees in the coming days.

“One of the proposals under discussion is the VRS. We are looking forward to 70,000 to 80,000 employees, and make it attractive for the employees, so that they can see value in the VRS,” he said.

He also said that even after the removal of the 80,000 employees one lakh will still be working the company and hence the company can manage with these people.

BSNL has 1.65 lakh employees as of now.

As per statements from BSNL Employees Unions, it is evident that the employees still haven’t received their August salary. This has resulted into country-wide protests.

As per P Abhimanyu, general secretary of the BSNL Employee Union, employees are devastated, as the manager still hasn’t been able to inform as to when will the salary be credited. This has caused uncertainty and chaos everywhere. Besides, more than 70% of the contract workers too haven’t received their salaries since February.

As per the Union leaders, this can be a ploy and tactics to force more and more employees to take VRS, and leave the company. More than 2000 employees have already been asked to leave.
 

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State-owned telecom firm Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has failed to pay the February salaries to around 1.76 lakh employees due to its financial crisis. This is the first time the company has defaulted in payment of its monthly salaries. The fully government-owned corporation is undergoing a major cash crunch due to the price war with private companies.
 
The salary for the month of February has been delayed by 10 days.
 
“The company usually pays its employees on the last working day of the month or the first working day of the next. While BSNL continues its enviable market share, such a crisis has befallen the operator for the first time. While telecom prices have been reduced drastically, mostly after the entry of Reliance Jio, BSNL continues to operate with its large staff as compared to lean numbers employed by rivals,” Business Today reported.
 
According to a report in Times of India, salary due for a circle the size of Maharashtra runs up to more than Rs 60 crore. With at least 20 circles in the country, BSNL’s salary bill per month is estimated to be around Rs 1,200 crore. According to reports around 55% of BSNL’s revenues go in footing the monthly wages. The wage bill continues to increase annually by 8% but the revenues are stagnant.
 
State-owned telecom firm BSNL, which has been in the red for more than five years.
 
The employees’ union has written to telecom minister Manoj Sinha urging that the government release funds to the company to pay the salaries as well as revive the ailing firm. The employees have also been holding demonstrations.
 
“Around 55% of BSNL’s revenues goes towards payment of wages, and while the company’s wage bill increases annually by 8%, its revenues are stagnant. The associations and unions of BSNL have also said that the financial health of the telecom industry has suffered because of the predatory pricing of Reliance Jio. “Financial crisis is being faced by other operators also but they are managing the situation by infusing huge amounts,” a letter by All Unions and Associations of BSNL (AUAB) to Sinha said, a report by Financial Express said.
 
A BSNL official told Financial Express that the company has started paying February salaries now to staff in Kerala, J&K, Odisha and the corporate office. “As and when the income is generated, salaries will be paid to the staff. As the government has not given any financial support, the salaries are being delayed,” the official said.
 
The source further said even March salaries will be delayed by a few days despite the fact that cash flows in the month are usually higher because of billing from the enterprise business. Another source told FE that the BSNL board has approved a proposal to avail bank loan but the department of telecommunications has not given the go-ahead yet.
 
The losses of BSNL has been increasing every year. It reported a loss of around 8,000 crore for FY18, compared to 4,786 crore in FY17. For FY19 also, the loss is expected to be higher than 8,000 crore.
 
Under the Modi government, wages have not been given for various government projects.
 
No payment for Sardar Patel Statue of Unity workers
“Sardar Patel was one of the tallest leaders of the freedom struggle leading peasants to fight for fair remuneration and taxation by the British governments. It is ironic that the workers guarding his statue, the world’s tallest, have to resort to strike in order to get their wage dues from the Indian government,” The Wire reported.
 
Labourers who worked on the Sardar Patel Statue of Unity project have not received their wages for the last three months.
 
News reports suggest that over 100 workers of one of the contractors, entrusted with maintaining and operating the services at the Statue of Unity complex, have gone on strike demanding wage dues for the past three months. This has prompted the worker to go on strike and protest by forming a human chain.
 
NREGA workers file FIRs against Modi over non-payment of wages
Thousands of MGNREGA workers across the country attempted to lodge FIRs against Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 28 for ‘making false promises’ and ‘cheating’ workers by not paying wages on time. The coordinated attempt was made in 150 police stations in nine states across the country.
 
The workers argue that by not providing adequate work and delaying wages, the government of India had violated the law. And Modi, as the head of the government, is the ‘principal violator’. Thus, the workers demanded, that Modi be booked under Sections 116 (Abetment of offence) and 420 (Cheating and dishonesty) of the Indian Penal code.
 
According to the NREGA Sangharsh Morcha, in the last five years, the employment guarantee scheme has been ‘deliberately undermined’. The organisation has argued that the government has allocated insufficient funds, not met the demand for additional funds on time, delayed wage payments and suppressed work demand.
 
In February, after the Union Budget was announced, The Wire highlighted that the allocation for MGNREGA for 2019-20 was, in fact, lower than that for 2018-19. In January, The Wire reported that 99% of the funds allocated for MGNREGA were exhausted with three months to go for the end of the financial year. Subsequently, the Centre allocated an additional Rs 6,084 crore that took the total allocation to Rs 61,084 crore. In the 2018 Budget, the government had allocated Rs 55,000 crore to the rural employment scheme. By announcing an allocation of Rs 60,000 crore for the financial year 2019-20, the government, in fact, reduced the funds set for MGNREGA.
 
Modi governments ad expenditure
In four years, Modi government spend more than Rs.4300 crores on publicity according to an RTI query. 
 
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its supporters accounted for a lion’s share of political advertising worth over Rs. 4 crore on Facebook, according to data compiled by the social media giant.
 
The advertisements run for the ruling dispensation range from promotion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government policies to those of its leaders, including BJP President Amit Shah — all of which were not necessarily paid by the party but by its supporters.
 
From February till March 2, 2019, the social media giant showed 16,556 ads related to politics and issues of national importance with ad spends crossing more than Rs 4.13 crore, according to Facebook’s Ad Archive Report.
 
The specific date on which Facebook started collecting data was not disclosed. However, on February 7, it had said the enforcement of the new features and the political advertisements policy, that includes having disclaimers, would start from February 21.

According to the data accessed by India Today TV, ‘Bharat Ke Mann Ki Baat’ — an unverified page on Facebook that asks users to give feedback to the prime minister — is the top spender on political ads. The page had spent more than Rs 1.2 crore on its 1,556 ads averaging to roughly Rs 7,700 per ad. The pro-Narendra Modi page has 3,00,000 followers on the social media platform and was founded on January 27 this year. ‘Nation with NaMo’, another Modi fan page that has over 1.1 million followers on Facebook, stood second on the list. The page had spent more than Rs 64 lakh on its 1,074 ads averaging to around Rs 6,000 per ad.

Is this where the labourer’s money went?

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ताज्जुब की बात है कि प्रधानमंत्री कार्यालय, सेंट्रल विजिलेंस कमीशन और डिपार्टमेंट ऑफ टेलीकम्यूनिकेशन को इस घोटाले की जानकारी मिल चुकी है। लेकिन सरकार की ओर से इस मामले में अभी तक जांच के आदेश नहीं दिए गए हैं।
 
आपको बता दें कि भारतीय दूरसंचार कंपनी बीएसएनएल ने दिसंबर 2015 में एनआईबी इंफ्रास्ट्रक्चर का विस्तार करने के लिए दिल्ली की एक कंपनी प्रेस्टो इंफोसॉल्यूशन को 95 करोड़ रुपए का ऑर्डर दिया था। वहीं सिस्को पिछले 12 सालों से एनआईबी इंफ्रास्ट्रक्चर के लिए उपकरणों की आपूर्ति कर रहा है। प्रेस्टो इंफोसॉल्यूशन को राउटर्स की सप्लाई के लिए ऑर्डर दिया गया, जिसकी आपूर्ति पिछले पांच सालों से एचसीएल कर रहा है।
 
आश्चर्य की बात है कि BSNL की टीम ने राउटर्स की सप्लाई के लिए विप्रो, एचसीएल, डाइमेंसन डेटा और आईबीएम जैसे सिस्को के सर्टिफाइड चैनल पार्टनर्स की अनदेखी करते हुए महज 150 करोड़ का टर्नओवर करने वाली प्रेस्टो इंफोसॉल्यूशन को चुना। यह सीवीसी के दिशा-निर्देशों का सीधा-सीधा उल्लंघन है, सीवीसी के मुताबिक, किसी भी ऑर्डर की सप्लाई के लिए टेंडर बुलाया जाना चाहिए। बीएसएनएल ने प्रेस्टो को ये ऑर्डर देते वक्त कंपनी की फाइनेंशियल स्थितियों पर भी ध्यान नहीं दिया। इतना ही नहीं बीएसएनएल ने यह ऑर्डर जारी करते वक्त प्राइस वेलिडेशन एक्सरसाइज भी नहीं की और प्रेस्टो को सीधे-सीधे ऑर्डर जारी कर दिया। सूत्रों के मुताबिक, बीएसएनएल ने इस खरीद के पीछे "अरजेंसी" का तर्क दिया है।
 
प्रेस्टो इंफोसॉल्यूशन ने बीएसएनएल से परचेज ऑर्डर मिलने के बाद सिंगापुर की एक कंपनी इनग्राम माइक्रो (सिस्को का डिस्ट्रीब्यूटर) को 50 करोड़ का ऑर्डर दिया। साफ है कि प्रेस्टो ने इस खरीद में सीधे तौर पर 45 करोड़ का मुनाफा कमाया। दस्तावेजों और सूत्रों के मुताबिक, प्रेस्टो इंफोसॉल्यूशंस के पास बाहर से मंगाए गए इक्विपमेंट्स को इंस्टॉल करने की क्षमता भी नहीं है।

सूत्रों के मुताबिक, 35 फीसदी इक्विपमेंट का इस्तेमाल ही नहीं किया गया, क्योंकि सिस्को ने उनकी लाइफ खत्म होने के बाद भी बीएसएनएल को इक्विपमेंट बेचे। इसके अलावा दूसरा घोटाला करीब 200 करोड़ रुपए का सामने आया है। बीएसएनएल ने पांच साल के लिए रखरखाव और अतिरिक्त हार्डवेयर खरीदने के लिए 200 करोड़ रुपए की डील की थी। इस डील में भी नियमों की अनदेखी की गई और मनमाने तरीके से टेंडर दे दिया गया।

Courtesy: National Dastak

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