Wage revision is due in BSNL with effect from 01-01-2017. The government had appointed Pay Revision Committee for the wage revision of the executives in central PSUs. BSNLEU has been demanding the BSNL management for early constitution of the wage revision committee for pay revision of the non-executives , for some time long. BSNLEU also took up the issue with DoT and DPE as BSNL management was evading the constitution of wage revision committee for one or other reason. Com.P.Abhimanyu , General Secretary, BSNLEU met the CMD, BSNL on 23-12-2016 and insisted for immediate formation of wage revision committee. Now BSNL has issued a letter forming a truncated wage revision committee without the representatives of recognised unions.

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BSNLEU has again taken up the issue with the BSNL management for formation of a full fledged wage revision committee so that negotiation is started early.

AIBDPA has already taken up the issue of mandatory/automatic Pension Revision, whenever the wage is revised in BSNL,  with the Minister of Communications and Secretary, DoT.

AIBDPA Basirhat Branch under Kolkata District was formed on 24th December 2016 in the convention held at Basirhat Telephone Exchange. Com Pankaj Dutta President of BSNLEU Basirhat Branch presided over the convention. Com Pijush Chakraborty ACS, AIBDPA WB inaugurated the convention with his elaborate speech covering the  National, International and Organisational situation. Other speakers were Coms Ajit Nandan DS, Pankaj Saha ACS, D Dasbakshi ACS, Sisir Ghosh, Gopal Sil, Apurba Bhandari, Manotosh Chakraborty etc. Com Niranjan Sarkar,main architect of the convention and BSNLEU BS, also spoke.

Coms Mantosh Chakraborty, Sisir Ghosh and Kanakkanti Ghosh were elected as President, Secretary and Treasurer respectively.

The negative and neglect approach of CGMT and Circle administration of West Bengal towards development of the service, NEPP to employees, non payment of wages to the casual contract workers and pensioners’ issues of 78.2% IDA merger benefits , non payment of medical bills etc made a compelling situation to resort to agitational programme by the three circle branches of BSNLEU, AIBDPA and BSNLCMU. More than 1000 comrades participated in the massive rally held at CGMT office, West Bengal, Kolkata on 22-12-2016.

Addressing the rally Coms.Animesh Mitra, Circle Secretary, BSNLEU, Pijush Chakraborty, Asst Circle Secretary, AIBDPA and Akhilesh Banerjee, Asst Circle Secretary,BSNLCMU warned the circle administration of more strong trade union action if the apathy to genuine issues is continued. Thereafter the leaders met the CGMT and conveyed the strong resentment of the workers and pensioners and the CGMT was compelled to give an assurance that a meeting will be convened immediately to sort out the issues.

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The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the Cadre Review of Indian Telecommunications Service, Group Á’.

The proposal has the following salient features:

(a) Creation of one Apex level post of Director General of Telecom.
(b) The number of Duty posts has been fixed as 853.
(c) A Deputation Reserve of 310 posts has been provided for deputation of ITS • officers to other Departments / organizations.
(d) A special diminishing reserve has been provided for posting of ITS officers in BSNL/MTNL.
(e) Cadre strength restricted to the present working strength of 1690.

The approval would result in strengthening of the cadre structure both at the DoT headquarters and in the field units on the basis of functional requirement. It will also meet the requirement of skilled manpower in BSNL/MTNL. This will reduce the existing stagnation of ITS officers.

Background:

Indian Telecom Service Group ‘A” was constituted in 1965 to meet the policy, technical and managerial functions of the government in areas related to telecommunications. Selected through Engineering Services examination conducted by Union Public Service Commission, the officers of ITS are working in management and administrative positions in the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and its PSUs (BSNL, MTNL and TCIL), Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), Telecom Dispute Settlement Administrative Tribunal (TDSAT), and also in other Central Ministries/ Departments/ Autonomous Bodies and State governments on deputation.

The Cadre Review of ITS has been undertaken after 28 years – Last Cadre Review was done in 1988. Since the time of last Cadre review, telecom service provision functions have been hived off from DoT, but newer functions related to telecom licensing, monitoring, enforcement of license conditions, network security, interoperability, standardization, lawful interception and universal service obligation etc. have been added. In addition, a host of other functions, which were earlier embedded in operations, have increased significantly both in volumes as well as criticality. Robust Telecom infrastructure is the backbone of a Digital Society. Paradigm shifts are taking place in the Sector – bringing to fore complex issues of regulation, enforcement and security – requiring higher levels of technical supervision in the Department of telecommunications. Hence, a cadre structure of ITS officers has been proposed, which is considered essential for discharge of the role & obligations of the Department of Telecommunications. In addition, the role of ITS officers in revival of BSNL & MTNL has also been kept in view.

These facts coupled with the stagnation in various grades of the service necessitated a review of the structure of ITS.

The Cadre Strength has been restricted to the present working strength of the cadre, and the cadre review would entail no fresh financial commitment for Government.

The Reception Committee for the successful conduct of Tamil Nadu Circle conference at Shencottai on 19th & 20th February, 2017, has been formed in the meeting held at Tirunelveli on 18-12-2016.  Com.S.Mohandoss, CHQ Vice President and Circle President controlled the proceedings. Com.C.K.Narasimhan, Circle Secretary welcomed the gathering and explained briefly about the functioning of AIBDPA and the importance of the circle conference. Coms.K.Kaliprasad, CHQ Organising Secretary, C.Samy Gurunath, Circle Vice President, BSNLEU, K.Selvaraj, District President, TNTCWU and a host of leaders addressed.

Reception Committee with Com.V.Ponraj (Chairman) Com.A.Meenakshisundaram (Working Chairman) Com.D.Gopalan (General Secretary) and Com. S.Muthusamy (Treasurer) were elected unanimously.

The Circle Executive Committee Meeting of Kerala held at K.G.Bose Bhawan , Ernakulam on 21-12-2016 has decided after thorough discussion to organise Mass Dharna on 10-01-2017 at CCA Office, Thiruvananthapuram and SSAs of Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Malappuram, Palakad, Kozhikode and Kannur in protest against the undue delay in the settlement of 78.2% IDA cases despite a speaking order to settle all the cases before 31-12-2016.

The CEC was inaugurated by Com.K.G.Jayaraj, General Secretary with an elaborate speech on the current developments including CHQ’s efforts to ensure payment of pension in the wake of post demonetisation sufferings and also the intervention at DoT level for early settlement of 78.2% IDA cases. Com.R.Aravindakshan Nair, Circle President presided over the meeting. Com.N.Guruprasad welcomed and presented the report for the intervening period. Com.A.V.Kuriakose , Circle President, BSNLEU ,speaking on the occasion, assured all the help in strengthening AIBDPA and also appreciated the positive role of AIBDPA in the struggles to protect BSNL. All the district Secretaries and most of the Circle Office Bearers participated in the discussion.

The CEC also decided to join enmasse in the humam chain in Kerala on 29-12-2016 being organised against the attack on the co-operative sector cosequent on demonetisation.

Com.K.R.R.Varma , Asst Circle Secretary proposed vote of thanks.