By  bifurcation of the undivided A.P. Circle, new A.P.Circle has been inaugurated at Vijayawada in the presence of Communications Minister Manoj Sinha, IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, Broadcasting Minister Venkaiah Naidu and Chief Minister N.Chandrababu Naidu. CMD BSNL Anupam Shrivastava was also present. The Postal Circle also has been bifurcated and new A.P.Circle formed.

Undivided A.P.Circle which was the biggest in terms of employees, will have to step back in favour of Maharashtra Circle. However, with regard to area, Rajasthan will be the biggest Circle.

It is hoped that the new set up in new A.P.Circle will be effectively formed immediately so that neither the service nor the issues of the employees suffer. The assurances of the Chief Minister for  full support in providing infrastructure including land, building etc need to be honoured.

Com.V.A.N.Namboodiri, Advisor AIBDPA and Founder Convener of the JAC/Joint Forum/ Forum addressed the following letter to Shri Manoj Sinha, Minister of state for Communications, requesting allotment of free spectrum to BSNL and also asking to implement the assurances given at the time of formation of BSNL.

AIBDPA/DOT-MIN/2016                                                                                                                                             October 07, 2016

To

Shri Manoj Sinha,

Hon’ble Minister of State for Communications,

Sanchar Bhawan,

20, Ashoka Road, New Delhi 110001

Respected Sir,

Sub: Assistance to BSNL – reg

You are fully aware that BSNL is struggling to improve it’s finances, provide a better service to the customers and restore it’s past glory.

After 4 years of loss, it has posted operational profit in 2014-15 as also in 2015-16 and is expected to be profitable by 2017-18. The programmes implemented and continued to be implemented like “Customer Delight Year”, “Service With A Smile” etc. as also the beneficial packages for the customers, BSNL will improve it’s position, financially as well as providing service.

The main issue for BSNL is the scarcity of funds. For the last six months or so, BSNL has been providing maximum number of mobile connection, say 20 lakh or more and still continues to be the leader. It sufficient funds are made available, there will be much more progress.

It was not that BSNL was not having funds. The Rs. 40,000 crore surplus fund was mostly taken for spectrum charges to the extent of Rs.18,500 crores, refund of an imaginary loan of Rs.7,500 crore at high interest rate etc.

BSNL was assured financial assistance at the time of it’s formation, like ADC, refund of licence fee and liberal assistances from USOF for providing loss making services in villages and remote areas for implementation of the universal connectivity policy of the government. All these, except USOF support, are arbitrarily discontinued putting BSNL in a fix.

Now that the spectrum auction is over and the government have received about Rs.66,000 crore from the same, it is our request that a portion of the same, say about Rs.10,000 crore be given to BSNL as assistance or as refundable loan without interest. This will help BSNL in a big way for recovery. As promised earlier, either the licence fee for BSNL be waived or refunded. It is also requested that the government honour it’s assurances and commitment made at the time of formation of BSNL, on which 3.5 lakh workers got absorbed themselves in the PSU.

As a representative of the DoT & BSNL Pensioners Organisation, I may submit that many of our issues are also connected with the future of BSNL.
Expecting favourable decision

Thanking you,

Yours faithfully

V.A.N. Namboodiri

Advisor, AIBDPA

(former Convener of Forum of

BSNL Unions and Associations