The time prescribed by BSNL for opting VRS was 5.30 PM on 3-12-2019. Out of the 1,53,786 staff 78,569 have opted for VRS. 5237 people who opted earlier have withdrawn before the prescribed time.

75,217 people will remain in service of BSNL. 8403 of them are in the age group of 58-60 years.

Some message is being circulated in whatsapp groups that DoT is not happy with the number of options as it did not reach the target of 80,000. Hence the DoT is thinking of reducing the retirement age to 58 so that 8000 more can be sent out.

We have no idea if it is true of not. These days, anybody can spread any rumour.

About 650 ITS officers are still in BSNL on deputation. They have not joined the BSNL even after 19 years. It is also reported that BSNL has requested DoT to deploy another 200 ITS officers to BSNL to face the post VRS situation.

Strange indeed. Without field staff how can the BSNL provide the telephone service in the rural India? Who will go to the field when there are some natural calamities, as pointed by Minister Sh. Ravi Shankar Prasad?

The year 2020 will be very crucial for Indian telecom service, for BSNL company, for BSNL staff and for BSNL retirees.

Click here to see the details vrs-final.pdf

Kerala circle Conference was held on 15th October 2019. At that time orders on VRS were not issued. But anticipating such a development the Circle conference decided to hold special general body meetings or conventions in all SSAs. Accordingly all district Units have completed the organizational task. Number of VRS optees attended these meetings and raised number of queries. In addition to Circle leaders, CHQ leaders in Kerala like P S Ramankutty, R N Pada Nair and Smt A P Saraswathy participated in the meetings and explained various aspects of Revival and VRS. .

few photos

WE REPORT WITH DEEP SORROW THAT OUR AGS COM S. ARUNACHALAM EXPIRED ON 26-11-19 AT TRICHY AT HIS DAUGHTERS HOUSE. HE WAS 73.

A MAN OF WIT AND WISDOM, COM ARUNACHALAM WAS A SOFT SPOKEN DEDICATED LEADER, WITH DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF RULES AND ISSUES AND LONG EXPERIENCE IN TU. IT IS A GREAT LOSS FOR US.

HE HAD RECENTLY COMPILED THE PROCEDURES AND RULES REGARDING SWITCHING OVER TO CGHS FOR THE BENEFIT OF BSNL PENSIONERS. HE ATTENDED THE TAMILNADU PENSION ADALAT AT KUMBAKONAM TWO DAYS BACK. THEN HE PROCEEDED TO HIS DAUGHTERS HOUSE AT TRICHY. HE SUDDENLY DEVELOPED SOME UNEASINESS AND ON THE WAY TO HOSPITAL HE COLLAPSED. HIS BODY IS TAKEN TO HIS NATIVE PLACE AT TIRUNELVELI WHERE THE FUNERAL WILL BE HELD.

WE HAVE A LOST A COMMITTED LEADER.

AIBSNLPWA CHQ CONVEYS OUR DEEP RESPECTS FOR THE LEADER.

As Com. Gangadhara Rao and myself are unable to go to Tirunelveli, Com. D Gopalakrishnan and Com. Muthiyalu will go and represent CHQ in the funeral of our beloved comrade today....

WITH DEEP REGRET WE REPORT THE DEMISE OF COM V.A.HARSULKAR FORMER GENERAL SECRETARY OF T3 UNION AT DELHI TODAY HE WAS 94

AIBSNLPWA PAYS ITS RESPECTS

COM. K MUTHIYALU, Dy GS BEING FELICITATED

COM R H MITKARY AND COM. H S PRASAD LIGHT THE LAMP

COMRADES S K JAIN, B P S CHAUHAN AND M P TIWARI ARE ELECTED AS

CIRCLE PRESIDENT, CIRCLE SECRETARY AND CIRCLE TREASURER RESPECTIVELY.

COM. J S DAHIYA, AGS SPEAKS

COM. J S MALIK, CS PRESENTS THE REPORT

COMRADES J S DAHIYA, J S MALIK AND RAM PHOOL ARE ELECTED AS

CIRCLE PRESIDENT, CIRCLE SECRETARY AND CIRCLE TREASURER RESPECTIVELY.

VRS TARGET ACHIEVED

Within two weeks, the Management of BSNL/MTNL has achieved the target. More than 80,000 people of BSNL and 13414 people of MTNL have opted for VRS. The counter is open till 3-12-2019.

There are many doubts in the mind of employees; but fear psychosis is overwhelming.

.... What will happen to BSNL and MTNL with depleted staff strength?

.... What will happen to the rural telecommunication service?

.... How new service can be provided to people with 4G, if allotted to BSNL?

.... Whether the pension cases will be settled soon by DoT Cells when one lakh people retire suddenly? will VRS Optees get pension in February 2020?

.... As BSNL has not paid the pension contribution can DoT settle the pension cases?

.... As BSNL has not remitted the GPF contribution deducted from the salary of staff how accumulated GPF amount can be paid to retirees?

.... How commuted portion of pension can be paid after five years without amending the rules?

There are many such questions…..

No answer from BSNL/MTNL Management.

AUAB leaders met the Director yesterday. They got only one assurance from the Director that October salary will be paid on 28, November 2019!

What about November Salary? No answer.

Unfortunately, AUAB leaders are not unanimous in facing the crisis. Hence the proposed 3 days hunger strike from 20-11-2019 stands postponed, as reported in the website of BSNLEU.

Circle Executive Committee of Andhra circle met at Kurnool on 10-11-2019. Com. K Muthiyalu, Dy GS attended on behalf of CHQ and spoke elaborately on various issues.

As all of you are aware, we have been collecting donations from our members all over the country towards Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund, to help the victims of unprecedented rains and floods that affected lakhs of people in our country this year. We have done it in the past also when there were such natural calamities/disasters in Uthranchal, Andhra, Orissa, Chennai, Tamilnadu, Kodagu, Kerala etc.etc.

Our members from almost all circles responded positively to CHQ call and donated liberally. We could collect Rs. 37.94 lakhs from Circles. To make it Rs 40 lakhs, CHQ added a sum of Rs 2.05 lakh. We wanted to make over the fund to a central minister. Shri Pralhad Joshi, Minister for parliamentary affairs used to be in his constituency of Hubli on Saturdays and Sundays. We approached his office. They tentatively fixed the date as 9, November 2019. We announced our intension to organize the function on 9-11-2019 through our whasapp group.

As General Secretary was indisposed due to spondylosis, Com. P S Ramankutty and Com.D Gopalakrishnan were requested to go to Hubli. Com. DG could not go alone due to some health problem. Com. Vittoban also was indisposed. Finally Com. Rama Rao, Asst Treasurer accompanied DG, carried the Bank Cheque and attended the function. Com. Radhakrishna, AGS from Karnataka and Com.Changappa, CS Karnataka also went to Hubli. Com. G Babu, VP from Bangalore had to cancel his journey at the last moment. In view of Supreme Court verdict, Section 144 was imposed in Hubli town on 9-11-2019. Despite that, good number of comrades came from Hubli, Dharward, Belgavi, Bagalkot, Bijapur etc. Though the number of participants was less it was a lovely function, well organized.

Minister Shri Joshi came straight from the airport to the function organized in the conference hall of PGMT, Hubli. Com. S T Pawar, DS welcomed all. Com. P S Ramankutty, in his introductory speech mentioned briefly the welfare activities of AIBSNLPWA. Then he, along with other leaders, made over the Cheque for Rs 40 lakhs to the honourable minister.

Shri Pralhad Joshiji very much appreciated the efforts made by the Association. He commented that “ This shows that you are retired but not tired. While in service people may donate when the Boss donates. After retirement there is no such obligation. Even then you, the pensioners, have donated very good amount of Rs 40 lakhs. It is great efforts….”

After the function we had a brief discussion with Joshiji on our pension revision. He read our memorandum carefully, asked some specific clarifications trying to understand the issue. We clarified the points to his satisfaction .

Finally he assured us help to settle the matter and asked us to come to Delhi in first week of December 2019.

Cheque being handed over

Minister Sh. Joshiji speaks.

A view of audience

Com. DG speaks

Shri Pralhad Joshiji reads our memorandum on pension revision

to see the details of donations received please click here; pmnrf-upto-6-11-2019.pdf