Com. W Seshagiri Rao, veteran leader of JTOs and Executives in Telecom/BSNL expired today morning at 1 AM in Bangalore after a cardiac arrest. We convey our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family members.

Maximum of 6 tickets can be booked by an individual user in a month through IRCTC

This new provision will come into effect w.e.f. 15th February, 2016. The move aims to deter touts and to facilitate genuine users

Other restrictions are:

1. Individuals are allowed only 2 tickets per user-ID in a day (for ARP booking) from 08:00 hours to 10.00 hours.
2. Individuals are allowed only 2 tickets per user-ID in a day (for Tatkal booking) from 10:00 hours to 12:00 hours.
3. Quick Book Option is disabled from 08:00 to 12:00 hours
4. All types of ticketing agents (YTSK, RTSA, IRCTC agents etc.) have been debarred from booking tickets during the first thirty minutes of opening of booking i.e. from 08:00 to 08:30 hours for general bookings, and from 10:00 to 10:30 hours and 11:00 to 11:30 hours for Tatkal booking in AC and non-AC classes respectively.
5. Booking is not allowed through e-wallet and cash cards from 08:00 to 12:00 hours.
6. There is only one booking in one user login session except for return/onward journey between 08:00 to 12:00 hours.

On January 30, 1948, three gun shots rent the air. These shots changed the course of history and shocked the world.

It was a little past 5 p.m. in Delhi, on January 30, 1948. What followed that fateful day, plunged our country in gloom, and you could say it changed the course of our history. It certainly shocked the whole world.

Shri J S Deepak IAS (57) is appointed as the new Secretary, Telecom. Earlier, he had worked as Joint Secretary in Telecom from 2008 to 2010.

Shri Rakesh Garg has been shifted from Telecom to Minority Affairs Department in a reshuffle of senior officers, taken place today.

The Consumer price Index for December 2015 is declared.

It is 269 Points.

It is One Point less than the Index of November 2015.

With this Index the rate of CDA from 1-1-2016 can be calculated as under:

Average for the 12 months (January-December 2015): 261.33

Increase over 115.76 points merged w.e.f.1-1-2006: 145.57

Percentage of increase over 115.76 points:125.8%

[Normally fraction is ignored while fixing rate of CDA.]

Expected CDA from 1-1-2016 is 125%.

6% increase from 119%, effective from July 2015.

CMD of BSNL told on 28-1-2016:

“There will not be any wage revision in BSNL next year unless the Company is profitable…..unless we are profitable the salary is not going to be revised," Shrivastava said speaking after launching BSNL Mobile Data Offload service in Karnataka.

…Pointing out that in the past Air India and ITI couldn't revise their salaries.......BSNL after about four years of reporting losses posted an operating profit of Rs 672 crore for the financial year 2014-15 compared to an operating loss of Rs 691 crore in the previous fiscal. Calling 2014-15 as the turnaround year for BSNL as it came back to operational profit of Rs 672 crore, Shrivastava said with the support of all the officers and employees the company will increase the profit and within another two to three years (2018-19) it will achieve net profit also.” [News in Economic Times]

It is not made clear if the CMD wants net profit or operating profit to revise the salary.

Accounts pandits can debate on it.

Anyhow, it is a clear warning.It should open the eyes of those who want pension revision along with wage revision in BSNL.

TODAY AT 1245 HOURS, COM. D GOPALAKRISHNAN SPOKE TO MEMBER (FINANCE), TELECOM COMMISSION.

MEMBER INFORMED THAT THE CABINET NOTE IS BEING MOVED TO CABINET SECRETARIAT.

NEW OFFICE FOR OUR CHQ

Our CHQ is now functioning from new premises in Chennai city.

Letters may be sent to the new address:

AH 189/61, 3rd Street,

Auroville Flats,

Anna Nagar, Chennai - 600 040.

Com. V N Sampath Kumar will be available in the office.

His Phone Number is 044-26280100.

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Telephone Number of Com. G Natarajan, GS remains the same: 09444929799

Photos:

On 26-01-2016, a special general body meeting was held by Visakhapatnam SSA Unit of our Association on the occasion of visit of the city by our Dy GS Com. P Gangadhara Rao.

About 150 members attended the meeting presided over by District President, Shri Sreemannarayana. Circle Executive Committee members from Visakhaptanam like Comrades Somasundaram, Someswara Rao, and Manikyala Rao as well as the leaders from Vizianagaram and Srikakulam were present on the occasion.

Com. Gangadhara Rao congratulated the district unit for having the membership over 500. He spoke elaborately on the issue of 78.2% and the efforts made by our Association in Bangalore, Delhi and other places. He apprised the meeting of the present position of the case.

Dy GS spoke on the clear and correct position taken by our Association on future pension revision in BSNL demanding revision of IDA pension with the fitment formula suggested by 7^th CPC for all other central government pensioners.

Com. Gangadhara Rao spoke also on the need of good food habits and other methods to maintain good health.

We convey our Republic Day Greetings

to all our Members and Friends.

The East Godavari District conference was held at Rajahmundry on 23-01-2016. About 250 members from all the eight branches attended.Com. D Gopalakrishnan (VP), Com. V V S Murthy (AGS) and Com. N Adinarayana ( Org. Secretary) participated on behalf of CHQ.Com. K S Koteswara Rao, Circle Secretary also addressed the meeting.

Shri K Srinivasa Rao, young energetic GM of EG Dist while addressing the conference assured prompt action to settle the grievances of pensioners. It is worth noticing that Shri Srinivasa Rao takes utmost interest in getting sufficient funds for BSNLMRS in the district.

Conference unanimously elected Comrades S K Basha, K BhaskarRao and A V Bappi Raju as President, Secretary and Treasure of the District Unit.

It is understood that the Department of Telecom is processing the File, containing the Cabinet Note, on 78.2% case for the signature of the Minister for Communications . Before it goes to the MOC, the File has to be signed by many officers like DDG, Member (F), Member(S), Additional Secretary, Secretary etc. etc. It is Government business.

Once the Minister signs it then the Cabinet Note will be submitted to the Cabinet Secretariat.

It is reported that the Ministry of Law has conveyed their comments to Department of Telecom on the Cabinet Note for extending benefit of 78.2% IDA in pension revision. It is being studied by the Directorate of DoT.

Details are awaited.

BSNL Retirees of Mahabubnagar District in Andhra has formed a new branch of AIBSNLPWA.

Com. Shankar Rao is the President, Com. Bala Swamy is the Dist Secretary and Com. J V Rao is the Treasurer. With this, AP Circle has formed branches in all the SSAs.

Congratulations to AP Circle and Mahub Nagar comrades.

The Relief Committee in Chennai met today in presence of Com. Natarajan, Com. DG etc. and assessed the situation.The Committee has received about Rs 8.48 lakh as donations.50% of the donations has been utilized to compensate partially the loss of BSNL pensioners affected by the floods. And the other 50% was utilized to give relief to the Schools and Institutions which take care of poor and destitute children.Details will be published soon after finalizing the accounts and getting it audited.

Sh. Ravi Shankar Prasad, Minister for Communications was in Ujjain yesterday, 17 January 2016. On the occasion, our MP Asst Circle Secretary Com. Atneriya and Ujjain District Secretary Com. Prabhakar Sharma met him and submitted a memorandum on 78.2% case. Shri Ravi Shankar Prasadji told them that the matter has already caught his attention and a decision would be taken very soon.