Meeting between BSNLEU and the CMD BSNL, held yesterday the 04-03-2024.

Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS and Com.C.K.Gundanna, AGS, met Shri P.K.Purwar,CMD BSNL yesterday and discussed some important issues of the employees and also that of the Company. The details of the discussion are as follows: –

1. Cancellation of the 3 JTO LICEs of Punjab circle, held for the vacancy years 2015–16, 2016–17 and 2017–18.

The details of the discussion held on this issue are already uploaded on the CHQ website yesterday itself.

2. Providing Fibre based Free Residential Landline Connections to the serving employees and pensioners.

Since the copper cable based landline connections are being abolished, BSNLEU has already demanded that, the serving employees and the pensioners should be provided with Fibre based Free Residential Landline Connections. However, the BSNL Management has offered two options to the employees. They are:-

1. FTTH connections with 40% concession.
2. Mobile SIM with ₹2000 as a onetime payment.

In yesterday‘s meeting, BSNLEU demanded that, both the serving employees and the pensioners should be given a third option also, as per which employees should be provided with fiber based Free Residential Landline Connections. The CMD BSNL agreed to look into this proposal of BSNLEU.

3. Payment of penal interest due to non-remittance of bank loan EMI.

In the past, the Management had failed to remit the bank loan EMI amount deducted from the salary of employees, to the banks on time. As a result, the banks are charging penal interest on the employees which is causing very big financial burden to them. BSNLEU demanded that, this penal interest should be borne only by the Company and not by the employees. The CMD BSNL told that the matter would be looked into.

4. Recovery of employee contribution of EPF from the salary of employees.

In respect of many BSNL recruited employees, GPF has been implemented for many years. Thereafter, due to change in policy, Management has implemented EPF, in the place of GPF. In such cases, the arrears of the employee contribution of the EPF is being recovered from the salary of the employees. This is causing a very big financial burden to such employees. BSNLEU pointed out that, as per orders of the EPF Organisation, the arrears of Employee contribution should be paid only by the Management. However, CMD BSNL did not accept this demand and told that Management would pay only the arrears of Management contribution and the arrears of the Employee contribution should be paid only by the employees. BSNLEU told that, this was violation of the order of the EPF Organisation.

5. Medical reimbursement should not be counted as perquisite for income tax.

BSNLEU has already taken up a case with the CMD BSNL, demanding to implement the order of the Income Tax Commissioner, which states that Medical Reimbursement should not be treated as perquisite for the purpose of payment of Income Tax. In yesterday’s meeting, BSNLEU demanded implementation of this order of the Income Tax Commissioner. CMD BSNL assured to look into it.

6. Problems in BSNL’s FTTH service.

Referring to the dharna organised by the BSNL‘s FTTH partners recently at Bangalore, it was pointed out to the CMD BSNL that, there are a lot of complaints in BSNL‘s FTTH service. The CMD BSNL stated that, needful actions are being taken and that the problems would be resolved within a period of three months.

7. BSNL Providing 4G service by sharing Vodafone idea’s network.

Commissioning of BSNL‘s 4G network by the TCS is getting inordinately delayed, as a result of which a large number of BSNL’s customers are migrating to private companies. Hence, BSNLEU has already written letter to the Hon’ble Minister of Communications, demanding that BSNL should be allowed to use Vodafone idea’s network, for providing 4G service. In yesterday‘s meeting this issue was raised by BSNLEU, with the CMD BSNL. The CMD BSNL replied that, there is no technical problem in BSNL‘s using Vodafone idea’s network for providing 4G service. However, he stated that, a decision to this effect should be taken only by the government.