BSNL employee unions call for nationwide hunger strike today, to protest over delay in execution of Rs 69,000 cr relief package

New Delhi: Personnel unions of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. have termed for a nationwide hunger strike on Monday to protest the hold off in execution of the Rs 69,000-crore revival deal declared by the government final calendar year.

“The All Unions and Associations of BSNL (AUAB) is organising a countrywide hunger strike on Feb. 24, 2020. This hunger strike is remaining organised to demand expeditious implementation of the Union Cabinet’s revival package deal in respect of BSNL, as well as to demand from customers settlement of the grievances of the staff,” AUAB said in a statement.

In October 2019, the central government authorised for BSNL and MTNL a Rs 68,751-crore revival offer, which integrated allocation of 4G spectrum to the condition-run corporations, voluntary retirement scheme for personnel, as well as their merger.

AUAB, claimed the salient function of the revival deal is the allotment of 4G spectrum, the issuing of sovereign assure for increasing money to the tune of Rs 15,000 crore, with share of BSNL at Rs 8,500 crore and Rs 6,500 crore for MTNL, by way of issuing extensive-expression bonds, monetisation of assets and implementation of a VRS.

“Out of these, only the VRS has been carried out, via which 78,569 BSNL workforce have been sent house. It is extremely disturbing to note that, even soon after the lapse of approximately 4 months, 4G spectrum has not been allotted to BSNL,” assertion stated.

It additional that the federal government has not but issued the sovereign warranty to BSNL, to permit it to elevate Rs 8,500 crore, by way of issuing prolonged-expression bonds.

“The process of monetisation of BSNL’s belongings is also relocating at snail’s pace. The Supreme Courtroom of India’s judgment, with regards to the calculation of the AGR, has triggered uncertainties in the telecom sector, due to which financial institutions are also unwilling to lengthen the substantially-needed financial loans to BSNL,” the statement stated.

The BSNL employees’ overall body explained that owing to the hold off in the allotment of 4G spectrum and also owing to the non-availability of cash, it is comprehended that BSNL’s 4G service is not probable to be introduced before the conclude of 2020.

“This delay is a lot versus the spirit of the Union Cabinet, in approving the revival bundle for BSNL. The notice of the Minister of Communications (Ravi Shankar Prasad) has currently been drawn to the require to provide BSNL with the substantially-wanted functioning cash. Having said that, absolutely nothing has happened,” the assertion mentioned.

AUAB explained that despite the reduction package, employees are not finding wage on time and the wages of the agreement employees have not been paid for the earlier 10 months.

“Underneath these conditions, the AUAB has by now organised nation-huge lunch-hour demonstrations on February 11, 2020. In continuation of this, hunger strikes are getting organised all through the place on February 24 to urge the Section of Telecommunications and the BSNL administration to just take expeditious actions,” AUAB stated.

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