Govt policies making BSNL a loss-making sector: Staff

Ludhiana, April 7 Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) employee union today claimed that it was not the workers but the policies of the successive governments made it a loss making public sector. The union members stated that the BSNL was not allowed to procure equipment from 2007 to 2012 which is the root cause for the loss, said the union members.

The union members said that while staging a protest, at the BSNL head office, located near Bharat Nagar Chowk. The forum of the BSNL union of non- executives and association of executives observed call attention day demanding wage revision of the BSNL employees from January 1. They also seek revision of pension from January 1 and implementation of 30 per cent superannuation benefits for direct recruited employees and calculation of pension on actual basic pay. The call for wearing demand badges and lunch hours demonstration was given by the central headquarters of unions and associations. The entire worker wore demand badge during the demonstration. Addressing the workers Balbir Singh, National president of BSNL Employees Union, said that the third pay revision committee had submitted its report to government and it should be implemented at the earliest. Gurpreet Singh, circle president, Harinder Singh, district secretary, said that another reason due to which the BSNL had become a loss making public sector is that the government has fleeced Rs 40,000 core reserve fund. Avtar Singh Jhande demanded that the BSNL should implement the guidelines of department of public enterprises for extending 30 per cent superannuation benefits to the direct recruited staff of BSNL.