AIGETOA writes to CMD BSNL for relaxation of passing criterion of JTO Phase-I Trainees or making all India gradation list without any restriction on passing marks.

AIGETOA demand to relax the passing percentage of 50% for all the trainees and to make all India gradation list without any passing criterion in view of the facts mentioned below:

1] All trainees do not have physical book for preparation as limited books were available.

2] Trainees have already passed JE to JTO LICE exam which itself is a very tough exam to clear. Hence testing the competency to again by virtue of another exam is not at all required. Instead, these Phase-I marks should be used only to prepare the all-India gradation list required for further promotions from JTO to SDE. For preparation of the gradation list, there is no need to have any cut-off percentage of marks. Hence the criterion for obtaining cut-off percentage of marks must be removed.

3] New change of exam pattern through online with new latest syllabus is happening first time for such trainees. Hence to ask these trainees to attempt 100 questions in 90 minutes is too high and it must be rationalised by bringing the number of questions lower down.

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Today Meeting with LIC took place on the premium for GTI renewal. AIGETOA was represented by Shri Ravi Shil Verma, All India Chairman and Shri Badri Kumar Mehta, Finance Secretary.

AIGETOA team categorically told LIC representative that since the number of claims this year is very less and also this year premium takes care of the losses made by LIC in 2021 due to Covid, now premium should be at Par with the 2019 rates and any increase beyond that is not at all acceptable. LIC representative informed that they will revet back after working on the inputs by BSNL. LIC team also requested for number of claims due to Covid deaths which will be provided by establishment section.

Further AIGETOA is already taking up with management with regard to taking over of this GTI by BSNL. This is an agenda point in the meeting with management for the formal meeting to be held in the first week of February. The discussion on this point shall be held in the agenda meeting with BSNL Management.

Children. Just reminiscence of this word brings to our minds the vivid picture of super-active, playful nature of the most beautiful gifts in this creation. But Alas ! There are unlucky few who are deprived of this basic capability of doing normal activities on their own.

Debosmita Ghosh, 12-year-old girl, is one such child who is wheel chair bound and does not have the ability to move her arms and legs due to a rare neuromuscular disease classified as Spinal muscular atrophy (SPA). In this disease, nerves of the anterior horn cells of the spinal cord degenerate leading to gross hypotonia and muscle wasting. This weakness in the muscles throughout the body arises various complications such as knee knocking, bending of spine, osteoporosis to name a few. Some of the problems have been overcome by undergoing scoliosis correction surgery for her spine, zoledronate infusion for maintaining bone density, Bipap support for regular sleep etc. Despite all the efforts, she is having 80% locomotor disability. Naturally, she is fully dependent on all activities of daily living including eating, dressing and basic hygiene.

Despite all this crippling circumstances, she is brilliant in her academics. She is class topper and won accolades in many Olympiad exams and abacus competitions. Also, she is a talented singer, good in elocution, story-telling and creative writing. She dreams to become a teacher or an astronomer.

Currently, her condition has been progressively deteriorating. Only proper medical intervention has the ability to not only delay the disease progression but at times, effect mild improvements.

Only drug that can stop progression of her disease and help regaining milestone is Risdipalm. She is receiving this drug from last two years under a compassionate use program by the drug manufacturing company. Being on treatment has helped her to have few improvements in motor activities. However, this program of Risdipalm will end by 2023. Stoppage of this drug may deteriorate her condition and push her health and life to uncertainty. Presently, she is under Dr Sanjukta De of Peerless Hospital, Kolkata.

Risdipalm is a DCGI approved only drug commercially available India. But, the drug, costing Rs 72 Lacs per year, is exorbitantly high and beyond the affordability of her parents Mr. Debashish Ghosh, an AIGETOA member with Kolkata TD and Mrs. Moumita Ghosh, an optometrist.

In order to support her for at least 15 years, we are compelled to raise at least Rs. 10 Cr through crowd funding platform impactguru.com. It may be noted that the donor will be eligible to receive tax benefit for 100% of the contributed amount under section 80G of Income Tax Act of India.

We are hoping with in this period, Government of India will come up with some solution to continue treatment support to our only child. We are continuing to appeal to Government of India as well. Therefore, we appeal to all to help in this enormous task by making contribution as per own convenience such that our child has fair opportunity to realize her dreams.

Link for donation: http://impactguru.com/s/aZ5T20

Meeting with LIC is scheduled on 24.01.2023 to deliberate the terms & conditions including premium amount on GTI (Group Term Insurance) w.e.f 01.03.2023.

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GS AIGETOA writes to Director HR regarding renewal of renewal of Group Term Insurance (GTI) policy for BSNL Executives.

AIGETOA requested to expedite process of negotiation with LIC for executive’s Group Term Insurance Policy for all BSNL executives and payment of the premium from BSNL resources, as a part of social security of the employees.

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Team AIGETOA comprising of AIC Sh Ravishil Verma, GS Sh Pavan Akhand, AGS Sh Yogendra Kumar & AGS Sh Sunil Gautam met Dir HR on 19.01.2023 discussed issues related to OTP request transfers, modifications of Hard and Soft tenure stations for Uttarakhand and Karnataka Circles, left out JTO to SDE promotion, SDE reversal issue, left out all eligible SDE to AGM promotions, Syllabus and Pattern for examination.

On OTP request transfer, it was informed that Director HR has directed Personnel Section to process the request transfer cases and the cases shall be considered based on feasibility, merit of the requests and administrative requirements. There was a reluctance on the part of Director HR with respect to consideration of the request cases from Karnataka Circle. However, after our insistence, he agreed to consider cases from Karnataka also. It is expected that orders may be issued within one week.

It was discussed that all AGMs (those who already applied OTP request) who has been promoted in recent SDE to AGM will have to apply fresh OTP in AGM cadre by cancelling the old OTP request. Further, we requested for consideration of request transfer cases of SDEs wanting the transfer to Hard Tenure stations against the waiting list of JTOs wanting to move out from these circles through Rule 8. This way both the waiting list for Rule 8 as well as waiting list for SDEs for hard tenure will be cleared.

Further, we also requested to consider seeking volunteers for posting at deficit circles from all the cadres so that executives from long stay list can accommodate themselves against such circles voluntarily. Director HR assured to consider our suggestions in this regard.

On the issue of declaration of Hard Tenure Stations of Uttarakhand, Gujarat and Soft tenure Stations for Karnataka and few other places, It was informed that matter is under active consideration, discussions have taken place and order is expected in the last week of January 2023.

On Left out JTO to SDE, way out to promote 104 executive is under consideration and they will be promoted soon.

On SDE Reversal issue, it was informed by Director HR that issue is under active consideration. Association demanded to immediately settle the issue without any further delay. Director HR appreciated our concern.

On PWD issue, clarity will be there once Hon’ble PCAT decides the issue. However, the seats have been kept reserved for them.

Promotion for left out SDE to AGM all eligible: The issue was once again discussed at length and we shared once again the complete road map to achieve the objective. We shared the vacancy calculations and necessary steps, how stagnation criteria can be inserted by discussion with all stake holders and how objections of other stake holders can be taken care of was also discussed. We also highlighted that the Manpower Plan devised for BharatNet project is not as per the operational norms approved by BSNL Board and the same needs a correction with more number of SDEs, AGMs and DGMs post be deployed for the purpose. Further we emphasized that there is need for exclusive manpower deployment for 4G saturation project also. By this way enough posts can be created and there shall be a smooth path for not only these executives who are currently eligible but it will create a path for future SDEs also. Though, Director HR was positive on the issue but any final decision shall be taken only after discussions with CMD BSNL. We have shared the agenda points on this issue to Hon’ble CMD BSNL and his time slot for the aforesaid discussion is awaited.

We also discussed on the Syllabus and Pattern for examination. We suggested that the syllabus should be designed in such a way that it assesses the executives based on their competence, management skills and leadership qualities instead of testing the bookish knowledge. Director HR appreciated our view and told that committee formed for the purpose shall take the inputs from AIGETOA before moving forward on anything.

As per discussions of AIGETOA Team and BSNL representative with Central PF authorities and thereafter subsequent discussions with PGM (CA) BSNL CO with AIGETOA Team, the letter for collection of Options for Higher Pension EPF options has been issued today. The CHQ Team of AIGETOA as per the decision taken in the meeting, collected all the data of other PSUs and submitted those to the CAA section based on which the letter has been issued.

Issuance of directions to the circles with regard to collection of Joint Option Forms was most crucial keeping in view the limited window extended by Honble Supreme Court.

It will be worth to mention that Kerala AIGETOA Team was a party in the Court case at Hon’ble Supreme Court after winning the case at Hon’ble Highcourt Ernakulam. The AIGETOA CHQ team has been consistently following up the matter with EPFO, arranged a tri party meeting with BSNL, EPFO and AIGETOA, did an interactive session on the matter for the knowledge of all the EPF Account holders so that they can take an informed decision.

Team AIGETOA is consistently monitoring the progress to ensure that all the willing persons submit their options well in time and the joint options gets processed at BSNL and submitted to EPFO well within the limited time window.

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Forum of Associations of BSNL has written a letter on 18th Jan 2023 to Shri Arvind Vadnerkar Director (HR) BSNL Board requesting for fixing again maximum ceiling limit for reimbursement of Out Door Medical Treatment taking Basic Pay and DA as on 1st April of every financial year. During covid-19 period in 2020 the limit was fixed by freezing the DA.

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Forum of Associations of BSNL writes to CMD BSNL citing it’s strong objection to the unilateral notification of MSRR 2023 and requests for promoting all the eligible executives and filling vacant posts as per the existing BSNL MSRRs 2009 and comply with the existing Judgements delivered by Hon. Supreme Court of India in court cases against BSNL and the subsequent guideline/s issued by DOP&T as the basic essentiality for the MSRRs-2023. The methodology recently used for promoting additional candidates than available vacancies in CSS cadre shall strictly be followed in all other streams also to enable maximum promotions in these streams, Forum stated in its letter.

Click here for the forum letter to CMD BSNL