As per provisions of constitution of AIGETOA, Circle Conference cum AGM of AIGETOA Haryana Circle is hereby notified to be held on dated 17th December 2020. Due to ongoing Covid-19 Pandemic, Circle Conference will be held through online video conferencing. Agenda of Meeting:

• Open session ,discussion and deliberations on “Issues of prominence in Post VRS era of BSNL.”
• Report of District units of AIGETOA, Haryana.
• Presentation of Annual accounts and annual report on working of the AIGETOA, Haryana.
• Discussion on other matters with the permission of chair.
• Dissolution of existing governing body and election of new governing body of AIGETOA, Haryana.

Returning Officer for conducting the election is Sh. Ram Avatar, SDE Sonipat, Haryana.

Date, Time and Venue of Election of Circle body: 17th Dec 2020 -from 02:00 PM onwards ON LINE mode.

Declaration of result: On 17th Dec 2020 (As and when election procedures completes)

Shri Ajay Kaswan and Shri Sailash Kumar will be observers from CHQ side.

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Dear All ,

Warm greetings to my fellow BSNL colleagues,

I must put on record that your dedication & hard work during past several months is already bearing fruits for BSNL. That our company has most satisfied customers for voice services is a testimony to the tireless efforts put in by all of you during this pandemic period.

After successful VRS and resounding success in raising bonds, BSNL has reported positive earnings before Interest Taxes and Depreciation (EBITDA) for the half year ended 30th September 2020, after a gap of more than three years. The company is under able leadership of our Chairman and our efforts have to be to strengthen his hands in all endeavors.

Having joined as Director (Finance) & CFO of the company at this juncture, I seek to outline the direction and priorities that we must collectively hold in times to come and consolidate the gains to stay relevant in the highly competitive telecom market. Our foremost goal shall be improvement in the revenues of the company from core operations as a long term measure of survival & growth. I must emphasize that sustainable revenues & generation of surplus for capital investment is far better vehicle of growth than borrowings for investment. A sustainable mix of financial resources including debt has to be our constant endeavor, in order to optimally exploit the business opportunity in the market. To this extent, our collective focus has to be on quality of services, availability of network and quick & efficient utilization of resources. Return on Investment needs to pursued religiously.

BSNL today needs to generate at least an additional amount of Rs 500-600 cores every month, in order to meet the monthly deficit of income & expenditure. As a business imperative, BSNL needs to fulfill its obligation of timely payments to its vendor partners, as well as its financiers who have helped the company to emerge out of crisis. Therefore, all of us as individual employees need to focus on how our work can translate to higher cash flows for the company. Circles need to focus on recovering old dues to maximize the cash flows. At the same time, we need to optimize various costs and liabilities. With innovation and commitment circles can improve their cash flows, and liabilities can be curtailed.

BSNL is an organization of strategic importance. Government has reposed immense faith in BSNL, entrusting it with execution of prestigious projects like Bharat Net, NFS project for defense forces, submarine cable project and several other projects of significance. Whereas these external projects have an assured return in commercial terms for BSNL, time & cost overruns result in avoidable slippages of these margins. These projects have to be completed within planned time in order to live up to the expectations & trust of the government as well as ensure commercial value to BSNL.

The trust of the government in BSNL stands reinforced by the recent decision to mandatorily use BSNL services for central government establishments. This expression of faith in your capability came close on heels of the of BSNL bond, which was oversubscribed by more than 100% within a few hours. These events should leave us with no doubt about the magnitude & depth of responsibility which stands vested in us now. BSNL is now obligated to honor several compliance deadlines as laid down by Securities & Exchange Board of India. Our working & financial reporting shall be under scrutiny by investors. The perception and image of the company now will find expression in terms of our valuation in the market, and hence we all, employees & leaders alike, need to act with a sense of great responsibility on matters financial reporting, and always be circumspect in our statements on matters of company’s affairs.

I am certain that all verticals of the company are already oriented towards bearing this responsibility of survival & growth and all of us will work with these central objectives to achieve the vision laid down by our chairman. The challenging times cash upon us equally challenging tasks and I am confident that all BSNL employees will shoulder these challenges with conviction & enthusiasm. From my side, I assure that I shall work in the above direction with my colleagues in the Board.

My sincere thanks to each one of you for your dedication to the organization.

Thank you.

Yojana Das

Director (Finance) & CFO

Monetization of RTTC compound land – Shifting of Residents of Quarters of block D, E, F and G Quarters falling in area earmarked for land monetization.

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As per the latest website update of SNEA, it is very clear that they are not only trying to confuse and make management afraid but are also trying to instigate members of AIGETOA and SEWA. We want to put on record that updates about AIGETOA as stated in their website are far from facts and are totally baseless.

As far as the stand of AIGETOA is concerned, we have requested management to complete the DPC for full AIEL-I and AIEL-II now and immediately start the preparatory exercise for covering AIEL-III. As far as reservation issues are concerned, Management has assured us that they will take care of everybody’s interest. The whole AIEL-II shall be covered and the left out unfilled vacancies from any quota, shall be filled up through supplementary DPC, if the need arises. All the promotions will be subject to review in accordance with various court directions. This is what has been updated to us and we don’t find anything wrong in this approach of management in the prevailing circumstances when a total full stop was almost put up on promotions because of the acts of the same proclaimed SENA earlier.

The intent of management in ensuring maximum promotions shall have to be understood with a positive approach instead of portraying the steps in negative directions by our sister association. A meeting at the highest level took place on 30^th November, as assured to us by Hon’ble CMD BSNL. He was considerate enough to have this meeting on Holiday due to his hectic busy schedule on working days and it is learnt that conclusive actions are to take place very shortly. It will be worth mentioning that after herculean efforts both from our association as well as management, today we can visualise JTO to SDE DPC at any moment now which was pushed to back burners for almost two years due to the same misleading tactics of our sister association earlier.  Perhaps SNEA wants executives to wait for another 20 years for promotions by telling their half cooked stories on reservation. We totally denounce such derailing and misleading tactics from SNEA and updating false information about AIGETOA on their website.  Instead of trying to mislead or discourage all, they should in fact support the current DPC process which will open up the gates of promotions for all.

It seems that our sister association is in a big hurry to conclude everything by itself and trying to instigate all by writing half cooked facts. Their words on the website indicate that they don’t want full AIEL-II to be covered for promotions which in other words means they want the 2008 batch to be left out. We don’t understand why they are hell-bent on leaving the 2008 batch from the promotions. First they raised the non-contentious issues during AIEL II preparation which lead to delay in AIEL II Publishing and now when DPC is about to be convened, they again want that AIEL-II should not be covered fully. We are surprised to learn that today they are going to management and trying to install the apprehensions in management mind but they completely forgot all these concepts when promotions in JTO to SDE cadre was done in June 2018 despite adverse court directions. They forced ST quota list to be left out in June 2018 JTO to SDE promotions despite availability of sufficient number of candidates but today they are shedding crocodile tears. They are simply trying to create a divide amongst the executives and derail the ongoing exercise which has been put on track after a lot of efforts from association as well as management side. 

Now that all their gimmicks have failed, they have opted for this route to stop the DPC process but we reassure them that we will not allow them to succeed in such negative exercises.  Each and every executive including their own members are aware of what they are trying to do with these half cooked updates. In our opinion, having failed in stopping the DPC process altogether, now they are trying to stop the 2008 batch from getting promoted by raising one and other issue every now and then. Their each and every update with regard to JTO to SDE DPC is full of negativities which is sufficient proof of their ill intents to stop the process at any cost. 

However, we request executives not to get trapped in all these instigations. They are simply trying to invoke crab culture which will lead ultimately to everybody’s fall. Any sane mind can understand that the first priority should be to ensure promotion; all other issues like notional promotions/seniority and other things can be settled in due course of time. The path followed is the best and only path in current scenario. None of us want to wait for endless years for our promotions by believing on the words of our sister association. AIGETOA is fully committed to ensure that the whole AIEL II is covered for promotion orders so that the preparatory exercise for AIEL III can be started immediately to ensure promotion for the next batches. We further state that there is no cause to worry from these insinuations of our sister association as they are only intending to digress the main issue of promotion by raising non-existent fears.  We all should move ahead with positivity and we are moving ahead with positive thoughts which only can ensure the upliftment of our executive fraternity, which has been pushed 20 years backwards by the erstwhile Proclaimed Corners and these legacy era associations.

DOPT office Memorandum: Holidays to be observed in Central Government offices during the year 2021.

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AIP Ravi Shil Verma and AGS Yogendra Kumar today met PGM Pers and discussed the status of the DPC progress. PGM Pers told that work on AIEL I and II is almost complete and some minor data corrections are there which will be done very soon. Now the decision is to be taken at higher level with respect to the convening the DPC and issuance of promotion orders. Accordingly we met Director HR and requested for issuance of necessary instructions. We apprised Director HR about the prevailing unrest in all cadres as the final outcome of HR issues settlement are not coming and wait is getting endless. We once again requested him for consideration of all HR issues in an amicable environment in the best interest of employees as well as the organisation. Director HR assured us that work is in progress and results will be visible soon. There are certain teething problems and the same is being looked onto. We Sincerely hope that at least now results be visible as assured by Director HR.

However, as informed earlier association has decided to move ahead with organisation action program, though initially we will start with symbolic activities. In the mean while AGM is already notified to be held on 12th and 13th December 2020 and further course of action shall be decided in the AGM.

Government of Gujarat issued letter to all ACS/PS/Secretaries, Administrative Departments, All Municipal Commissioners, All Collectors, All District Development Officers regarding consider utilization of network of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) for internet/broadband, Landlines/Leased Line.

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AIGETOA Central Governing Council meeting was held on 29th Nov 2020 in the chairmanship of All India President Shri Ravi Shil Verma. GS AIGETOA Shri Md Wasi Ahmad, Chairman Shri Laxman Banoth and all most all the CHQ officer bearers were participated in the meeting.

The emergency CHQ meeting started with the address of All India President Shri Ravi Shil Verma, where AIP AIGETOA updated about the ongoing JTO to SDE DPC process and intimated that, management has again failed to keep their final time line of November last week also to complete the DPC process and issuance of JTO to SDE Promotion order.   It was apprised that number of Vacancies are not an issue for JTO to SDE promotion. Only thing which is to be decided now is that how the vacancy positions are to be treated.  Discussion on these issues along with submission of our view has already been done and the association view point has already been informed to Director HR and CMD BSNL. CMD BSNL has assured to hold the meeting with his HR team to decide on this issue in this week. Association is consistently following on the issue.

All India President also informed the house that DPC process is in advance stage and preparatory work on DPC is almost complete. Now a final go ahead is needed for the long awaited JTO to SDE promotion order.  He said that though personnel section is very actively doing their work on this issue but still time lines after time lines is failing and even the last time line given by management has also failed. He also informed that, there are many issues, which also needs to be settled in time bound manner. He emphasized that, though intent of management appears to be positive but at the same time, it is also a fact that HR issues are not getting the priority which they should get and now it’s high time that association should think about the next course of action. He categorically informed to CHQ officer bearers that, it is the high time to think and act immediately. 

He categorically informed to CHQ officer bearers that, it is the high time to fulfill the responsibilities associated with the post and extend their 100% active participation to protect the interest of executives as well as organization else association will be constrained to act accordingly against them. No body should take his/her posts for granted. He also requested CHQ OBs to start energising Circles OBs to motivate the members for long a long and sustained struggled in case of need.

AIP also informed that, apart from long pending HR issues, as the only recognised representative executive association, it is our responsibility to look at service related issues of our beloved company and take them to broader platforms. He emphasised that immediate need for BSNL is to roll out 4G services across India and role of AIGETOA for ensuring this roll out of 4G services is very crucial and same should happen in coordination with other major stake holders for the survival of BSN. Finally AIP emphasised that in the quest for an amicable solution, enough time has been given to management from association side and every time management has failed to keep their commitments and the final dead line of 30th Nov 2020 set by management is also over now. It’s time to go ahead with deciding the future course of action without waiting any further in the best interest of the executives.

GS AIGETOA, Shri Wasi Ahmad was also in the same view as that of All India president. He pointed out that, considering present prevailing condition of Covid-19 in the country, whatever possible way to start organizational action, AIGETOA will move ahead with that to highlight the serious resentment prevailing in the executives due to continuous denial of their due rights by the BSNL Management. He further appraised that even after passage of ten months of VRS implementation in BSNL, the management has failed to show any clear path of career progression to its existing executives and resolution of various long pending issues. Instead, the available possibilities to seek growth outside organisation are also choked by issuing unfair orders e.g. the last one is issuing ban of further two years for BSNL executives going to other departments on deputation. The HR Team is in passive mode and not showing any sign that how to get the acts together to take along all the executives by ensuring their career prospects and resolving HR related issues to motivate them for showing splendid performance to carry on the organization even after shedding of 50% of employees under VRS and onslaught of Covid-19 Pandemic. 

further said that it is extremely unfortunate that even some simple issues which were part of discussion in the agenda meeting on 15.09.2020 have not shown any progress after lapse of 2.5 months of the meeting, e.g. formation of Committee for Pay Loss issues, reminder to the DoT for standard Pay Scale of E2 and E3 for JT/JAO and SDE/AO equivalent grade, adding of clear direction in BSNL MRS for post retirement medical benefits to BSNL Recruited Employees, Settlement of Rule-9 cases, Operationalisation of online portal for Rule-8 and other request transfer process in BSNL, Review of Bond Period and Bond Amount as per industry standard for newly recruited JTOs/JAOs.   

While all verticals of the company is working in various possible ways to ensure growth of the business in post VRS era, HR vertical is completely lagging behind to capitalize existing human resource and ensuring their career prospects, various rightful dues and settlement of long pending HR issues in all these periods. It’s a fact that most of the cadres are facing acute shortage of officers and somehow they are being managed through local look after arrangements . Management has not shown any vision and action to resolve the issue and promote people on next level i.e. AGM, CAO, DGM(T), DGM(F) etc. Even the easiest one of JTO to SDE(T) is hanging in balance since last 4-5 months on the name of WIP. To our further dismay, when we see the letter of DoT that BSNL is seeking people on deputation basis for the post of IFA in 17 Circles, it raises serious questions on the part of management as well as those earlier formal representatives of the executives in these periods that even after Twenty Years of its existence, BSNL has to seek outside people in Telecom and Finance stream on deputation basis to run the organisation despite availability of sufficient internal qualified talents. GS-AIGETOA once again appeals the management to learn from past and start recognising the internal talent and give them sufficient opportunity to excel and groom them to cater requirements of the organisation at higher level else it is going to be a real tough time for the company in the coming days.

He also stressed that, it is also our responsibility to look at service related issues of our beloved company BSNL and updated the house about activities performed by AIGETOA during his stay at New Delhi for the roll out of 4G services in BSNL and other service related issues. He also appraised that if required AIGETOA will take all stake holders into confidence to start organizational action plan against DoT/Government for the early roll out of 4G services in BSNL, without which it is not possible for BSNL to survive in the Telecom domain. In this direction, AIGETOA is already working with a series of meetings and further movement will be made.

Chairman Shri B Laxman suggested to conduct regular CHQ meeting to update about status of HR issues  the CHQ office bearer and Circle officer bearers. He requested GS to meet MoC for the 4G services and write to Hon’ble Prime Minister for immediate roll out of 4G services in BSNL. He also asked the AIP/GS to take up the matter of pending temporary advance of the executives and is clearance which is running in Lakh of rupees of many executives. The association will take up the matter with competent authority for clearance of all pending dues spent by our executive fraternities for the maintenance of the system. 

All CHQ OBs bearers unanimously agreed that the resentment and frustration in the executives due to inordinate delay in resolving HR issues is at its peak and now association should not wait any further and supported the call for organizational action and assured 100% cooperation for successful launching of organizational action plan against management’s attitude towards settlement of HR issues. 

The summarized decision arrived in the Central Governing Council Meeting are as follows:

1. AIGETOA will write to CMD BSNL regarding unrest amongst the executives due to non settlement of long pending HR issues with an intimation that AIGETOA will start its Organizational action plan if things are not settled in time bound manner as assured by the management. 
2. As a symbolic protest to start with AIGETOA will start its movement with wearing black badges and signature campaigning and sending mass representation to CMD and DIR (HR) BSNL from next week i.e. the week starting 7th December 2020.
3. The Annual General Meet has been decided to be held on December 12th and 13th 2020 through online mode to transact important business of the association as well as to finalize harder organization action programs to resolve outstanding issues. It is decided to chalk out the next course on the organisation action programs in the AGM with inputs and concurrence of all Collegiums members. 
4. The meetings of Central Governing Council Members shall be held regularly on weekly basis to discuss and deliberate on the progress of various matters and future strategies.
5. It was also decided that any CHQ office bearer or any Circle/District Body member not executing their responsibility dedicatedly shall be dealt accordingly and decision on such CHQ representatives and Circle bodies will also be taken in the next AGM. 
6. AIGETOA will take all stake holders into confidence and will start organization action plan for the roll out of 4G services in BSNL exclusively. 

The meeting concluded with vote of thanks by AGS D K Sahoo. 

Thereafter another meeting of AIP Shri Ravi Shil Verma and Dy GS Shri Deepak Sahu was held with AIGETOA OBs mostly belonging to the sufferer group of JTO to SDE DPC on Monday 30th November 2020. AIP apprised them about the developments so far, the roadblocks due to which delay is taking place and the future course of action finalized in the CHQ meeting. All the OBs present in the interactive session supported the action plan finalized by AIGETOA CHQ and assured their full support to the program. The meeting ended with Vote of Thanks by Shri Hari Shankar Tiwari.

Further, it can been from nasty update of the proclaimed corners that they are still trying to instigate the executives as well as confuse management by showing one or other hurdles, some times they spell out number of vacancies, some time they say restructuring, sometimes they say reservation. Perhaps they are still not satisfied even after ruining the careers of BSNL executives for the last twenty years and are still trying to continue the same practice. AIGETOA once again request one and all executives to not to pay any attention on such troublemakers as we are dedicated to remove all obstacles. 

Friends, AIGETOA is totally committed for the resolution of all the issues as promised by us in our vision document. The inertia of the system, the prevailing Covid-19 situation, uncertainty over issues like 4G and somewhat lack of focus by management on HR issues are the main reasons for the delay. Since the final timeline has also passed, association has decided to start the organization action programs for settlement of our long pending demands. We seek your support in the endeavors of AIGETOA to ensure the very basic rights of executives.

It has been decided to hold an Emergency Meeting of AIGETOA Central Governing Council Members on 29.11.2020 (Sunday) though online video conference mode. All Members of Central Governing Council of the Association are requested to attend the meeting positively as per schedules (intimated). The details of the meeting shall be shared individually .

GS AIGETOA writes to Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad Ji, Hon’ble Minister of Communication, Govt of India with a copy to the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India and senior functionaries of the government for consideration of our request for protecting the long term sustainability of BSNL by allowing it to upgrade its network for the launch of 4G Services through existing Proven Technologies and at the same time process for development of indigenous 4G/5G technology should also be undertaken in parallel.

We have mentioned that while we welcome the idea of current initiative of Government of India to develop indigenous technologies as part of “Atma Nirbhar Bharat” in Telecom Field also but at the same BSNL should be protected from getting obsolete and redundant due to absence of full-fledged 4G services for a very long period of time in the cut-throat competitive era. We have highlighted that there is no company in India at present, which can provide Made in India core for 4G Technology. This whole technology needs to be developed indigenously and is definitely going to take minimum 1-2 years to ensure a firm and rugged technology in place and another few years after full-fledged rollout to ensure its efficacy and proven-ness in a go-live environment. Till that time, BSNL 4G services cannot be allowed to be affected by virtue of this experiment as it has the potential to ruin the business prospects of the company in totality and will affect the livelihood of around 65000 employees working in BSNL. Accordingly  AIGETOA has requested to allow BSNL to upgrade/expand the network for 4G services through existing proven technologies and as an interim measure 50,000 odd BTSs may be allowed to be upgraded through the add on orders which will enable BSNL to rollout 4G services within minimum possible time.

At the same time, AIGETOA understands and also supports the significance of ATMA NIRBHAR BHARAT in the Telecom field which has an important strategic advantage not only for taking Indian Technologies to the next generation but also is critical for the security of our mother nation. Accordingly, we have suggested that instead of holding the full fledged roll out of 4G Services for the want of indigenous technology, BSNL may be allowed to upgrade the infra through existing available and proven technologies and at the same time, a parallel exercise to develop the indigenous 4G/5G core by reserving some locations and allocating a separate spectrum for testing should be done. Once the technology is in place and its efficacy and proven-nessis ascertained, all the operators should be asked to migrate to the indigenous technology as mandatory condition to rollout 5G services. Since the development of this technology will be in the best interests of the country and will create a new chapter in the Indian Telecom era, Government of India should bear the expenditure for rolling out this Project along with expenses for AMC for five years. Association has also requested for ensuring monetary compensation to BSNL for the delay in roll out of 4G services because of all these issues. Association has further requested that all the Central and State Government Departments, Institutions and PSUs should be asked to mandatorily utilize BSNL mobile services also in line with the recent directive to use BSNL/MTNL lease line/landline/broadband to add revenue potential of BSNL. As doing away with 2G services will be next to impossible for BSNL for next few years and also the fact that these services are still required for many Indian citizens, especially for those below poverty line, AIGETOA has requested for extending the 2G spectrum allotment for next few years and also that the new developed core should not be a 4G only model but should support 2G/3G/4G technologies on the same core. Running two parallel networks for 2G/3G will not only be economically unviable but also will degrade the quality of service also. 

Association has also requested that as BSNL has been totally engaged in carrying forward the telecom vision of government and also Atma Nirbhar Bharat Showcase Model for the Nation, BSNL should be exempted from profitability clause and the company and its employees should be compensated irrespective of Profit/Loss theory and the employees should get all the benefits of employees of BSNL at par with other Grade-A CPSE including that of extending Standard Pay Scales, Superannuation Benefits, Career Progression and other benefits. We have also requested that BSNL should be exempted from the profitability clause and the 3^rd PRC should be implemented in BSNL without linking it to the profitability of the company and the additional fund on these counts should be borne out by the Government of India.

Friends, changing the thought process of government are herculean task and we all need to remain united. Association has decided to start a social media campaign also for the same so that government can ensure the long term survival of BSNL by considering the request of its employees.

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