GS AIGETOA writes to the Hon’ble Minister of Communication Govt of India, Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad Ji for inclusion of BSNL fraternity in prioritized vaccine beneficiaries in initial phase, like other health or defense warriors, considering the contribution made by the BSNL warriors in the fight against Covid-19 and their sacrifice during course of their standing with the Nation and its People in one of the most difficult time.
He recalled that in the course of discharging responsibilities of a Telecom Warrior, high percentage of BSNL staffs and officers got infected with Covid-19 and many of them succumbed to the disease and attained supreme sacrifice. Now it is being reported that that the Covid-19 vaccine is getting ready and the government is in the process of prioritizing targeted vaccine beneficiaries. It has come to our knowledge from various media reports that recently NEGVAC (National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration) panel has recommended to the government that population groups comprising of healthcare providers & workers, personnel from state & central police, armed forces, home guards, civil defense & disaster management volunteers, municipal workers and persons above 50 yrs etc be identified as prioritized vaccine beneficiaries in initial phase. However, there is no clarity that BSNL workforce will also be identified as front line workers and made priority target population for the upcoming vaccination in first phase. It is being felt that the risks and sacrifices made by BSNL fraternity during the testing times of Covid-19 are getting unnoticed by the panel suggesting for prioritized target as initial vaccine beneficiaries. So, the General Secretary taken up the matter with the Hon’ble Minister and Department of telecom as well as Health & Family Welfare for inclusion of the BSNL Officials also in the first phase for the vaccination.