GS AIGETOA has taken up the matter of releasing of the pending CAPEX and OPEX subsidies for 25000 Rural Wi-Fi Hotspot Project being run by BSNL under USOF. BSNL has successfully completed the target of the project as given by the USOF and raised the claim, which is awaited the payment. In the absence of the requisite payment of subsidies, it will be very difficult to run the prestigious project of rural Wi-Fi Hotspot in this financial stress of the organisation, which is very important to address digital divide of urban and rural population.
An unfortunate incident has taken place with one of our colleague at Barrack pore (BKP) Division of CTD Kolkata on 19.01.2021, which has shaken all of us. We strongly condemn the brutal attack on our executive and demand immediate action against the culprits and other suitable measures else the association will be forced to give a call to abstain from field works.
AIGETOA has reached out the CMD and Director (HR) BSNL and requested that if local authorities are not able to control the situation, they should intervene and ensure protection through Central Para military forces as BSNL is a Central PSU. We have apprised that in the absence of suitable confidence building measures and security arrangements, the association shall be constrained to give a call to all the cluster heads to work from home till suitable arrangements are made. It will not be possible to discharge duty in the field units in these life threatening circumstances.
The new Circle branch of A&N Circle formed on 15th Jan 2021 in a meeting held at Portblair where nearly 40 members have attended the meeting through online/offline mode. The members joined the association with inspiration from its dedication, vibrant platform and approach of inclusive growth towards all with a care for the organisation. On this occasion, whole AIBSNLEA circle team got merged with AIGETOA along with their members. It is important to note that AIGETOA has won the referendum with the support from executives of all streams and accordingly executives have started showing faith in the platform and coming forward to join AIGETOA.
The online meeting was attended by Shri Wasi Ahmad, GS-AIGETOA, Shri Laxman Banoth, Chairman-CHQ, Shri Badri Kumar Mehta VP-CHQ, Shri Ashok Acharya, JS(E), Shri Sridharbabu, JS(S) and Shri Veerabhadra Rao, CS-Telangana.
GS AIGETOA welcome all members and cleared all apprehensions and briefed about various HR issues and viability of BSNL. The Chairman and other CHQ members also welcomed and congratulate the newly joined members of A&N Circle. After this, new Adhoc body of AIGETOA A&N Circle was unanimously elected and Shri Brijesh Kumar Pandey, Shri R. Krishnappa and Shri Manjit Kumar Thakur were elected as CS, CP and CFS respectively. All participants of the meeting congratulated the new team.
Earlier, AIGETOA was having nine members in the circle but under the leadership of GS AIGETOA, our warriors like Shri Laxman Banoth, Shri Veerabhadra Rao, Shri Ashok Acharya and especially Shri Vijay Kumar SDE worked hard and led to the formation of AIGETOA body at A&N Circle. AIGETOA CHQ appreciates the efforts made by them and all others who helped to motivate the executives to come under AIGETOA umbrella.
Our AIP, Shri Ravi Shil Verma & GS, Wasi Ahmad extended heartily congratulations and welcomed the decision of Andoman and Nicobar Executives to form AIGETOA Circle body and assured for all help from the CHQ. They congratulated the new Circle body led by Shri. Brijesh Kumar Pandey CS and Shri. R. Krishnappa CP.
2nd Formal Agenda Meeting of AIGETOA with BSNL Management:
As per BSNL REA Rule-2014 the formal agenda meeting of Recognized Representative Executive Association has to be carried out once in a quarter to take the issues of the executives and policy decision with the BSNL Management. As the AIGETOA is the representative association and last meeting held on 15-09-2020 and four months have passed and so the association has written to the BSNL Management to hold the 2nd meeting immediately.
Clarification/amendment issued in BSNL MRS Policy:
In our agenda meeting with Director (HR), we have raised the discriminatory provision of BSNL MRS Policy, which were allowing the medical facility to the dependents of deceased employees only to those, who were earning family pension. This provision was creating hurdle in getting medical facilities to the dependents of deceased BSNL Recruited Employees as they are not governed by Govt Pension Scheme. We extend our thank to the Director(HR) and Sr GM(Admin) Shri A M Gupta Ji for issuing the clarification, which has brought uniformity for all employees in BSNL MRS Scheme applicability in case of demise of the employee.
AIGETOA deeply mourns the sad demise of Mother of Shri Arvind Vadnerkar, Director (HR) BSNL. We pray to god to bless the departed soul with eternal peace. May god provide the family with sufficient strength and courage to bear this irreparable loss.
GS AIGETOA has reached out to the CMD BSNL for releasing of Salary for the month of December-2020 without further delay especially in view of the upcoming festival of Pongal, Lohri, Makar Sankranti and Magh Bihu.
Today, BSNL Corporate Office issued instruction regarding non-posting of the office bearers of Executive Association as BA/Unit Head. GS AIGETOA has taken up this issue in Dec-2020 after getting various complaints from Circle Chapter of Kerala, MP, HP, Rajasthan, UP West and other Circles that the OBs of Executives Associations’ are being given charge of the BA and Unit in contravention to the guidelines issued by the BSNL CO and CVP New Delhi. Accordingly CHQ has pursued the matter with BSNL CO and these guidelines are issued . Circle Secretaries are requested to ensure that these guidelines are implemented in totality.
The case at Jabalpur was heard today and arguments were held. Detailed arguments took place and counsel from BSNL side as well as association side, both pleaded strongly for the vacation of Stay, however Honble tribunal posted the case for final hearing on 13th January 2021, stating that since we are placing it for a very short date and accordingly final hearing shall be held on 13th January 2021.
The opposite side also objected on the presence of AIGETOA and four individual applications as Intervenor and said that association side should not be made party. However, individual intervention applications have been accepted as party to the case and accordingly our senior counsel shall continue to argue in the case. Though the thought process and inclination of the whole arguments appeared tilted towards vacating the stay but since the case was posted for a very short date for Final orders on 13th January 2021, the interim relief remains continued.
However, the applicants who are representing mostly one particular association and are working duly under the supervision of one of their prime CHQ office bearers have submitted their rejoinder yesterday in the late evening which was received by us around 11:45 PM. However we managed to send the counter matter to our counsel well in time by 3:30 AM for arguments. Since the stay has not been vacated from Jabalpur yet and the case has been posted for final arguments on 13th January 2021, we need to wait a little more despite completion of all preparatory exercises and all preparedness for issuance of orders. Association shall be holding its emergency meeting tomorrow as decided earlier to discuss and decide on the next alternative course of action in view of the developments at Jabalpur.
We know and we can understand the anxiety on the part of suffering executives but sometimes destiny tests our patience and during these testing times, we need to be more composed, calm, focused and more perseverant.
Accordingly we request all to have faith and we will surely be overcoming this obstacle also very soon.
GS AIGETOA once again writes to the GM(Training for conduction of all online trrainign including the upcoming JTO Ph-II training to conduct through ONLINE MODE till March-2021 in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is not over yet. He requested for giving a direction to the CGM ALTTC Ghaziabad for conduction of all training through online till the fresh directive is not issued by BSNL CO New Delhi.