BSNL Employees Union: BSNL 4G implementation stopped due to vested interests

BSNL Employees Union (BSNL EU) backed Chinese companies, saying the implementation of 4G services is delayed and damaging the bsnl revival plans.

Communist Party affiliated Employee union (EU) Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) said that the delay in implementing BSNL 4G services is hampering the operator's recovery plans.

In support to Chinese companies Huwaei and ZTE, the BSNL Employees Union in their letter to the secretary of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) highlighted several problems, including the failure to implement the measures announced as part of the BSNL revival package.

In addition, BSNLEU said that BSNL management should address several key issues, including timely payment of wages to BSNL employees and reviewing non-executive wages. BSNL EU also said that management should create a single unit to manage BSNL's telephone factories in Mumbai, Calcutta and Jabalpur.

Recently RSS backed Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh affiliated Union Bharatiya Telecom Employees Union (BTEU BSNL) organized Nation wide agitation against Central Government anti-labor policies.

BSNLEU claims that vested interests block the launch of 4G

BSNLEU stated in the letter that the offer made by the operator to acquire 4G equipment "stopped because of the conspiracy traced by vested interests". Being a communist party affiliated union and recognized union in BSNL backed Chinese companies Huwaei and ZTE not to ban these companies to participate in 4G tender bidding.

Following the intense clash in the Ladakh valley in Galwan between Chinese and Indian troops, the Indian government is said to have told the DoT to rework the BSNL 4G tender.

The modified offer would prevent BSNL from supplying telecommunication equipment manufactured by Chinese companies. In addition, Niti Aayog, the government's group of political experts, is said to have suggested to BSNL to opt for indigenous products designed, developed and manufactured for its 4G network.

Niti Aayog's suggestion would not only ban Chinese sellers from bidding on BSNL, but would also ban European players such as Ericsson and Nokia.

At the end of March, BSNL launched a tender which requires suppliers to take care of the planning, engineering, supply, installation, testing, commissioning and annual maintenance of the 4G mobile network across India.

BSNL said that the bidders will handle 50,000 BSNL sites along with 7,000 MTNL sites located in the circles of Mumbai and Delhi. While the offer is currently active, BSNL has postponed the opening of the offer until 15 July.

"BSNL official not agreed on false statement made by communist party affiliated union that it a level playing field, against private operators, under the pretext of having BSNL implement the" Make in India policy".

The Indian government is required to immediately issue BSNL authorization to purchase 4G equipment, according to the offer already published, " said Communist union in their letter.

BSNLEU demands the government to implement Revival package

BSNLEU also noted that the government has not implemented measures other than the voluntary retirement scheme (VRS), even eight months after the announcement. The Indian government announced in October 2019 a relaunch package for BSNL which includes the deployment of 4G services and the issuance of a sovereign guarantee to BSNL to raise funds from the market.

"Almost 8 months have passed since the Indian government announced the BSNL revival package," said BSNLEU in its letter. "The government is required to take speedy measures to implement for revival of BSNL, as indicated in the reactivation package."

BSNLEU also asked BSNL management to take "immediate action" on 15 other lawsuits, including timely payment of wages and the creation of a single unit for its telecommunications factory.

BSNL employees were said, salary for the May month not to have been paid, while wages of contract workers have not been paid in the past year.