Urgent Request for Expediting Wage and Pension Revision for BSNL Employees and Pensioners as per 3rd PRC Recommendations- Secretary BPS writes

 No. BPS/Secy/BDPA (INDIA)/2024

Dated 12th June, 2024

To:
Hon’ble Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia,
Minister for Communications,
Sanchar Bhawan, Ashoka Road,
New Delhi 110001.

Subject: Urgent Request for Expediting Wage and Pension Revision for BSNL Employees and Pensioners as per 3rd PRC Recommendations

Respected Sir,

On behalf of the BSNL & DOT Pensioners Association (INDIA), Central Headquarters, Ahmedabad, we extend our heartiest congratulations to you on your appointment as the Minister of Communications, Government of India.

We are fully aware of the keen interest and substantial fiscal and technical assistance provided by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendrabhai to BSNL. This support has enabled BSNL to navigate the competitive environment and assure its customers of trouble-free services, resulting in the company recovering from its losses, as evidenced by recent reports.

We are confident that under your experienced leadership, BSNL will continue to grow rapidly, overcoming hurdles in its future plans, including the introduction of G-4 Technologies and the implementation of schemes to raise funds by disposing of surplus assets and land.

For the overall development of the company, the full dedication and involvement of the workers are crucial. In turn, the company must ensure that their dedication and enthusiasm are recognized and rewarded through appropriate fiscal benefits.

However, it is disheartening to note that despite its full constitutional justification, BSNL has not yet implemented the new pay scale as per the 3rd PRC. Thousands of workers are facing stagnation and frustration.

Our repeated representations to Hon’ble Prime Minister led to the constitution of a Wage Revision Committee, which nearly reached a settlement on the pay scale. Unfortunately, due to the apprehensions of the staff side that finalizing the agreement without other allowances would deprive them of monetary benefits, the talks were abandoned halfway. This non-settlement has resulted in depriving lakhs of BSNL pensioners of their pension revision due since 1st January 2017, causing significant distress and agony among them.

With no other option, we sought to have our voices heard by the DoT, as the 3rd PRC did not address our vital issues. A joint meeting of all pensioners and DoT was held in New Delhi on 17th October 2022. During this meeting, we were shown slides indicating that DoT is examining the possibilities of pension revision as per the 3rd PRC Recommendations, given that various judiciaries had rejected the possibility of pension revision as per the 7th CPC. The authorities proposed zero fitments, which were unanimously objected to by all the pensioners' associations present. We were assured of further positive examination of our demands.

The delay in settlement has provoked some pensioners' associations to seek legal remedies, leading to prolonged legal battles. The DoT is evidently not prepared to compromise, and now a contempt application is due for hearing on 3rd July 2024, with DoT’s appeal for a stay on the Pr. CAT Judgment scheduled for 12th July 2024.

We, therefore, request you to kindly expedite the wage revision as per the 3rd PRC Recommendations for Executive and Non-Executive Employees, providing the maximum fitment as promised by Hon’ble Ashwini Vaishnaw, MOC. Prioritizing the unanimous demand of the Executive and Non-Executive Working Employees Association/Pensioners will pave the way for the settlement of the long-awaited issue affecting lakhs of BSNL pensioners, as was done while implementing the 2nd PRC Recommendations.

With regards,

Yours Sincerely,

(D.D. Mistry)
Secretary, BPS

General Secretary BDPA Ahemadabad