ALL
UNIONS AND ASSOCIATIONS OF BSNL
No:
UA/2017/7
05.02.2018
To,
Shri
Narendra Modi ji,
Hon’ble
Prime Minister,
Government
of India
South
Block, Raisina Hill
New
Delhi - 110 011
Respected
Sir,
Sub: - Proposed merger of BSNL and MTNL - reg.
We, the unions and associations of BSNL, wish to submit the following for favour of your kind consideration.
It
is being reported by the media that the proposal for the merger of
MTNL with BSNL is under the active consideration of the government.
We learn that, the Management of MTNL is also sending a proposal to
the government, for it’s merger with BSNL. The unions and
associations of BSNL have already demanded that, the government
should fulfill certain conditions, before proceeding with the merger
of MTNL with BSNL.
However,
we are disappointed that the government has not considered the
demands of the unions and associations so far, but is proceeding with
the merger proposal. Under these circumstances, we once again
earnestly request you to kindly consider the following demands, so
that the merger of MTNL with BSNL does not become a catastrope for
BSNL.
-
MTNL should be delisted from the share market.
BSNL
is not a listed company, with the government controlling 100% of it’s
stake. At the same time, MTNL is listed in the share market, and
46.5% of it’s shares are already sold in the market. The BSNL
employees are having a genuine apprehension in their minds that, the
merger of BSNL and MTNL is being contemplated by the government, as a
prelude to start disinvestment / strategic sale in BSNL. Under these
circumstances, BSNL employees are strongly opposed to any merger of
MTNL with BSNL. Hence, we demand that the government should delist
MTNL first from the share market, before merger.
-
Government should take over the financial liability of MTNL.
MTNL
is having a huge financial liability. It’s asset value is very
less, compared to it’s financial liability. It is pertinent to
mention that the net worth of MTNL for the year 2016 – 17 is
Rs.(-)3,366 crore. BSNL’s financial position is too fragile to
absorb the huge financial liability that MTNL is having. Hence, it is
demanded that the government should take over the entire financial
liability of MTNL, before merger.
-
Government should provide financial assistance to BSNL to revamp the networks in MTNL areas.
MTNL
has not made any investment in the recent years, to strengthen it’s
networks. As a result, MTNL’s networks, both mobile and landline,
are in shambles. If MTNL is merged with BSNL, the latter has to
invest a huge amount, to revamp the networks. In the present
situation, BSNL is not having the wherewithal to make such huge
investment. As it was rightly pointed out by the then Hon’ble
Minister of Communications, shri Ravi Shankar Prasad ji, BSNL was not
allowed to procure equipments for it’s network expansions, during
the UPA regime. Only for the past three years, BSNL has started
making network expansions, and is heading towards it’s financial
revival. Under these circumstances, BSNL cannot afford to make big
investments to revamp the networks in MTNL areas. If sufficient
revamping of MTNL’s networks is not done expeditiously, the merger
will further weaken BSNL’s financial condition. Hence, it is
demanded that the government should provide sufficient financial
assistance to BSNL to revamp MTNL’s networks on a war foot measure.
-
Salary structure of the employees of BSNL and MTNL should be one on the same.
At
present, the salary structures of employees of BSNL and MTNL are
different. The pay scales of the MTNL employees are one step above.
If both the companies are to be merged, then the salary structure of
the employees of BSNL and MTNL should be made one and the same.
We
earnestly request you to kindly look into the issues raised above in
the proper perspective, and to sort them out, before any step is
taken in the direction of merger of BSNL and MTNL.
Thanking
you,
Copy
to: (1) Shri Manoj Sinha ji, Hon’ble Minster of State for
Communications, Sanchar Bhawan, New Delhi - 01
(2)
Shri Nripendra Mishra ji, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister,
PM Office, South Block, New Delhi - 01
(3)
Shri Pradeep Kumar Sinha, Cabinet Secretary, Government of India, PM
Office, South Block, New Delhi - 01
(4)
Ms. Aruna Sundararajan, Secretary, DoT, Sanchar Bhawan, 20, Ashoka
Road, New Delhi – 01
(5)
Shri N. Sivasailam, Additional Secretary, DoT, Sanchar Bhawan, 20,
Ashoka Road, New Delhi – 01
(6)
Shri Anupam Shrivastava, CMD BSNL, Bharat Sanchar Bhawan, New Delhi –
01
