The government has lost Rs 2,000 crore (Rs 20 billion) in just over a month after 1,300 group A officers, who constitute the top management and technical cadre in telecom giants BSNL and MTNL, rejected the ''inferior'' absorption offer by the department of telecom into the two state-owned companies.
Since these officers constitute the level of CGMs, GMs, and DGMs, many units of these organisations were left directionless leading to utter chaos, Indian Telecom Officers Association president S S Sirohi said.
''Many of these officers are holding posts equivalent to the rank of additional secretary to the government of India,'' Sirohi said.
He said work in the corporate officers of BSNL/MTNL came to a complete standstill and work on various projects worth Rs 30,000 crore (Rs 300 billion) including the mega tender for 60 million GSM lines worth Rs 20,000 crore (Rs 200 billion) have suffered, Sirohi added.
Also hit are other projects including two million broadband multi-play broadband tender, new technology Tax tender, Broadband multiplay tender worth Rs 1,700 crore (Rs 17 billion), STM 1/4/16 next generation SDH tender, the IP-TAX tender for VOIP, CDR billing and CRM tenders etc, he said.
Since October 18, the two telecom PSUs have been working without these top level officers and have been 'managing' with group B officials.
Out of a total 2,200 officers in Group A, 1,300 are not working since October 18 as they have rejected the government offer of absorption into BSNL and MTNL stating that the terms and conditions are inferior with a 11 per cent decrease in salaries.
There is also the prospect of bleak promotional avenues. These officers have therefore rejected the offer as the terms and conditions are inferior to existing service conditions in government and prefer to work in BSNL/MTNL on deputation basis.
The remaining 900 officers have held onto their offices only by way of a stay from various courts.
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