Fifteen employees' unions of state-run telecom behemoth BSNL on Wednesday threatened to go on agitation against the Sam Pitroda panel's recommendations for the company's listing, massive voluntary retirement scheme and scrapping of its Rs 35,000 crore (Rs 350 billion) expansion plans.
The prime minister's directive comes in the wake of telecom minister A Raja seeking his intervention for early resolution of BSNL's tender controversy.
A committee headed by Sam Pitroda, advisor to the Prime Minister, has suggested that state-run telecom major Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd should retire or transfer about 100,000 of its employees through measures such as a voluntary retirement scheme. This is a third of BSNL's total employee strength, of 300,000 across the country.To improve organisational performance and employee productivity substantially, BSNL should induct young talent in all spaces.
The recommendations include divestment of 30 per cent government equity in BSNL, reducing the company's workforce by a third, and cancelling the telecom equipment order for 93 million GSM lines, replacing it with network outsourcing deals.
Key proposals not feasible for BSNL, says telecom official.
A committee headed by Sam Pitroda, advisor to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, suggested that state-run telecom major Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd scrap its controversial 93-million GSM lines tender.The committee said BSNL should change its method of growth from outright purchase of equipment to lease arrangement. The vendor who would supply the equipment should be responsible for installation, maintenance and operations, besides future expansion.
Subject to Union government approval, the board of state-owned telecom company Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd on Thursday cleared a proposal for the divestment of 30 per cent government equity in it, as suggested by a committee set up under Sam Pitroda, the prime minister's telecom and infrastructure advisor.
An attempt is to be made over the next month to get over the opposition of staff unions to the Pitroda Committee recommendations on the revamp of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL), the state telecom network outside Mumbai and Delhi.
This will push the size of the division to 25,000. Pitroda panel had suggested BSNL to cut staff strength by 100,000.
Polling is scheduled in all 20 seats of Kerala, 14 of the 28 seats in Karnataka, 13 seats in Rajasthan, eight seats each in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, six seats in Madhya Pradesh, five seats each in Assam and Bihar, three seats each in Chhattisgarh and West Bengal, and one seat each in Manipur, Tripura and Jammu and Kashmir.
In the first such initiative, the Bharatiya Janata Party has invited the ruling and Opposition parties from around the world to witness the Lok Sabha elections in India first-hand.
Party chief Rahul Gandhi formed a nine-member Core Group Committee, a 19-member Manifesto Committee and a committee comprising 19 top party leaders who will look after the publicity during the elections.
National Knowledge Commission has recommended enactment of a legislation that would give universities and research institutions ownership and patent rights over inventions from government-funded research.
A high-level committee set up to suggest a blue print for modernisation of cash-strapped railways will submit its report shortly, said its chief Sam Pitroda while dismissing report of having recommended 25 per cent hike in passenger fares linking it to inflation.
After winding up all the 19 consultative groups set up for Mid-Term Appraisal of the Tenth Plan, the Planning Commission is carrying out consultations with outside experts as well as chief ministers for their inputs on the issue.
The board will now be headed by Vinod Kumar Yadav as chairman and CEO, and it will have four other members.
The Sam Pitroda Committee, set up by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to devise methods to revive BSNL, has recommended rationalisation of 300,000 staff of BSNL to stem human resource costs.
Within hours of going on indefinite strike, the employee unions of BSNL on Tuesday called off the protest after the government assured that the issue of disinvestment in the telecom PSU will be referred to a Group of Ministers.
The party managed only 52 seats on its own and many of its top leadership, including Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and Jyotiraditya Scindia were defeated in the polls.
Modi has the ideas for a new, hopeful India, and an idiom in which to sell optimism to voters. But he doesn't yet have the team for it, and soon enough, questions will begin to be asked by an impatient, non-ideological, I-don't-owe-anybody-anything generation of Indian voters, says Shekar Gupta.
Parekh said divestment can unlock huge funds.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances