Govt trying to revive BSNL, MTNL, make them profressional

Efforts are on to revive public sector BSNL and MTNL and make m professional, government informed Rajya Sabha on Thursday while ting that Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) for existing employees is receiving an encouraging response.

Communications minister Ravi Shankar Pras said a total of 79,000 employees of BSNL and 14,000 out of 20,000 employees of MTNL have applied for VRS scheme which government has come out with to reduce employee cost in se PSUs which is currently very high as compared to industry.

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"BSNL and MTNL are strategic assets for country and in case of earthquake, cyclone or defence purposes y come forward proactively to help citizens. refore, we have decided to revive m," he told Rajya Sabha. "We want to revive m and make m professional," he said. "Till date, 79,000 people have applied for VRS in BSNL and 14,000 out of total 20,000 employees in MTNL have applied for VRS. We will ensure that y get best VRS pack," he said.

Replying to supplementaries, minister said Cabinet in its meeting on October 23, 2019, approved revival plan for BSNL which includes measures to reduce staff cost by offering Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) to employees of 50 years and above. "Accordingly, BSNL has launched 'BSNL Voluntary Retirement Scheme-2019' on vember 4, 2019, which is open till December 3, 2019," he said in his written reply.

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Pras said employee cost in BSNL was 75.06 percent while that in MTNL was 87.15 per cent, against 2.95 percent for Airtel, 5.59 percent for Vodafone and 4.27 percent for Jio and government have come out with an attractive VRS pack. On wher government will pay dues of contractual employees in BSNL/MTNL, minister said "as far as contract employees are concerned, y are employees of contractor and  obligation to pay salaries is that of contractor."

To a question on Ministry pruning 30 percent of contract staff in BSNL to dress financial problems, Pras said Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) outsources specific works to contractors who eng contract workers for said works. In view of strained financial condition, BSNL decided to implement various austerity measures which include reducing expenditure for different outsourcing works, he said, ding that se include works for house-keeping, security and certain repair and maintenance works.

On revising for VRS, Pras said "though government has taken decision, option is open". "My stress is to revive BSNL/MTNL and efforts are on to revive m first," he said. minister also said 4G services have also been given to BSNL to make m competent. "We will walk an extra mile to make BSNL competitive".

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