VISAKHAPATNAM: CITU has extended its support to strike by BSNL executives and non-executives on Thursday opposing the proposal to form a subsidiary for its cell towers.
Stating that the Minister for Communications had sent a note to the Cabinet and if implemented the move would further weaken BSNL, CITU State president Ch. Narsinga Rao said by sharing its cell towers BSNL increased revenue by 45 per cent last year.
BSNL had 65,000 cell towers and if a subsidiary was formed, it had to pay rent to the towers causing loss, he said. The forming of a subsidiary was a part of the BJP government’s plans to weaken the public sector in spite of BSNL employees working without bonus for the last seven years.
Accusing the UPA and the NDA governments of favouring telecom companies since 1999, Mr. Narsinga Rao said slashing licence fee for private companies resulted in a loss of Rs.43,523 crore to the exchequer. BSNL was at a disadvantage when private companies were allowed into national long distance calling, he alleged. The Manmohan Singh Committee caused a loss of Rs.1.76 lakh crore in the allotment of 2G spectrum at throwaway rate. Justice Shivraj Patil Committee said the Vajpayee government allotted additional spectrum thrice irregularly to private players.
The Central government was also responsible for BSNL’s slide to fifth place among telecom companies by delaying sale of equipment for expansion of mobile services, Mr. Narsinga Rao said.
The Narendra Modi government allowing 100 per cent FDI in telecom sector was also detrimental to BSNL, he said demanding framing of policies to help the public sector but not the private sector.
