Raising the slogan of ‘Save Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL)’, telecom employees staged a dharna here on Tuesday suggesting methods to rejuvenate BSNL.
K. Subramaniam, Assistant Secretary of BSNL Employees Union (Tamil Nadu circle), told The Hindu that the Government should allocate spectrum free of cost to BSNL and also return the huge amount which was levied as spectrum charges for Broadband Wireless Access services from BSNL.
Unless the government gives logistical and organisational support, it will be very difficult for BSNL to stay afloat in the telecom sector which presently experiences tough competition, he said.
The Union and State Governments were urged to compulsorily utilise the telecom services extended by BSNL in various government departments and public sector undertakings.
Mr. Subramaniam said BSNL had pioneered rural telephony networks even though the services given to remote areas as a social obligation eventually resulted in the organisation incurring losses.
Losses sustained by extending rural services should be compensated from the Universal Social Obligation Fund, he added. The employees also opposed the move to constitute a separate organisation to control the mobile phone towers operated by BSNL.
Government urged to give logistical and organisational support to BSNL
