NEW DELHI: The Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government Sunday assured the agitating employees of the state-run telecom operators Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited<\/a> (BSNL<\/a>) to address their pending demands as well as initiate steps to revive the telco.
The All India Unions and Associations of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (AUAB<\/a>) has called for a three-day strike starting Monday.
The department of telecom (DoT) reiterates that positive steps are being taken in respect of each of the demands, it said in a statement.
State-owned operator's groups represent nearly 100,000 workforce, and have been demanding benefits to executives under the third Pay Revision Committee (PRC) with 15% fitment and to non-executives as per the eighth wage negotiations with effect from January 2017, in addition to the revision of pension for BSNL retirees and delinking it with pay revision.
The BSNL staffers were also demanding allocation of fourth-generation or 4G<\/a> spectrum to the company which according to them would help it to compete with rivals in the hyper-competitive telecom market.
The Digital Communications Commission (DCC), the highest decision-making body the telecom sector in its February 2019 decision has referred the 4G spectrum allocation to BSNL to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai).
The commission has sought views on the administrative allocation, quantum, price and appropriate frequency band.
\"Further action (on 4G airwaves) will be taken on receipt of the said recommendation,\" DoT in a statement added.
The department further said that a comprehensive proposal for revival of BSNL has been prepared, which according to it would be taken up for consideration by competent authorities very soon.
The government has also formed a coordination committee comprising of senior officers of the DoT, BSNL management, and representatives of AUAB, and urged the employees not to resort to any agitational program at the critical juncture.
The Centre expects that the BSNL employees and officers would not go on strike at a time when the fourth-largest telco was striving to protect customer-base and revenue by providing uninterrupted and high-quality services.
However, Anupam Shrivastava-headed telco has already been engaged in efforts to protect and enhance market-share in the wake of the disruptive foray of billionaire Mukesh Ambani-controlled Reliance Jio<\/a>, and is also working aggressively to increase its enterprise business.
BSNL had nearly 110 million wireless subscribers as of December 2018.
Some of the government's ambitious telecom connectivity programs such as in the Northeast including across Indo-China border, and in areas affected by left wing extremism (LWE) being undertaken by the state-driven telco having potential to boost its revenue are, however, yet to get department's nod.
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