Huge response to BSNLs Voluntary Retirement Scheme in Nizamabad

Nizamabad: Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) drew flak from employee unions when it announced a Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) earlier. But when the BSNL announced the VRS again on October 23, which will come into effect from November 5, more number of employees are opting to take voluntary retirement this time. The last date for submitting applications is December 3.

BSNL has notified a voluntary retirement scheme days after the government approved its merger with MTNL. According to the BSNL VRS – 2019, all regular and permanent BSNL employees aged 50 years or more, including those on deputation to other organisation or posted outside BSNL on deputation basis, are eligible to avail VRS. The employees, who opt for voluntary retirement, will receive 35 days salary for each completed year of service and 25 days of salary for every year of service left till superannuation.

There are about 423 employees working in BSNL, Nizamabad. Of this, 259 are eligible (aged above 50 years). But as many as 314 employees had applied for the VRS and 109 have remained.

Irregular salary payments is one reason for their interest in taking VRS besides lured by the retirement benefits. More applications were already submitted till date though the deadline is December 3 and there are chances for many more to follow the queue.

Leaders of employee unions were furious and alleged that the Central government is trying to privatize BSNL, which has been providing services in rural areas without expecting any profits. The BSNL is not paying salaries to its employees regularly for the past one year and burdening the present staff with work without filling the vacancies, they pointed out.

They also criticised that there was severe delay in giving permission to BSNL to introduce 4G services and in providing latest equipment when other private companies are racing ahead with 3G and 4G services. They felt that the charges for internet services were lowered as the BSNL worked in competition with private operators. But they hoped that call charges and rates of internet services may raise again.

When all the private companies had limited themselves to cities and those areas with a greater number of customers, the BSNL had set up cell towers in villages with only four connections and provided services to landline and mobile phones.

According to sources, in Nizamabad and Kamareddy districts there are 73 BSNL telephone exchanges; 9,410 landline phones; 4,469 broadband connections; 273 2G cell towers, 172 3G and 3 4G cell towers; 2,74,315 pre-paid customers; 1,263 post-paid

users; 664 leased lines; 103 WiFi HotSpot connections; and 19 customer service centres.