It is
likely that up to 54,000 employees of state-owned telecommunications
operator Bharat Sanchar Nigam (BSNL) lose their jobs as the company's
board of directors has accepted a proposal to lay off about 54,000
employees, a report Circulating online media Indiatimes.
The council is waiting for the elections to finish before making the final decision. The report quoted a source said that the BSNL council approved three of the 10 suggestions of a group of experts set up by the government during the March meeting.
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is unlikely to carry out the expulsion plan until the end of the elections.
'Announcing the VRS package or job reductions and the closure activities of the telecommunications company would have huge implications for employees and ongoing elections. DoT has decided to wait and watch,' the sources said.
The Board also approved BSNL recommendations on reducing the retirement age from the current 60 years to 58 years voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) for all employees aged 50 or older and accelerating the allocation of 4G spectrum to BSNL.
The decision on retirement age and VRS will release around 54,451 employees of BSNL, which represents 31% of the company's 174,312 employees.
The move to cut the retirement age to end only reducing the number of 33,568 employees and BSNL will save a total of Rs 13,895 crores over the next six years in the wage bill.
The average age of the BSNL workforce is estimated at over 55 years.
Both BSNL and MTNL were unable to pay salaries to their employees during the month of February. The two organizations have recently turned to the government to obtain financial support and solve previous problems, but the Center has not yet received any final reply.
The council is waiting for the elections to finish before making the final decision. The report quoted a source said that the BSNL council approved three of the 10 suggestions of a group of experts set up by the government during the March meeting.
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is unlikely to carry out the expulsion plan until the end of the elections.
'Announcing the VRS package or job reductions and the closure activities of the telecommunications company would have huge implications for employees and ongoing elections. DoT has decided to wait and watch,' the sources said.
The Board also approved BSNL recommendations on reducing the retirement age from the current 60 years to 58 years voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) for all employees aged 50 or older and accelerating the allocation of 4G spectrum to BSNL.
The decision on retirement age and VRS will release around 54,451 employees of BSNL, which represents 31% of the company's 174,312 employees.
The move to cut the retirement age to end only reducing the number of 33,568 employees and BSNL will save a total of Rs 13,895 crores over the next six years in the wage bill.
The average age of the BSNL workforce is estimated at over 55 years.
Both BSNL and MTNL were unable to pay salaries to their employees during the month of February. The two organizations have recently turned to the government to obtain financial support and solve previous problems, but the Center has not yet received any final reply.
