KEY
NOTE ADDRESS
BY GENERAL
SECRETARY, TEAM IN THE OPEN SESSION ON 11/04/2008
Hon’ble Chief
guest of this session S/Shri. Kuldeep Singh Director (Tech) and
holding charge of CMD MTNL, guests of honours Shri. S.P. Pachauri
Director (HR) MTNL. Smt. Anita Soni Director (Fin) MTNL, MTNL, Shri.
A.K. Arora E.D MTNL Delhi and other senior officers, Shri. N.
Chandrasekaran President TEAM, Shri.M.K. Bagchi founder General
Secretary TEAM, Shri. Prahlad Rai GS AIBSNL EA,
Shri.K.Satyanarayana President AIBSNL EA, Shri.G.L.Jogi G.S. SNEA,
Shri. Upadhyay GS MTNL Mazdoor Sangh, Press personnel and other
invitees and all our member officers present here :
I on behalf of
TEAM and Executive Committee members welcome you all once again to
this open session. We are all delighted to have the distinguished
guests among us on this important occasion. We are all aware that
our guests and other invitees have spared their valuable time to
attend this meeting. We are sincerely thankful to them for their
such gestures.
Yesterday we had
thorough deliberations in our Representative Council Meeting
regarding issues relating to growth of MTNL and service matters. I
would like to share, in brief, the view points that emerged out of
the deliberations.
1.
Revenues and profits of MTNL
:-
It is a paradox that the growth of telecom
industry is at rapid pace but the growth of MTNL is almost stagnant.
While the top line and bottom line of other private operators are
soaring why there is downslide in MTNL? Some of the useful
suggestions that emerged in the deliberations are as under:-
1.1 Expansion of
customer base:-
1.1.1
A
large number of new buildings that have come up in the recent years
are to be covered with land line network to prevent the prospective
customers going to the competitors fold.
1.1.2
In
broadband there is always a wide gap between the capacity and
demand. The capacity is to be augmented on war footing to meet the
demands.
1.1.3
Quality handsets at attractive price with low entry cost will help
to improve the customer base in CDMA.
1.1.4
Enhancing the quality and coverage of GSM and CDMA net work will
certainly lead to mass expansion of the customer base in wireless.
1.2 Are we ready
to offer new technology services ?:-
The private
operators are set to launch 3G services within six months of
allotment of spectrum. The 3G services will enable faster downloads
in wireless. So there is a threat to our landline broadband. MTNL
needs to be ahead of its competitors in offering the new technology
services.
1.3 Tapping of
all revenue streams :-
In GSM there is
a vast scope for generation of more revenues. GPRS roaming, EDGE
data cord, mobile connect USB modem, Mobile data VPN, fixed terminal
GSM PCO, GSM CCB PCO, GSM calling cards for STD and ISD, home
calling cards for use while roaming out of India etc., are some of
the untapped revenue streams. These revenue streams are to be tapped
early to increase the revenue.
1.4
Effective employment of all the assets :-
Land, Buildings,
A&P, cables, and experienced work force are our assets. All these
assets are to be gainfully employed to fetch additional revenue.
There are vacant lands and large vacant spaces in buildings. These
spaces are to be commercially exploited to get hundreds of crores
additional revenues every year. Formation of a special task force
will speed up to achieve this objective. Commercial hoarding in
Sanchar Ghats/other buildings, commercial advertisements in the
telephone bills will also fetch additional revenue.
2. Convergent
billing:-
Heavy investment has been made in convergent
billing. As this project is getting delayed, doubts arise whether
this investment will yield the expected benefits. Close monitoring
and strict adherence to time schedule are required for successful
completion of this project.
3.. Merger of
MTNL and BSNL :-
A company with
pan India
presence has advantages to fight the competition. The synergies in
operations, improved customer services to big corporate houses
spread over the country, cost reduction in operations etc., are some
of the benefits of merger. The merger will prevent cartelization and
benefit the customers. It is pertinent to mention that Railways have
given orders to provide one lakh GSM connections to its employees
spread throughout India to a private operator. It seems Railways
have no confidence in the effective co-ordination between BSNL and
MTNL. We request MTNL Management to pass resolution in the Board and
to take up the issue of merger with the Government.
4. Pension
Issue:-
Our demand of
pension payment by Government is pending for last eight years. We
request MTNL to pursue the issue vigorously with the DOT.
5. Merger of 50%
of DA with pay:-
The DPE has
issued the orders for merger of 50% of DA with pay. It is learnt
that BSNL has already recommended to DOT for merger. There is no
liquidity crunch in MTNL. Recently IT refund of about 1395 crores
have been received. Therefore we request for DA merger immediately.
6. Recognition
of TEAM :-
TEAM has been
formed by merging various recognized Associations of DoT. However
MTNL is not extending the facilities to TEAM. We request that all
the facilities that were given by the DOT should be extended to
TEAM.
7. Promotion
Policy :-
7.1 Relaxation
of training condition for drawal of next increment is required.
7.2 Recruitment
rules are to be framed for all the cadres for conduct of DPCs for
post based promotions.
7.3
Regularization of adhoc promotions in E-5 grade.
7.4 Grant of pay
scales for looking after arrangement in E-6.
7.5 The time
bound policy is not meeting the aspirations of the executives.
Weightage for past services and reduction in the span are to be
considered.
8. Restructuring
of Hindi officer cadres in pending for a long time. An early
solution is requested.
9. Other HR
issues:-
Sir resolutions
have been passed in regarding other HR issues and submitted
separately. I request the Management to consider these issues
favourably.
10. Conclusion
:-
We are extremely
thankful to all the Directors for gracing this occasion and for
giving patient hearing. The morale of the officers of MTNL Mumbai
and Delhi will be further strengthened when they hear your valuable
address.
With this
thanking you all once again, I conclude
Sd/-
11/04/2008
(A.K. KAUSHIK)
General Secretary |