Killing all hopes for more than 100,000 contract workers at BSNL, IT Minister has said that the salary for such contract workers is the responsibility of the contractor and not the Govt.
More than 100,000 contract workers from BSNL haven’t received their salaries since last 10 months.
Meamwhile, around 30% or 30,000 such contract workers will be fired in the coming days.
IT Minister: BSNL Contract Workers Salary Not Our Responsibility
During the Question Hour in Rajya Sabha, IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad was asked a question by Trinamool Congress (TMC) member Dola Sen, regarding the pending salaries of 100,000 contact workers from BSNL.
In reply, the Minister firmly stated that the salary of such BSNL contract workers is not their responsibility. The contractor who hired such workers, should pay the salaries.
The Minister said, “They are contract employees of the contractors who are given a work for a specific purpose, subject to renewal. We have no problem with that but the obligation to pay the dues of the workers is that of the contractors,”
In their defense, the contractors are stating that their payments are held up by BSNL, and hence, they are not able to pay the contractor’s salaries.
We have already reported that BSNL has frozen salaries of all contract workers, since they want to save money.
Hence, this is a vicious cycle of inefficiency, and lack of empathy from the Govt.
Last week, a BSNL contract employee having 30 years of experience with a BSNL exchange committed suicide, because his salary was not paid since last 10 months.
Who is responsible for such deaths?
We strongly believe that this is an unfair move by Govt., especially at a time when the ‘full time’ employees from BSNL are opting for VRS, and becoming millionaires.
Rs 74,000 crore has been allocated for the revival of a sick PSU unit, but no money to pay for the contract workers?
It is unfair.
Govt Will Fire 30,000 Contract Workers
Now, it is confirmed that Govt will fire 30,000 contract workers, which is 30% of the total contract workers’ strength.
Although Govt of India hasn’t mentioned this officially, but in Rajya Sabha, during the question hour, it become apparent.
When YSR Congress member Prabhakar Reddy Vemireddy asked IT Minister about the news that 30% of all contract workers will be fired, and whether 2500 have already been fired or not, then the Minister replied, “Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) has informed that it outsources specific works to contractors who engage contract workers for the said works. In view of the strained financial condition of the BSNL, BSNL decided to implement various austerity measures which include reducing expenditure for different outsourcing works. These works include house-keeping, security and certain repair and maintenance works,”
‘Various austerity measures’ translates into firing, and that too without any salary.
We will keep you updated, as we receive more updates.
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