Union Communications Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw delivered one of the most forceful statements to the BSNL staff ever, warning them that while the government supports the corporation, it is now their responsibility to perform and turn things around within the next 24 months or take voluntary retirement (VRS).
On Thursday, Vaishnaw told chief general managers from operating service zones that the government had supported BSNL wholeheartedly and now demanded the same level of dedication from each of the 62,000 workers. Every month, I’ll track results and key performance indicators (KPI), and anyone who chooses not to work can take VRS at home.
The minister said, “perform or perish” will be the rule and the new normal, and those who hesitate to enrol in VRS risk being forced into retirement under the provisions of 56(J) of the law.
In order to strengthen the administration, the Fundamental Rule (FR) 56 56 (J)/(I) of the Central Government permits such a move following a periodic assessment.
He further stated that up to 70 Indian Railways officers had their employment terminated due to subpar performance.
“No administration could ever take the risk that Prime Minister Narendra Modi did when he introduced the rejuvenation package. While allowing for such a large package, we have taken into account factors like finances, revenue, balance sheets, and capital expenditures. All BSNL employees, across all departments, now bear a heavy burden “said Vaishnaw.
The minister made the following remarks in a 15.38-minute viral audio clip: “Only your labour, as BSNL employees, can save you because you work in a cutthroat field. We expect results within the next 24 months.”
In addition, he said, “you should swiftly answer client calls and deliver 100 times greater response than private telecom providers. We now want absolutely superb performance from every single worker.”
Vaishnaw further stated that telco workers should put in 24-hour shifts to hasten the deployment of the fourth generation (4G) network, and he made it clear that BSNL would exclusively use domestically produced tech.
The minister also warned staff members against harbouring “any old loyalties,” noting that the government is spending a lot of money on the project because it is a major public sector undertaking (PSU) operating in a strategic industry.
BSNL would have 20 crore 4G and 5G clients, according to Vaishnaw.
Start a 5G journey concurrently with 4G and begin radio network integration as soon as C-DoT (Centre for Development of Telematics) prepares its 5G core, the minister said.
He claims that because of its inherent limitations, Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) does not have much room for growth and that a separate exercise would be conducted to determine the best course of action.
In the metropolitan areas of Delhi and Mumbai, BSNL currently maintains MTNL’s mobile network.