By IANS,
New Delhi : Employees and executives of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) Tuesday called off their indefinite strike after the government assured them that plans for disinvestment in the telecom company will be referred to a group of ministers (GoM).
“The employees have been assured that the issue concerning disinvestment will be referred to a GoM. The GoM would consult before taking any decision in regard to disinvestment of BSNL,” Telecom Minister A. Raja told reporters.
The strike lasted for a few hours as the employees stopped work around 6 a.m. Tuesday at all BSNL offices in the country.
The employees unions are opposed to the BSNL management’s decision to accept the Sam Pitroda Committee report which has recommended a 30 percent divestment in the company and voluntary retirement for 100,000 employees.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had set up the Pitroda panel with HDFC chairman Deepak Parekh and Telecom Secretary P.J. Thomas as members to review the functioning of the company and suggest ways to improve its financial health.
The unions have also demanded to regularise 1,500 Indian Telecom Services (ITS) officers in the company who have been on deputation for the last 10 years. They feel this will make them accountable.
BSNL operates telecom services across the country other than Delhi and Mumbai, where state-run Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL) offers the services.