The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has instructed Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) to ensure business continuity and smooth transition, particularly for rural areas, as the current Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) plan is expected to cut BSNL’s staff by almost half.
As per DoT, the matter requires urgent focus, and meetings are being held to find a solution for ensuring that there is no impact on day-to-day manning of exchanges and other operations after the VRS plan concludes.
More than 60,000 employees of BSNL and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) combined have opted for VRS so far. Where, the number of BSNL’s VRS optees has crossed 57,000 employees.
As per the telecom ministry the response was unprecedented as government’s overall target stood at 94,000.
The government last month had approved a plum Rs 690 billion revival package for BSNL and MTNL. The ‘BSNL Voluntary Retirement Scheme – 2019’, will remain open till December 3, 2019.
