DoT sanctions Rs 52.78 billion to BSNL for ex-gratia payment to the employees who opted for VRS

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has sanctioned Rs 52.78 billion for the ex-gratia payment to the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) employees who have opted for the voluntary retirement scheme (VRS).

This development has come following a legal notice served by BSNL’s former employees to DoT and Department of Expenditure (DoE) citing a failure to release ex-gratia payment in two equal instalments of 50 per cent each. First instalment was supposed to be paid by March 31, 2020 and the second by June 30, 2020.

DoT has directed BSNL to make the payments for ex-gratia on or before July 31, 2020. Further, the directive to BSNL also noted that that this amount should be spent only on the payment of ex-gratia.

So far, the outplaced workforce of BSNL has received payment in two parts comprising 31.3 per cent and 22.5 per cent as against a 100 per cent ex-gratia disbursement envisaged by June 30, 2020 in two equal instalments.