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Our Bureau

New Delhi , Nov 21

THE Indian Telecom Service Association (ITSA) today claimed that the Government has lost over Rs 2,000 crore due to the `inefficient' and `inept' management by the Department of Telecom in absorbing 2000 Group A officers on deputation in BSNL and MTNL.

The loss has been pegged on account of delays of new projects and deteriorating network management as result of recalling the telecom officers by DoT.

ITSA said that the total financial loss to Government in October was Rs 2,124 crore on account of the withdrawal of officers, out of which the losses to BSNL amounted to Rs 1,684 crore and Rs 440 crore to MTNL. BSNL lost business worth Rs 1,564 crore due to new projects delay, the President of ITSA, Mr S.S. Sirohi, said at a press conference where a study done by the association on the absorption process of Group A officers was released.

ITSA said the delay in the big ticket 60 million GSM cellular line tender of BSNL, which otherwise would have made the PSU the number one mobile company ahead of private competitors, was likely to result in a loss of about Rs 600 crore. The calculations have been made on the basis of an approximate 50 lakh new subscribers, at an average revenue per user of Rs 400 spread over three years.

Mr Sirohi said the Cabinet was misinformed on the issue by DoT when stakeholders, including ITSA, were not consulted on the compensation package. "We are for absorption. Our demand is parity in pay scale, pension and promotion after we are absorbed into the PSUs with our current structure. We want protection of our existing service conditions," Mr Sirohi said.

ITSA claimed that BSNL has suffered a loss of Rs 100 crore due to re-scheduled commissioning of projects in capacity expansion at East, West and South Zone. On broadband too, the PSU is suffering a drop of 1,500 customers a day.

"Gradual deterioration in services and efficiency of network operations and maintenance has affected BSNL/MTNL's credibility among leased line and high value wireline and wireless customers. Private operators made the most of the festive season as BSNL failed to offer any such package to customers in Diwali," Mr Sirohi said.

Earlier, DoT had withdrawn about 1,300 Group-A cadre based officers after their deemed deputation in MTNL/BSNL came to an end on October 15.

The Group-A telecom officers had approached CAT challenging DoT's decision to withdraw these officers and put them in the surplus cell.

On October 31, Central Administrative Tribunal directed the Government to give another four weeks to 1,300 Group A officers to exercise their option to get absorbed in MTNL or BSNL.

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