Khammam: BSNL staff hold stir, want Central government to give 4G licence

Khammam: The employees of BSNL went on a three-day strike on Monday, not for a salary hike, but to express their ire against the Central government on weakening the institution by encouraging private telecom operators. The demanded that the government issue 4G licence to BSNL.

BSNL employees JAC chairman Erla Jaganmohan Reddy said that BSNL had been requesting the central government to allocate 4G spectrum for the last two years, but nothing happened. “BSNL is offering landline and broadband services at the cheapest of prices. The institution wants government encouragement to go ahead,” he said, adding that private telecom companies like Reliance Jio was “being encouraged on all aspects”. He said that the technology was changing everyday and 4G spectrum was a must for BSNL to extend fast services to people.

In another context, he said that the Centre was also not executing the third pay revision committee recommendations, which were due from 2017.