Payment of Wages to BSNL Contract workers

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS
DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2344
TO BE ANSWERED ON 16th MARCH, 2022

WAGES TO BSNL CONTRACT WORKERS

2344. SHRI S. VENKATESAN:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government is aware about non payment of Wages to BSNL Contract workers from 01 October 2020 in Tamilnadu Telecom Circle and if so, the details of the action taken for payment of wages to Contract workers ;

(b) the details of allotment of Funds from BSNL Corporate office to Tamilnadu Circle and the exact timeframe in which it is proposed to settle their pending wage claims;

(c) whether various works in BSNL have been outsourced and thousands of contract workers are working through approved contractors and if so, the details thereof; and

(d) whether the Government issues various instructions and orders for enforcement of Social Security Schemes like EPF, ESI to the outsourced, contract workers and if so, the details thereof?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS
(SHRI DEVUSINH CHAUHAN)

(a) to (c) Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) does not engage contract workers directly. However, various non-core activities like housekeeping, security, repair and maintenance in BSNL are performed through approved contractors, who in turn engage the contract workers. BSNL makes the payment to contractors on receipt of the bills from the concerned contractors as per availability of funds. The payment to the contract workers is made by the concerned contractors. At present 447 contract workers are working in Tamil Nadu circle for such activities.

BSNL Corporate Office has allotted fund amounting to Rs.82.33 Crores during 2021-22 (upto Feb 2022) to Tamil Nadu Circle for payment of such bills. In Tamil Nadu circle, all such bills received upto 30.11.2021 have been cleared.

(d) As a principal employer, BSNL follows the instructions/orders in respect of social security schemes such as EPF, ESI for the contract workers by framing the same in the tender clause as one of the tender conditions.

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