BSNL board receptive on layoff moves

The board of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), which met on Friday, has taken a receptive stance on the proposal of reducing retirement age and offering the voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) to its employees.

“The board was very receptive of the move in the meeting,” a highly-placed source within the company told DH.

A three-member expert committee, headed by Prof Rekha Jain of Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, had recommended for introduction of VRS and reduction in retirement age to 58 from the present 60 to BSNL employees along with eight other proposals. The move, if implemented, will leave over 54,000 BSNL employees jobless.