BSNL promises staff salaries before Diwali

NEW DELHI : With its employee unions threatening a day-long hunger strike on Friday over delayed salaries during the festival season, state-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) has said that it is hopeful of paying salaries to its 1.76 lakh employees for September before Diwali.

“We will give salaries to the employees before Diwali from our own resources on accruals. We generate ₹1,600 crore a month revenues from services,” BSNL chairman and MD P.K. Purwar told IANS.

BSNL’s per month salary payout is ₹850 crore. Though it generates about ₹1,600 crore per month in revenues, the amount is not enough to cover the wages as a major portion of the proceeds is required for operational expenses and statutory payments, sources said, adding that the PSU has been trying to raise funds from bank through government guarantees, which it is yet to get.