Sri Vijaya Puram, May 25: The 8th Andaman and Nicobar Circle Conference of the BSNL Employees Union was held at Sun Sea Resort, Port Blair on 24th May, 2026. In the inaugural session, the Conference was inaugurated by M. Vijayakumar, All India President of BSNL Employees Union. Speaking on the occasion, he briefly explained the ongoing war in the gulf region and the disastrous consequences on the poor people in the country. Vijayakumar came down heavily on the Modi government for privatising public sector undertakings in the country one by one. He said that due to the wrong policies of the successive central government, the BSNL is now at the brink of collapse. He said that the wage revision of BSNL employees is due from 2017 onwards, but the central government is not taking any positive steps to go for the wage revision despite nation-wide joint agitation by employees and officers in the BSNL.
The Conference began with the hoisting of the Union’s flag by M. Vijayakumar, All India President which was followed paying floral tributes to martyrs at the specially erected Martyrs Memorial Column. In the Delegate Session, SP Kalairajan, Circle Secretary moved the condolence resolution. He also presented the working report on the functioning of the Union since its last Circle Conference held in September 2022. The Audited Accounts was presented by T. Abbas, Treasurer. M. Rajendran, Circle President, A&N Circle presided over the Delegate Session. Members participated in the discussion on the report which was subsequently adopted unanimously by the Delegate Session.
Chittaranjan Biswas, Asst Circle Secretary presented the resolutions on various demands of BSNL Employees, which were adopted by the session after discussion. A new Circle Committee with M. Rajendran as President, SP Kalairajan as Circle Secretary and Abdul Aziz as Treasurer was also elected in the Delegate Session.
In the Open Session of the Conference, Shri VS Ilanthirai, ITS, Chief General Manager, A & N Telecom Circle was the Chief Guest while B. Chandrachoodan, General secretary, CITU State Committee was the Guest of Honour. Addressing the Open Session, CGM assured that the demands raised by the members in the conference will be considered to the extent possible. He said that more attention will be paid for the overall telecommunication improvement and staff welfare in the A & N Telecom Circle in future.
Addressing the Open Session, M. Vijayakumar, All India President, dealt with the pending issues of the BSNL employees. Addressing the Conference, B. Chandrachoodan, General Secretary, CITU State Committee stressed the importance of united fight by the working class in the islands and called upon the BSNL employees to support the CITU in its fight against anti-labour policies of the Modi-government. Addressing the Conference, Shri G. Kumareshan, Dy General Manager, BSNL (Admn), A & N Telecom Circle appreciated the efforts made by two staff of BSNL now posted at Great Nicobar Island and Kamorta in rectifying the faults detected in the under-sea cable connection within a short period of time. I. Srinivasa, DGM (CFA), Shri Laxman Bahoth, AGM (Admn), Shri Sushil Kumar, EE (Electrical) and Shri Deepak Senapathy, EE (Civil) of A & N Telecom Circle also addressed the Open Session.
Terlok Singh, Brijesh Kumar Pandey, Ranjit Haldar and C. Gandhi Kumar, leaders of various trade unions in the BSNL also addressed the Conference.
Newly elected Circle Secretary SP Kalairajan proposed vote of thanks. Speaking on the occasion, he highlighted various pending local demands of the BSNL employees and hoped that the same will be resolved through negotiation with the BSNL A & N Circle Management. Members from almost all the outstations attended the Conference.