BSNL to Reportedly Lay Off Over 54,000 Employees Post Elections

The BSNL board has approved nine of the 10 suggestions given by the expert panel set up by the government.

(Photo: Reuters)

State-run telecom provider Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has approved a proposal of laying off close to 54,000 employees, but is waiting for the Lok Sabha elections to get over before making the final call, the Deccan Herald reported, citing sources in the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).

According to the report, the board has approved of nine of the 10 suggestions given by the expert panel set up by the government.

However, the layoff proposal is unlikely to be implemented until the elections are over as the officials are waiting for the new government to take a final call on this issue.

The report added that among the recommendations approved by the BSNL board, there is the plan to reduce the retirement age to 58 from the previous 60, a Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) for all employees above the age of 50 and expediting the allocation of 4G spectrum to BSNL.

These new decision, will see around 54,451 BSNL employees being laid off. The Deccan Herald reported that this is 31 percent of its workforce of 174,312 people.

The report added that the move to trim the retirement age itself will cut the employee count by 33,568 people.

The average age of BSNL employees is estimated to be above 55 years.

(With inputs from Deccan Herald.)