7th Pay Commission: BSNL employees seek wage revision; management assures festival advance in 2 months
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) employees have raised demands for wage revision, higher retirement benefits, revised allowances, and the restoration of festival advances at the 41st National Council meeting held on 9 October 2026.
The meeting addressed pending issues raised by the Staff Side, representing employees and recognised unions, and the responses of BSNL management.
The Staff Side expressed concern over the delay in implementing the non-executive wage revision agreement signed by BSNL management and recognised unions on October 8, 2025.
The BSNL Board recommended the agreement to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) on February 12, 2026, for government approval, but the matter remains pending.
According to the circular, “the management stated that meetings were being held between officials of the DoT and BSNL to expedite the settlement.”
The Staff Side demanded that wages of casual labourers be revised in line with the 7th Central Pay Commission (CPC) pay scales and that their long-pending wage-related issues be resolved.
The management stated that “the matter would be looked into”, but did not announce a timeline for the revision.
The Staff Side reiterated its demand to raise the contribution towards Superannuation Benefits (SAB), which provide retirement-related benefits to BSNL-recruited employees.
It sought implementation of the 2nd Pay Revision Committee (PRC) recommendation of 30% of basic pay plus dearness allowance (DA), against the current contribution of 25.1%.
The Staff Side said the 4.9-percentage-point shortfall should be eliminated to protect employees’ retirement benefits, including those of non-executives.
The management stated that “the matter was under examination” and that the contribution might be increased in phases. The file was with the Management Committee.
The Staff Side also sought the extension of ex-gratia and Non-Executive Promotion Policy (NEPP) benefits to certain retired employees. The management said the matter would be examined.
The Staff Side demanded revision of house rent allowance (HRA), overtime allowance, transport allowance, scholarships and other outdated allowances in view of the implementation of the 3rd PRC (Pay Revision Committee). It also sought representation for the recognised union on the committee examining the demands.
The management agreed to include a union representative in the committee, although its position on revising several allowances remained unfavourable.
On festival advances, the management stated that the facility would be resumed “within the next one to two months”, subject to the necessary provision being made in the SAP system.
The Staff Side demanded mobile handset reimbursement for all non-executive cadres, citing the requirement to mark attendance online using smartphones. Although the Management Committee had accepted the demand, the BSNL Board had not approved it. The Management said the proposal would be reconsidered after a review.
Other demands included special incentives for employees posted in Kashmir Valley, a review of staff strength in hilly and remote circles, and special arrangements for departmental competitive examinations where vacancies are limited.
The Staff Side also raised pending promotion cases involving sportspersons, the resumption of sports activities, transfers under existing policies, and retirement benefits for employees whose caste certificates are awaiting verification. The management said several of these matters would be examined.
Separately, the management assured the Staff Side that the 10th membership verification process would be conducted by the end of December 2026.
Sheetal Goel is a Content Producer at Livemint, where she covers corporate developments, personal finance, business trends, markets, and SEBI-related updates. She focuses on simplifying complex financial concepts and presenting them in a clear, reader-friendly manner, thereby helping audiences better understand investment trends, personal finance, and market developments. Her writing focuses on making finance more accessible to everyday readers while maintaining clarity, accuracy, and relevance. <br><br> She holds a degree in Economics (Hons.) along with an MBA in Finance, which has helped her develop a strong foundation in financial analysis, market understanding, and business reporting. Before joining journalism, she worked with finance and broking firms, where she closely followed market developments, investment strategies, and evolving industry trends. This practical exposure strengthened her understanding of financial markets. She has also written content across multiple formats and platforms, including YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram. <br><br> Over time, she has developed expertise in covering market-linked stories, investor-focused topics, and regulatory updates in a simplified yet informative style. She also enjoys reading and listening to Hindi poetry, reflecting her appreciation for literature and creative expression beyond the world of markets and numbers.
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