NEW DELHI: With state-run telecom major BSNL having rolled out its VRS offer to all employees above 50 years this week, the company’s chairman and managing director P K Purwar said on Friday that over 40,000 employees of the cash-strapped telco have opted for the package. “Of this 26,000 are from Group C. The response had been good across all cadres,” Purwar told reporters, adding about one lakh BSNL employees are eligible for the VRS of its total staff strength of over 1.6 lakh.
The scheme will be open for the taking until December 3. Purwar had said earlier this week that the firm expects about 70,000-80,000 employees to opt for the package. Meanwhile, in what could come as a relief to stressed telecom firms, reports say the department of telecom is considering a proposal to cut spectrum reserve prices by up to 50 per cent.
The move would be a shot in the arm to telecom firms like Airtel and Vodafone Idea, who are already looking for relief from an SC judgement which directed them to pay Rs 92,640 crore in license fee dues, penalties and interest to the government within three months. The Digital Communications Commission is likely to take up the proposal in next meeting.