Let austeriity begiin from the top
The counttrry iis grratteffull tto Shrrii Prranab Mukherrjjee,, Hon’’blle Fiinance Miiniistterr,, who has
kiicked offff a debatte on tthe austterriitty measurres tto be ffollllowed by tthe miiniistterrs,, MPs and
ottherr hiigh offffiiciialls.. He iis nott onlly prreachiing,, butt allso prracttiiciing.. A ffew days ago,, Shrrii
Prranab Mukherrjjee fflliied iin tthe economy cllass off a commerrciiall fflliightt,, even tthough a
speciiall charrtted pllane was waiittiing tto carrrry hiim..
Ottherr VIIPs lliike smtt.. Soniia Gandhii,, shrrii Sharrad Pawarr ettc..,, have allso sttarrtted ffllyiing by
economy cllass.. Nott onlly iin tthe case off ttrravelliing,, butt iin allll ottherr rrespectts allso,, tthe
polliittiiciians and burreaucrratts off tthe counttrry shoulld ffollllow austterriitty.. Thiis iis essenttiiall siince
ourrs iis a counttrry,, wherre miilllliions arre lleadiing a ““hand tto moutth”” surrviivall..
Shrrii Prranab Mukherrjjee has allso sett a verry good examplle fforr tthe BSNL managementt..
The ttop BSNL offffiicerrs offtten ttallk aboutt tthe ““severre ffiinanciiall posiittiion”” off tthe company..
Much can be done tto sallvage tthe company,, iiff tthe managementt allso sttarrtts ffollllowiing
austterriitty measurres.. We wantt tthe ttop managementt off tthe company tto make some sellff
iinttrrospecttiion iin rrespectt off ttheiirr osttenttattiious expendiitturres.. BSNLEU has ttaken up a
numberr off cases iinvollviing wastteffull expendiitturres by tthe ttop offffiicerrs off BSNL..
Diirrecttorrs off BSNL Boarrd fflly by ffiirrstt cllass,, when tthey go on fforreiign ttourrs.. The ffarre off a
ffiirrstt cllass ttiickett iis 16 ttiimes tthatt off an economy cllass.. Heads off Ciirrclles confferrences arre
beiing helld iin 5 sttarr hottells.. How much money can be saved iiff tthiis iis avoiided? Recenttlly,,
tthe Diirrecttorrs off BSNL Boarrd have acquiirred new Honda ciitty carrs fforr tthemsellves..
Siimiillarrlly,, tthe CGM rrank offffiicerrs have acquiirred Marruttii SX4 carrs fforr tthemsellves.. Arre
tthese lluxurriies necessarry when tthe company iis iin tthe brriink off makiing lloss?
A fforrmerr CMD off BSNL rrettiirred on 31st Jully,, 2007.. IIn tthe ffiirrstt week off tthe same montth
ii..e..,, Jully 2007,, he purrchased ffurrniitturre fforr hiis rresiidence fforr morre tthan Rs.. 1 llakh.. Whatt
was tthe urrgency? Onlly one rreason.. He coulld ttake away tthe enttiirre ffurrniitturre,, when he
rrettiirres on 31st Jully,, by payiing onlly 30% off tthe prriice.. Unfforrttunattelly,, tthese arre tthe peoplle
who giive us llectturres as tto how tto save tthe company.. Lett austterriitty sttarrtt iin BSNL..