PW Bureau
According to sources, they have taken bank credit, furnished bank guarantees (BG) as well as moved locally-made equipment to some sites, but there is no work at the project
New Delhi: The stalling of a project started by the government way back in 2014 to connect uncovered villages has resulted in a delay in salaries at equipment vendors of state-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL). Two firms that had won gear supply contracts from BSNL for the ambitious telecom connectivity project, Vihaan Networks Ltd (VNL) and Himachal Futuristic Communications Ltd (HFCL), employs around 3,000 people directly and 5,000 indirectly.
A source from the company said, “For the last several months, we are getting our salaries delayed by almost two-to-three weeks with the company sitting idle on one of our important telecom connectivity programs, it had won more than a year ago from BSNL.” The person added that payments for field manpower have been continually delayed.
The news comes a month after BSNL failed to pay salaries to its own employees for the month of February.