{Report by Mrs. Anu Agrawal, CP SNEA BSNL CO}:
Women Brigade of SNEA celebrated International Women’s day 2025 in a remarkable and special way thereby interacting with majority of Women Executives in BSNL.
On this special day 08/03/2025, the International Women’s Day, Women Brigade of SNEA arranged a webinar through online at zoom meeting from 1000 hrs on Topic Government Policies for the welfare of Women Executives and its implementation in BSNL.
In an overwhelming response, this online Seminar was attended by hundreds of the Women Executives in BSNL from different corners of India and by certain CHQ OBs and Circle Secretaries of SNEA.
The meeting started at 10:00 AM and within no time the capacity was completely full with multiple requests of not being able to attend due to capacity constraints in joining this online meeting. In order to accommodate more women executives, many CHQ OBs and Circle Secretaries have left the meeting and allowing Women Executives in waiting to join/attend this seminar.
For the first time in history of BSNL an online grand zoom meeting/webinar was organized by an association connecting Women Executives across the country to address the issues and inculcate the awareness about the existing policies of Women Executives by the Government of India.
This special meeting was presided over by Mrs. Anu Agrawal, Circle President SNEA BSNL Corporate Office.
This webinar was addressed by the prominent speakers viz.
- Mrs Geeta Sunatkari,Women President, National Confederation of Officers Association, NCOA representing more than 200 PSUs and Secretary Mazagaon Dock Officers Association, Mumbai.
- Miss. Dhwani Jain,Founder Karma Foundation & State President, Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry ( WICCI).
- Shri. M. S. Adasul GS SNEA CHQ & President NCOA CHQ.
The meeting started with the greetings and wishes on International Women’s Day by CHQ OBs and Circle Secretaries present in the meeting.
Mrs. Pooja Joshi, ADS SNEA Lucknow UP East gave a warm welcome to all the dignitaries, guests and women Executives present in the seminar. She gave introduction of the Chief Guest and Guest of Honour and elaborated about the different activities being conducted on SNEA Platform specially for women executives.
The Chief Guest of the Seminar Mrs. Geeta Sunatkari Women President, NCOA apprised all about the facilities available to women officers in other PSUs. She emphasized health care activities and regular health check up camps to be organized for women by management. She further raised her concern that Cancer risks are increasing so it’s the need of the hour to take preventive measures. Besides this she urged the audience to involve in activities related to mental health support through regular camps for yoga and nutrition. Since a woman is handling dual responsibility of office and family hence, she needs to take care of her mental health also in order to serve both in a better way. She spoke that there must be flexible working hours for women. She informed that a Women cell is formed by NCOA to take up the issues related to CPSE’ women’s welfare. She assured future assistance in issues related to women welfare from the highest platform of NCOA by taking up issues of Women Executives in BSNL and other PSUs.
The Guest of Honour, Ms. Dhwani Jain, Founder Karma Foundation and State President, WICCI, emphasized that policies for women executives in any organization must go beyond paper and be effectively implemented. She highlighted challenges like leadership barriers, biases, and work-life balance struggles, urging proactive action for real inclusion. She stated that Empowerment isn’t about waiting for change—it’s about demanding what’s rightfully ours. She stressed for calling for stronger awareness, equal opportunities, and a culture that truly supports women executives. In conclusion, she thanked the organizers for arranging such an excellent session on International Women’s day.
Shri. M. S. Adasul GS SNEA & President NCOA addressed the gathering and conveyed thanks to all Women Executives for their overwhelming response to this special seminar on special day and appreciated the en-mass active participation of women executives from the nook and corner of India. He conveyed best wishes on International Women’s day and also for the grand success of this Seminar. He addressed the house about the importance of women in a family and how the women are strong pillars for Family, society and Office working and how the great persons like Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj are inspired by the teachings and valuable guidance of his Mother. He appealed that more and more females should come forward in leadership in office as well in association and raise voice for their issues. He firmly assured that SNEA is committed in resolving the issues of female executives and expressed that with pursuation of SNEA the long stay mass rotational transfers have been stopped by management and now transfers will be issued on need basis only and he conveyed thanks to the new CMD BSNL and Director HR for such a good gesture. He added that SNEA is further pursuing with Management for excluding Women Executives from Inter Circle Transfers as was done in earlier days. He also elaborated on how SNEA has been supporting women executives in reducing their hardship due to long stay transfers and how the efforts of SNEA, the OTP requests of executives transferred under long stay will be given consideration by end of March 2025. He conveyed thanks to the entire Women Brigade of SNEA for active participation in this Seminar and making it a grand success. In conclusion, he assured total support of SNEA at all levels to the Women fraternity of BSNL Executives and representation of Women Representative at SNEA at all levels and specially at CHQ so that issues of Women Executives will be given consideration with more priority.
In her Presidential Address, Mrs. Anu Agrawal, CP SNEA BSNL CO highlighted how WhatsApp group proved significant in connecting with the BSNL women executives across India and various issues resolved through it. She expressed happiness on such a great response from Women executives in BSNL. She added that sometimes females hesitate in discussing their issues and the WhatsApp group became a bridge in such a situation. Various circulars regarding various policies asked by members were made available in shortest possible time. The group helped in creating awareness amongst women about existing rules and policies. She updated the house about the proceedings and purpose of the seminar on the special day. She added that all genuine transfer cases of women executives involving medical ground, spouse cases, single parent cases were pursued on priority and were finally given consideration. Some women Executives raised issues at the workplace and the same were taken with appropriate authorities for its resolution. She requested women executives to be united and come forward to take the lead and raise voice for their issues.
Ms. Heena Khan SDE J& K Circle recited a poem and highlighted the strength of women and encouraged Women Executives.
Mrs. Neelam Ayri, AGM BSNL CO spoke about wellness and security for women. She further raised her concern about basic amenities, hygiene for women at rural and outdoor places. She requested to form a committee so that females can share their issues with them and the same can be taken up by SNEA with Management.
Mrs. Monica Khanna, SDE J&K Circle expressed the strength of a women , multi-tasking skills, joyfully balancing every relation through an encouraging poem.
Apart from these many individual Women Executives across India expressed their happiness on such great initiatives on part of SNEA and conveyed thanks for providing a higher platform for direct interaction and addresses of prominent Speakers.
Mrs. Renu Yadav, CWC SNEA Haryana Circle conveyed vote of thanks to all dignitaries and guests for making this event a grand success. She specially conveyed thanks to Women Executives all over India for attending this meeting and taking active part in it.
Before the conclusion of the session, other CS and CHQ OBs also shared their views and conveyed best wishes on International Women’s day.
In an open session held thereafter, many women executives across the country highlighted their concern and raised their concerns on various issues like retiring room for females, second Saturday off for field units, OTP transfers, long stay transfers , facilities for specially abled executives etc. All these queries and doubts were satisfactorily replied by GS SNEA.
The female brigade of SNEA prominently consisting Mrs. Neha Deo from Bhopal MP, Mrs. Udaya Vani JTO-FM, Mrs. Vaishali Khardekar, SDE Guwahati, Assam, Mrs. Dipti Bhuyan, Bhuvaneshwar Orissa, Mrs. Kavitha, Telangana Circle, Mrs. Leela Dayanand SDE Karnataka Circle, Mrs. Anupam Gupta, DGM HR Circle, Mrs. Shaila Dharmik, JTO Admn GJ Circle, Mrs. Jenny Soloman from Vadodara GJ Circle and many more women executives actively participated in overall deliberations and made this seminar interactive and memorable.
Mrs. Sonal Sinhal OS SNEA Jaipur Rajasthan Circle beautifully anchored the entire proceedings of the webinar and impressed the audience with her expert comments and summarization of proceedings.
The proceedings of Webinar started at 1000 HRs concluded at 1240 Hrs by sharing moments of joy and thanks to each other and with firm resolution to conduct such Seminars at regular intervals.
