News

Volume 3 Issue 5 - March 01, 2005

Disabled PCO owners in Andhra Pradesh protest slash in rates

DNIS News Network - Revision of BSNL call rates spell doom for PCO owners in the State.

Hundreds of disabled PCO owners in Andhra Pradesh are now facing unemployment after their per-call commission was slashed from 40 per cent to a mere 25 per cent. This change came about as a result of revised BSNL call rates. While the price of a local call was doubled from Re 1 to Rs 2, the PCO owner’s commission was hiked by only 10 paise, from 40 paise to 50 paise.

As these public phone booths were the only means of livelihood for many disabled persons in the state, this revision has been met with shock and agitation. PCO owners are now in the process of demanding an increase in their per-call commission, which they rightly believe should stay at a standard 40 per cent, irrespective of the price hike.