Another Dsitrict Branch has also been formed in Maharashtra Circle, Kolhapur- Sangli. The meeting of pensioners and VRS retirees of both Kolhapur and Sangli was held on 04-08-2020. Com.G N Koli controlled the proceedings. After seriuos discussion it was decided to form a combined District Branch for the time being.

Office bearers were elected unanimously with the following important functionaries;

President : Com.Gundappa N Koli, District Secretary : Com. Balasaheb B Koli and Treasurer : Com.Balasaheb V Bhadule.

CHQ heartily congratulate all the new office bearers. 

CHQ vide letter dated 03-06-2020 addressed to both Secretary, DoT and CMD,BSNL had strongly objected to denial of retirement benefits and ex-gratia to the 199 VRS retirees of Maharashtra. In the letter it was pointed out that the VRS retirees are not responsibe for non-confirmation of their caste; on the contrary it was the sole responsibility of the appointing authority to get the caste verified during the initial period of their service. Therfore, there is absolutely no justification in asking these VRS retirees for confirmation of their caste after retirement.

Now, BSNL has issued  clarification and asked to immediately settle the pending issues of VRS retirees. Regarding caste certificate cases, it has been stated that their ex-gratia settlement will be suject to confirmation of caste. That means all other retirement benefits are to be paid immediately. But there is no justification to defer the ex-gratia payment also as no case or disciplinary proceedings are pending against these 199 VRS retirees. 

AIBDPA/ DOT- LC/2020                                                                                               5^th August, 2020

To,

 Shri P.K.  Sinha,

Member (Finance) &

Controller General of Communication Accounts,

Department of Telecommunications

Sanchar Bhawan,

New Delhi – 110 001

Sir,

Sub: –     Attesting Officers authorized for physical verification of Life Certificate to SAMPANN Pensioners- inclusion of BSNL Officers – reg.

We wish to bring to your kind notice the following issue for favourable consideration.

The Officers authorized for verification of physical life certificate, as per Central Treasury Rules, include Magistrates, MPs, MLAs, Gazetted Officers, Reserve Bank Officers. Non-gazetted Officers like Sub Inspector of Police, Inspector of Post Offices and departmental Sub Post Masters are also in the list.

But, surprisingly, no BSNL Officers who were gazetted officers before corporatization are included in the list. There have been instances where in some of these listed Officers refusing to issue the certificate as they are unaware of their authority.

We, being BSNL Pensioners, are having easy access and good relationship with BSNL Officers of the respective place. Therefore, it will be beneficial and helpful to the BSNL Pensioners if the Officers of BSNL, like SDE, DE, AGM are also included in the list of Officers authorized for physical verification of Life Certificate and request you to kindly cause necessary action for the same.

Thanking you,

Yours sincerely,

K G Jayaraj

General Secretary.

<<view letter>>

AIBDPA Chennai Telephones Circle has distributed Rs.45,000 to the BSNL Contract Workers. The meeting held at Anna Nagar Telephone Exchange Complex on 05-08-2020 was presided over by Com.E Manibalan, Circle Vice President. Com. V Kuppan, Circle Secretary and other available Circle Office Bearers distributed the amount to the contract workers. Coms.T Kasi, Circle Secretary, BSNLCCWF and some of his office bearers, V Rajasekharan, District Secretary, BSNLEU Central Branch, A J Sriganesh, District Secretary, BSNLEU SE Branch were present. Com.K Govindraj, ACS proposed vote of thanks.

The Circle Branch has also donated Rs.15,000 to the Tamil Nadu Chief Ministers Releif Fund. 

During his daily press conference on 03-08-2020, Shri.Pinarayi Vijayan, Chief Minister of Kerala has stated as follows;

“ All India BSNL DOT Pensioners Association, Kerala Circle has donated  Rs. 19,16,699 as its second installment to the Chief Minister’s Distress Releif Fund. They had earlir made a contribution of Rs.23,03,229 and thus the total contribution is Rs. 42,19,928.”

Com. N.Guruprasad, Circle Secretary, Kerala has furnished the breakup figures of each district.

1. Thiruvananthapuram             Rs.5,06,000
2. Kollam                                   Rs. 3,33,500
3. Pathanamthitta                      Rs.   96,500
4. Alappuzha                             Rs. 3,28,234
5. Kottayam                               Rs. 1,66,850
6. Ernakulam                             Rs. 4,23,477
7. Thrissur                                 Rs. 2,21,812
8. Palakkad                               Rs. 2,17,611
9. Malappuram                          Rs. 1,29,834
10. Kozhikode                             Rs. 6,61,840
11. Kannur                                  Rs.11,34,270

Total                       Rs.42,19,928.

CHQ heartily Congratulate all the comrades of Kerala, especially Com.N.Guruprasad for his relentless efforts, who made it possible

<<<View Circular>> 

 <<view letter>>

BSNL pensioners are suffering a lot due to non-payment of medical bills, both indoor & outdoor and medical allowance since 2018-19. CHQ has taken up the issue with the BSNL management several times, we wrote to the Hon’ble Minister for Communications and Hon’ble Prime Minister but of no avail. Meanwhile the BSNL management made payment of medical bills upto September, 2019 to the employees along with the June, 2020 salary. This is the first time that retirees are completely neglected and rather discriminated. In the past, the retirees were given priority in medical bill payments. We deserve to be treated at par , the least. This development has naturally created much anger and anguish among the pensioners. On 30-07-2020, Com.V A N Namboodiri, Advisor has brought the issue to the notice of the CMD, BSNL over telephone. But the CMD was not prepared to give any concrete assurance. So Comrades, we have no other alternative other than an agitation against this gross injustice and discrimination.

We are quite aware that the situation in the country is not conducive for conducting an agitation, particularly by the elders. Unfortunately, we are compelled and pushed to the streets by the BSNL management.

The Protest Action should be from 1100 to 1200 on 19-08-2020 by standing with placards before the BSNL offices by all our units. The programme should be held strictly to the Covid-19 protocol, keeping social distance and wearing masks. The participation be limited to 5 to 7 comrades in each centre. Only nearby comrades be organized and those staying far away should not be disturbed. Exemption may be given to areas where prohibitory orders are in force, triple lockdown declared etc. Detailed report and photos be sent to CHQ.

The DoPPW order providing Relaxation of Rule for payment of Family Pension is really big relief for families of deceased Govt Servants. Head of Office may now sanction family pension on provisional basis immediately to provide financial relief to the family after sudden demise of Government servant

No. 1/11/2020-P&PW (E)
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, P.G. & Pensions
Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare

3rd Floor, Lok Nayak Bhawan,
Khan Market, New Delhi,
Dated 29th July, 2020

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Relaxation of Rule 80-A for payment of provisional Family Pension on death of a Government Servant during service.

The undersigned is directed to say that in accordance with Rule 80-A of the CCS (Pension) Rules 1972, on death of a Government servant during service, Head of Office shall sanction and draw provisional family pension and death gratuity in favour of claimant or claimants, after the family pension case, including Form 18 and other documents referred to in Rule 80, has been forwarded by the Head of Office to the Pay & Accounts Office. It has been brought to the notice of this Department that the process of forwarding the family pension case to Pay & Accounts Office along with requisite documents itself takes a long time. It is also understood that, in a large number of cases, provisional family pension and gratuity are not being sanctioned on death of a Government servant. The delay in finalization of family pension and gratuity results in hardship to the family of the deceased Government servant.

Family pension is payable to the family of deceased Government servant irrespective of the length of service of the Government servant before his death

2.The matter has been examined in this Department. In accordance with Rule 54 (2) (ii) of the CCS (Pension) Rules, on death of Government servant during service, the family of a deceased Government Servant becomes entitled to family pension even in cases where a government servant dies before completion of one year of continuous service, provided the deceased government servant concerned, immediately prior to his/ her appointment to the service or post, was examined by appropriate medical authority and declared fit by that authority. Thus family pension is payable to the family of deceased Government servant irrespective of the length of service of the Government servant before his death. Therefore,verification of the entire service is not relevant for determining the amount of family pension.The amount of death gratuity, however, depends on the length of qualifying service of the deceased Government servant. Any Government dues in respect of the deceased Government servant are also required to be recovered from the amount of death gratuity.

Head of Office shall sanction provisional family pension immediately after death of Govt Servant

3.Keeping in view the position mentioned in para 2 above and in order to avoid any hardship to the family of the deceased Government servant, it has been decided to relax the provisions of rule 80-A of the CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972 to the extent that if a claim for family pension in Form 14 along with death certificate and bank account details of the claimant has been received and the Head of Office is satisfied about the bonafide of that claim, he shall sanction provisional family pension immediately. The Head of Office shall not wait for forwarding of the family pension case (including Form-14, Form-18 and other relevant documents mentioned in Rule 80) to Pay & Accounts Office before sanctioning the provisional family pension.

Family Pension under Rule 54 of CCS Pension Rules 1972

The amount of provisional family pension shall not exceed the maximum family pension as admissible under Rule 54 of CCS Pension Rules, 1972.

In Central Armed Police Forces related cases, where death of an employee occurs, initially provisional family pension may be sanctioned without waiting for the final Operation Casualty Report.

The Pay & Accounts Office shall release the provisional family pension on the basis of sanction order issued by the Head of Office without insisting for any other documents including service book. The provisional family pension shall be paid in the same manner as Pay and Allowances of the establishment are paid.

A format for sanctioning the provisional family pension by the Head of Department is enclosed.

No change in the Procedure for Death Gratuity

There will be no change in regard to the provisions for sanction of provisional gratuity under Rule 80-A. Action for sanction of death gratuity under rule 80-A may be taken by the Head of Office after forwarding Form-18 and other relevant documents to Pay & Accounts Office. In case the amount of provisional family pension is later found to be in excess of the final family pension, the same may be adjusted from the amount of death gratuity, failing which, it may be recovered in instalments from the family pension payable in future.

The payment of provisional family pension sanctioned as per Para 3 above may initially continue for a period of six months from the date, following the date of death of employee. The period of such provisional family pension sanctioned may be further extended, for not more than six months at a time, on the advice of Pay & Accounts Office and with the approval of Head of Department (HOD).

Recording in PPO regarding Provisional Family Pension

The provisional family pension may continue to be paid for two months succeeding the month in which the Pension Payment Order for final family pension is issued by the Pay & Accounts Office, keeping in view the time likely to be taken by Central Pension Accounting Office (CPAO) and Central Pension Processing Centre (CPPC) for processing the case. While authorizing final family pension after receipt of complete family pension case, the Pay & Account office shall indicate the date from which the family pension authorized in the Pension Payment Order is to be paid by the Pension Disbursing Authority. Accordingly, the Office of Pay & Account may record a note in the Pension Payment Order, as mentioned below, while authorizing the final family pension:

“Provisional family pension has been/shall be paid for the period from ——- to ——— @ Rs.————– plus Dearness Relief. The payment of final family pension may be commenced by the bank w.e.f. ————.”

The Administrative Divisions of all Ministries/Department and attached/ subordinate offices are requested to bring these instructions to the notice of all concerned for compliance.

The issues with the approval of Competent Authority

(Sanjoy Shankar)
Under Secretary to the Government of India

Com.V.A.N.Namboodiri, Advisor, AIBDPA spoke to Shri P.K.Purwar, CMD BSNL  on 30-07-2020 and brought to his notice about non-payment of ex-gratia, pension and retirement benefits to 199 VRS retirees in Maharashtra despite the fact that they have retired six months back and requested for early payment. CMD stated there were about 300 similar cases and the retires were required to get confirmation of caste from the state govt of Maharashtra through online application in its website. Accordingly about 100 cases have been settled and assured that  other cases  also could be settled  similarly.