Tamil Nadu Circle Executive Committee Meeting was held at Madurai on 22-09-2022. Com. S Mohandoss, CHQ & Circle Vice Prsident presided over the meeting. Com. R Rajasekar, Ciorcle Secretary welcomed one and all and presented a brief reportof activities during the intervening period. Com. R Muraleedharan Nair, AGS inaugurated the CEC with an elaborate and impressive speech. He narrated the activities and struggles of CHQ during the period, especially the just concluded three phased agitational programme culminating in the Sanchar Bhawan March on 24-08-2022 for the settlement of important issues of pension revision and timely payment of medical benefits. He also appealed to ensure a resounding success to BSNLEU in the 9th Membership Verification on 12-10-2022. and make the ensuing AIC at Mysure on 20-21 December a grand success. Com.K Pankajavalli, CHQ Asst Treasurer also addressed CEC. All the District Secretaries and some of the office bearers actively participated in the discussion that followed. The queries raised were replied by both the Circle Secretary and AGS.

NATIONAL CO-ORDINATION COMMITTEE

OF PENSIONERS ASSOCIATIONS.

(Registered under the

T.U. Act.No. RTU01/2021.Dated.7.01.2021

PAN No.  AAEAN8586F

Website: nccpahq.blogspot.in.                                 President:  Com. Shiv Gopal Mishra. (97176 47594)

E mail: nccpahq@gmail.com.                                  Secretary General: Com. K.K.N. Kutty. (98110 48303)

13.c Feroze Shah Road,

New Delhi. 110 001

Dated: 23.09.2022

JCM STANDING COMMITTEE MEETING HELD ON 22.09.2022 – GIST OF DECISIONS

Dear Comrades,

The meeting of the standing committee of National Council JCM was held today (22.9.22) under the Chairmanship of Secretary Personnel. There were many issues pertaining to the Pensioners in the agenda. The undersigned as a member of the Standing Committee participated in the discussions. The outcome of the discussions on each item is mentioned hereunder:-

1. FMA to Pensioners of National Institute of Ayurveda: The official side said that only after the Supreme Court directive they will be able to do anything in this matter.

2. Restoration of Senior Citizen Facility in Railways: The matter is under consideration.

3. Treating the Pensioners on par with the officials on duty for Guest House: Orders have been issued. Copy will be provided.

4. Pension to be exempted from Income Tax: The matter will be reconsidered in the light of discussions.

5. Disability Pension of War Heroes to be exempted from Income Tax: Will be reconsidered.

6. Pension revision in the case of Personnel Compulsorily retired: Orders issued.

7. Grant of enhanced pension on completion of 79 years: Not accepted.

8. Grievance redressal mechanism for Pensioners: The staff side wanted Pension Adalats to be held at Departmental levels. The issue will be further discussed.

9. Restoration of Commuted value of Pension after 12 years: Will be further discussed.

10. CGHS Related Issues:

i. Ward Entitlement.

ii. Lifetime CGHS facility for dependent disabled children.

iii. Health Insurance to Pensioners.

iv. To have Dispensary/Wellness Centres at all 108 Stations.

v. Enhancing FMA.

vi. Reimbursement of Medical Expenses for those who are not covered by CGHS.

vii. Increase the number of empanelled hospitals.

viii. Provision of sufficient staff in the dispensaries taken over from Postal Department.

ix. CGHS entitlement for Pensioners of Andaman and Lakshadweep Islands.

x. CGHS related Problems of Kerala.

xi. Online consultation facility.

xii. Cashless medical facilities to CGHS beneficiaries to be extended to all cities.

All the above items are to be discussed with Secretary Health. The date of the meeting will be indicated soon.

11. Board of Arbitration Awards: The matter will be discussed with the Staff Side.

12. MACP to be effective from 1.1.2006: The matter will be further discussed.

13. Notional Increment for those who retired on 30th June: Matter is subjudice.

14. Time limit to complete disciplinary proceedings of retired personnel: The staff side demanded that in case proceedings cannot be finalised within 3 years, he should be deemed to have been exonerated. The matter will be discussed further.

With fraternal Greetings.

KKN Kutty

Secretary General

So many rumours are being circulated, particularly in the social media, regarding the reported proposals of DoT on pension revision. Nobody knows the actual position, but contrasting running commentaries are being made on a regular basis by certain pensioners organisations even quoting the top DoT officers.In these circumstances, CHQ has written to the MOC with copy to Secretary, DoT and other concerned officers reiterating our demand and to clear the confusion among the pensioners.

54 years are over after the historical One Day Token Strike of the Central Government employees which took place on 19th September 1968.

It was not a simple strike, but a strike which shook the foundations of the central government and ruling class. More than 30 lakhs CG employees participated in the strike putting the country to a standstill. The CG employees with their strategical position in the Communications, Defence, and Railways ensured that the entire machinery of the central government was paralysed.

It was a struggle for the dignity of labour and right of the workers for a reasonable wage. The 15th Indian Labour Conference had approved the Need Based Minimum Wage on the basis of Dr.Akroyd Formula in 1957, but the government did not implement it. Prices of essential commodities were rising sky high, but full neutralisation through Dearness Allowance was denied. The II Central Pay Commission was completely retrograde and the central government employees were compelled to go on an Indefinite Strike in July 1960 which continued for five days. Then Prime Minister Shri Jawaharlal Nehru suppressed the strike using Essential Service Maintenance Ordinance (ESMO) and other draconic measures. Tens of thousands were arrested jailed, suspended, terminated and punished mercilessly.

It took years to heal the wounds inflicted on the workers. The government introduced Joint Consultative Machinery (JCM) with the assurance that issues will be discussed and settled. There was a condition that the unions should abjure strike if JCM is to be introduced. The unions bluntly refused and the government was compelled to withdraw the anti-worker condition.

The JCM was a failure from the start. The Staff Side in the National Council raised the demands of need based minimum Wage and DA according to the cost of living index. The government not only did not agree to concede the demands, but refused to refer the issues to compulsory arbitration as per the JCM rules.

There was no other course before the workers, but to adopt the struggle path. The Confederation of Central Government Employees and Workers, National Federation of  P and T Employees, All India Railwaymen’s Federation and All India Defence Employees Federation, Central Secretariat Association and other organisations met in a  National Convention on 13^th July 1968 and issued a call for a one day strike on 19^th September 1968 on the following main demands;

1. Need Based Minimum Wage.
2. DA according to increase in cost of living
3. Merger of DA in Pay.
4. No Reduction in Retirement Age
5. Vacationof Victimisation.
6. End Casual and Contract Exploitive System

The leaders went on tour throughout the country for organising the strike successfully. The central government was not sitting idle. Not only no fruitful discussion was held, but all repressive machinery of the government was made ready to suppress the strike.

The strike started at the midnight of 18^th / 19^th of September 1968. The entire central services came to a halt. Trains did not run. Communications service stopped completely. The central secretariat, the nerve centre of the government, was deserted. Strike was a complete success.

Indira Gandhi Government used the hated Essential Service Maintenance Act and other such anti-worker ordinances to suppress the struggle, instead of conceding the just demands of the workers. The workers did not flinch; they had the bitter experience of the 1960 strike which was treated as ‘Civil Rebellion’ and tried to be suppressed by then Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. The workers had understood the real policy of the government, which was only to support the rich and ignore the justified demands of the workers

In Pathankot, 4 Railway workers and the son of a railway worker became martyrs in police firing. In Bikaner another railway worker was shot dead and 25 workers including family members seriously injured. In Assam, where the strike was almost 100%, police firing took place at Mariyani, Bongaigaon and Lumding and 2 railway workers killed on the spot. Many, including family members of railway workers were brutally lathicharged. Firing and lathi  charge took place in many more places. In IndraprasthaBhawan, Delhi, a worker was beaten to death by police. Although it is reported that 17 persons have been killed.

The main demand of the Strike, Need based Minimum Wage ,still remains unresolved. Not only that, the attacks on workers , their wages and pension have become more severe in the current scenario of neo-liberal policies. We are facing a situation where the rights of the workers are curtailed , peasants are being subjected to utter exploitation by the corporates, national assets are handed over to the corporates. And it is time to raise to the occasion and fight against these onslaughts.

On this 54th Anniversary of the strike, the entire CG employees and pensioners salute these martyrs who gave their precious life on the altar of the workers’ demands .

The 10th Belagavi Distrct conference has been held on 16-09-2022 with large participation of pensioners. Com.S V Patil, District President presided over the conference. Com.S S Sarapure, District Secretary welcomed the gathering and presented the report and audited accounts. Com.Muddaiah, Circle Secretary delivered the inauguaral address and explained the issues and the struggles waged by AIBDPA by which settlement of medical claims settled. Com.H C Prakash, AGS and Com.G G Patil, veteral leader and former AGS focused on the ensuing AIC at Mysuru and appealed for all out efforts for the success of the AIC.Com.R B Tatapati, Circle President stressed to stregthen the organisation further to meet the challenges ahead including pension revision. Shri. Jayakar, GMTD, Belagavi greeted the conference. Thereafter the report and accounts were adopted after discussion. Office bearers were elected unanimously with Com. M C Chinchani (President) Com. S V Patil (District Secretary) and Com. S S Sarapure (Treasurer) . The conference came to end with vote of thanks by Com.B B Pathar,ACS.

.AIBSNLPWA has forged another opportunistic alliance with certain BSNL and mostly MTNL pensioners organisations. Well and good. But this is nothing new. Earlier also they had formed such coordination but didn’t last even for the honeymoon period.

When the former MOC, Shri.Ravi Shankar Prasad took an adamant stand that no pension revision before wage revision, all these organizations got frustrated and lost all hopes. They decided to resort to legal recourse. But they could not reach to a consensus for formulating the fitment formula and this has naturally reflected in the affidavits filed by these organisations in separate cases at PCAT, New Delhi. Now, some of these organisations have started to admit the futility of approaching the court.

There are hundreds of pensioners organisations claiming representatives of BSNL and MTNL pensioners. But very few have the pan India status. Some are for a section or cadres, some other confined to a particular district or state. So the numbers of such organisations are of no significance.

The new alliance partners have given a letter to the Secretary, DoT with the same demand of the dominant partner, Pension revision with 7th CPC fitment. Some of the alliance partners have made Great sacrifice by conveniently changing their earlier stand. We don’t question their rights for changing the stand every now and then.

We are of the strong opinion that the demand of CPC fitment is illogical and unrealistic. It is applicable only to the central government pensioners drawing pension on CDA pay scales. We are the only PSU pensioners getting pension from the central government by virtue of Rule 37A of CCS(Pension) Rules, 1972 on IDA pay scales. Accordingly our pension was revised as per 2nd PRC fitment from 01-01-2007. So there is full justification for the pension revision from 01-01-2017 with 3rd PRC fitment.

It is a fact that the earlier pension revision was only after wage revision of the employees. But this time the wage revision is being denied / delayed citing affordability conditions stipulated by the PRC. However, the same PRC has given a provision to waive the affordability conditions in the case of CPSEs which implement the government projects. This is very much applicable to BSNL as it is the only telecm PSU providing telecom facilities to rural areas based on the National Telecom Policy incurring huge loss and to remote defense establishments. The former CMD, Anupam Shrivastava had put forward his arguments to the government for pay revision in BSNL with 15% fitment highlighting this provision. But this was not considered by the government for obvious reasons.

Now , the full liability of payment of pension and pensionary benefits lies with the Central government. particularly in the wake of annulment of 60:40 condition. More over the pension contribution of BSNL absorbed pensioners has been levied by the government at the maximum of their pay scales. Therefore pension revision of BSNL absorbed pensioners are no way connected with the affordability conditions or bad financial position of BSNL.

Then Comrades, there should be pay scales for fixing the pension. Those who demand pension revision with CPC fitment has to clarify on which pay scales the pension is to be fixed. Whether on CDA pay scales of 7th CPC.? Or on 3rd PRC IDA pay scales. It is nothing but ridiculous if the demand is for CPC fitment on 3rd PRC scales. The 3rd PRC has specified the pay scales of the executives only and the pay scales of the non-executives are yet to be finalised by the BSNL management through bilateral discussions with the recognised unions. So our principled and right demand of 15% fitment is based on Rule 37A of CCS(Pension) Rules, 1972 and the precedence.

Then, these people say that the DoT has proposed for zero percent fitment which is yet to be confirmed. It is true that there is no such zero percent fitment proposal by the 3rd PRC.We strongly protest and condemn if such a proposal is made by the DoT. However the proposal to delink pension revision from wage revision by DoT is a welcome development.

We are committed to continue our efforts and struggles to achieve pension revision with 15% fitment from 01-01-2017. This is the logical and practical way to settle pension revision. It means continuing the same method as adopted at the time of II PRC which was agreed to by all employees and pensioners organisations, including those who now demanding pension revision on 7th CPC fitment.

The Coordination Committee of BSNLEU, AIBDPA & BSNLCCWF had given a call to organise human chain on 14-09-2022 against handing over of national assets at throw away prices to the corporates in the name of National Monetisation Pipeline and against the road blocks being created by the government on launching 4G in BSNL. 14,917 mobile towers and the most valuable optical fibre of BSNL are also being handed over to the private telecom companies. The employees, pensioners and casual contrat workers enthusiastically and massively participated in the human organised at district level throughout the country. CHQ heartily congratulate and salute the participants for making the programme a grand success and giving a strong message to the Modi government against the injustice. Some of the photos are given hereunder;

CHENNAI