AIBDPA CHQ / CIRCULAR No.3/2022, 
26th May,2022

To
All CHQ office bearers, Circle Secretaries, District Secretaries and Affiliates.

Dear Comrade,

As you are aware, the Central Executive Committee meeting held virtually on 05-03-2022 had decided for another phased program of agitation on the following important issues;
1. Pension Revision from 01-01-2017 with 15% fitment, delinking wage revision.
2. Immediate payment of medical allowance pending from 01-04-2018 and medical reimbursement bills pending from 01-04-2019.
3. Effective functioning of CGHS implementing Parliamentary Standing Committee Recommendations.
4. Payment of arrears of freezed IDA instalments.
5. Immediate payment of pension and other retirement benefits to the VRS retirees of Maharashtra withheld illegally for non-revalidation of caste certificate.
6. Restoration of the LPD, reduced by the CCAs in violation of statutory Rules and procedures.

CHQ was authorised by the CEC to formulate the form of agitation at the appropriate time.

Serious discussion was held with Secretary, DoT, Joint Secretary and DDG ( Esst) by Coms.V A N Namboodiri Advisor and K G Jayaraj General Secretary on pension revision. Though, the officers informed that the issue is being examined, what we could learn is that DoT is yet to arrive at a concrete proposal. The latest information is that Internal Finance at DoT is scrutinizing the various proposals sent by the Establishment section. Also the government has to take a positive decision on the issue. So pressure in the form of another agitation is necessary to settle the issue.

Regarding payment of medical benefits to the BSNL Pensioners, the CMD during the detailed discussion with our delegation on 27-04-2022, reiterated his stand that BSNL cannot afford the huge expenditure on BSNL MRS to the pensioners and wanted all the retirees to switch over to CGHS. The drawbacks and inadequate facilities of CGHS were well explained to him. Still, the CMD was not for any fund allotment in the near future to clear the pending medical claims.

Conceding the genuine demands of the Pensioners Organisations, the 110th Parliamentary Standing Committee has given positive recommendations to start CGHS Wellness Centers at every district, full reimbursement of medical bills for treatment in the non- empanelled hospitals, increase the Fixed Monthly Medical Allowance to Rs.3000, Pensioners also to be included in CS(MA) rules etc. Further the functioning of the existing Wellness Centers are to be made effective by posting sufficient number of doctors and para medical staff. There has to be periodical revision of CGHS rates and ensure prompt payment to the empanelled hospitals. Immediate intervention of higher authorities are warranted to start the new Wellness Centres already granted in various states.

DPE and the then Hon’ble Minister for Heavy Industry and Public Enterprises had clarified that DPE OM dated 19-11-2020 freezing the IDA from 01-10-2020 to 30-06-2021 to Executives and Non- Unionised Supervisors is not applicable to the BSNL Pensioners. Still, the DoT was not prepared for releasing the IDA instalments to the BSNL retirees. It was under this situation, CHQ was compelled to file a writ petition in the High Court of Kerala on 26-02-2021 and the Hon’ble High Court was pleased to issue a favourable Interim Order. Despite forwarding the court order and repeated reminders, DoT is not implenting even the Court Order.

CHQ has taken a consistent stand on the issue of denial of pension and other retirement benefits to the VRS retirees of Maharashtra belonging to ST category from the very beginning. With our continuous efforts and pursance, DOP&PW issued an OM dated 30-11-2021. The OM specifically stated that no retirement benefits should be withheld in cases wherin no judicial or departmental proceedings are pending. Still, the arrogant BSNL management didn’t care to implement the OM against which CHQ wrote to the Hon’ble Minister of Communications and Hon’ble Minister of State for Personnel Public Grievances and Pensions. Thereafter, DoT intervened and asked the BSNL management to implement the OM and ensure payment of pension and other retirement benefits to the VRS retirees. Finally, BSNL reluctantly endorsed the DOT endorsement of the DOP&,PW OM on 25-04-2022 which was followed by CGMT, Maharashtra on 07-05-2022. However, the fact remains that the affected pensioners are yet to get the payment.

There are specific instructions that the AOs scrutinizing the pension papers of the reiring officials to limit it for 24 months prior to the retirement. But some of the AOs in certain CCA Offices have dug out pay fixation given 25- 30 years ago and made arbitrary cut in the last pay drawn resulting in reduction of Pension. Though the issue was taken up with the DoT repeatedly, nothing has been done.

In these circumstances, CHQ has decided to launch the following Agitational Programme.

1. Demands Day on 22-06-2022.
Demonstration at all levels with placards.

2. Dharna at SSA/ BA Level on 20-07-2022.

3. Sanchar Bhawan March on 24 – 08 – 2022. The number of participants for each Circle will be finalized in due course.

AUAB AGITATION :-

AUAB has given call for agitational program including Sanchar Bhawan March demanding Wage Revision. CHQ has already extended Solidarity and our Comrades may participate according to local situation.

TELE PENSIONER :-

Tele Pensioner, October 2021 – March,2022 issue has been got printed and are being despatched to all the subscribers, CHQ office bearers, Circle Secretaries and District Secretaries.

Circle Conferences :- .

Gujarat, Kolkata Telephones,Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Kerala, Karnataka, UP ( W) and Haryana circles have held the Circle Conferences. Other circles are also requested to hold the conferences in consultation with CHQ.

Membership List :-

CHQ had asked to send the membership list of each district so as to update the CHQ level membership register. But some of the District Branches are yet to comply with the directive. So it is once again requested to send the membership list, preferably prepared in Words, at the earliest.

Dear Comrades,
The covid19 pandemic situation has improved and normalcy is being restored. So we have to utilise the opportunity to revitalize the organisation and also strengthen it by enrolling more Pensioners. Sufficient preparations have to be made to make the Agitational Programme a grand success.

With warm greetings,

K G Jayaraj
General Secretary.)