Salem District Conference held on 26-07-2024 at YMCA hall, Salem reflected the growth of the district branch with massive participation. It is worth mentioning that a good number of women comrades also graced with their presence on the occasion. Com.M Mathiazhagan, District President was in the chair. Com. S Azhagiriswami, ADS welcomed the participants.

Com.R Rajasekar, Circle Secretary inaugurated the conference with a detailed and spirited speech covering all the issues , particularly the agitational programme being launched by the Joint Forum on pension revision and separate agitation by NCCPA. Coms. N Kuppusamy, Circle Vice President, E Gopal, District Secretary, BSNLEU, R Manoharan (SNPWA), N Shanmugam (NCCPA) and a host of leaders addressed. The biennial report and audited accounts presented by Com. S Tamilmani, District Secretary and Com. K M Selvaraj, Assistant Treasurer, respectively were adopted after discussion.

In the unanimous election of office bearers held thereafter, Com.M Mathiazhagan (President), Com.S Tamilmani (District Secretary) and Com. P Thankaraj (Treasurer) are the important functionaries.

Shri P K Purwar, the incumbent CMD,BSNL and MTNL has been denied extension as he is facing inquiry along with some other top officers. As an interim measure, Shri.Ravi A.Robert Jerard , DDG (SRI), DoT is given additional charge of both CMD,BSNL and MTNL for a period of six months .

District conference of AIBDPA Srikakulam was held on 11/07/2024 in the conference hall of United Teachers’ Federation building at Srikakulam. Com. KSC Bose, Circle Secretary in his inaugural address explained in detail the present status of BSNL, Pay revision and pension revision and congratulated Srikakulam Comrades for observing the calls given by the CHQ. Com.N.Ramarao, ACS explained the status of medical bills payments, necessity of re-validation of medical cards as per existing rules, submission of LC by due date etc.,.Leaders from CITU,AIPRPA , BSNLEU and Railway pensioners association addressed.
The report submitted by the DS Com. K.Gopalrao and accounts by the Treasurer T.Krishna Rao were approved after discussion.
The conference unanimously elected new office bearers for the next period with Com.K.Gopal Rao, Com.Venkatarao Panigrahi and Com.T.Krishna Rao as President, Secretary and Treasurer respectively.
The conference adopted resolutions demanding opening of CGHS Wellness Centre at Srikakulam. Empanelled new hospitals , proper payment of medical allowance.
Com. M.Govardhan Rao proposed vote of thanks.
President Com.K.Udaya Sankara Rao and Vice-President Com.G.Rajeswara Rao controlled the proceedings

Today, 11th July 2024, is the 78th Anniversary of the 1946 P & T strike, which is also considered as part of the Independent Struggle and also the 64th Anniversary of 5 days strike of Central government employees strike in 1960 against which the entire cruel machinery of the government was used to suppress the same.

While the British govt was compelled to negotiate and agree for all the demands raised in the 1946 strike, the govt of free India dealt the 1960 Strike as a political strike and suppressed it using the army and all draconian rules, arresting thousands of leaders and workers as also dismissing tens of thousands. 17 comrades became Martyrs in that strike being shot down, crushed under train, beaten up etc.

Workers can not be kept silent for long. Another histric strike was organised on 19th September 1968 on the same demands as in 1960.

No strike is in vain. It is through such heroic strikes that workers have achieved their rightful demands.

Red Salute to the Martyrs who laid down their valuable lives in these struggles! Workers will continue their struggles and move forward in the route shown by them.

V A N Nambbodiri, Advisor, AIBDPA

The district conference of AIBDPA Visakhapatnam was held on 10/07/2024 at the conference hall of 3rd floor, Alluri Seetharamaraju Vignana Kendram, Visakhapatnam .
District president Com.R.Govinda Raju controlled the proceedings.Report and accounts submitted by the Secretary and Treasurer were approved after discussion.
Recently elected Honourable Member of Parliament from Araku Constituency Smt Dr.G.Tanuja Rani (daughter of BSNL retiree)
and Ex MLC AP Sri MVS Sharma graced the conference. Our District and Circle leaders congratulated the MP and felicitated the guest.Memorandum on pension revision was submitted by the Circle Secretary and other leaders to the honourable Member of Parliament and the MP in her address assured to raise this issue in Parliament.
Com.KSCBose,CS Com.N.Rama Rao, ACS, Com.Ramana Murty Vice-President,Com, R.Satyanarayana ACS,Com.P.E.Ch.Sagar DS BSNLEU,Com.P.Latchiraju ,Circle President BSNLEU, Com.Chandrasekhar GS All CG Pensioners association Visakhapatnam addressed the gathering and explained in detail about present status of Pay revision and pension revision and programme of Joint Forum and NCCPA to achieve our genuine and long pending demands. Office bearers were elected unanimously with Com.R Govindaraju (President) Com.K Ramanjaneyalu (District Secretary)

As per Consumer Price Index numbers released by Labour Bureau on 10-07-2024, *IDA Rate on 2007-Pay-Scale & Pension is likely to INCREASE by 1.0% w.e.f. 1st July 2024* i.e. 216.8% (existing) + 1.0% (increase) = *217.8% (from July’24)*. Payable only after DPE issues necessary orders.

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CHQ is saddened to report the unexpected demise of Com. Chittar Lal JI Goswami, District Secretary, Kota, Rajasthan on 07-07-2024 due to massive heart attack. Com. Goswami was a sincere and efficient leader who took up the responsibility of District Secretary, Kota after the death of former district Secretary, Com. Pyare Lalji.
CHQ pays homages to the departed leader and conveys heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family and comrades of Rajasthan.

08th July, 2024.

A virtual meeting of the Joint Forum, as notified, was held on 08-07–2024. The following representaives participated in the meeting.

AIBDPA : V A N Namboodiri ( Advisor ) M R Das( President ) K G Jayaraj ( General Secretary

)BDPA(I): Thomas John ( President ) D D Mistry ( General Secretary ) M R Vasisht ( AGS)

AICGPA HQ PUNE : H F Chaudhari ( General Secretary ) K Raja ( AGS).

The meeting started at 4PM under the presidenship of Com. D D Mistry. Com. K. G. Jayaraj, Convenor welcomed all and initiated the discussion on the agenda items. The Demands Day on 02-07-2024 was a resounding success and there had been unprecedented participation throughout the country including riot sticken Manipur. He also reported the unfortunate indifference of Com. G. L. Jogi, General Secretary, SNPWA who is reported to have told some of his Circle Secretaries that SNPWA is not part of the Joint Forum. Repeated efforts to contact him over phone failed due to non-response. Com. D D Mistry also tried to contact him but got the same result. However SNPWA comrades have also participated in some circles like Maharashtra, Telengana, Chennai Telephones, Assam etc. MTNL organisations did not participate

Thereafter all the leaders participated in the discussion and gave valuable suggestions. It was generally felt that Com. G. L. Jogi may have his own reasons and we should continue the efforts to aasociate him with the Joint Forum. So also the MTNL organizations.

The meeting finally took the following decisions.

1. CCA Office March at all the Circle on 27-08-2024

.2. Chalo Delhi – Dharna at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi on 12-11-2024.

It was decided to participate 1000 pensioners and the quota was allocated, AIBDPA -750, BDPA(I)-200, AICGPA HQ PUNE -50.

3. Meeting local MPs seeking intervention for settlement of pension revision by handing over the memorandum during August, September, 2024.

With vote of thanks by the Convenor, the meeting was concluded at 5.45PM.