Author Archives: admin

Govt notifies OROP implementation; veterans’ body ‘unhappy’-TO CONTINUE THE STRUGGLE.

Govt notifies OROP implementation; veterans' body 'unhappy'

NEW DELHI: The government on Saturday night formally notified the one rank one pension (OROP) scheme for the over 24 lakh ex-servicemen and six lakh war widows around the country. The scheme will entail an additional outgo of around Rs 8,000 to 10,000 crore every year.
The notification is more or less in line with what defence minister Manohar Parrikar had announced on September 5, except that the clause that exempted personnel who retire voluntarily from the scheme. There had been removed after widespread outcry among the veterans over this clause.
Instead, the government has now decided that personnel who opt for “discharge henceforth on their own request will not be entitled to the benefits of OROP”. In other words, while soldiers who took pre-mature retirement earlier will get OROP, fresh cases will not. “It will be effective prospectively,” said an official.
But the veterans said they would continue with their agitation, which has entered the 146th day now, since the government had failed to resolve “any of the seven main anomalies” in the “diluted OROP” that had been notified.
“We have been cheated by the government. We will not accept it. We will meet to decide the future course of action, including the plan to return medals medals to the district commissioners or magistrates in all the 647 districts of the country on November 9-10,” said Group Captain VK Gandhi (retd) of the United Front of Ex-Servicemen (UFESM).

(COURTESY:The Times of India)

AIBDPA WISH ALL THE VIEWERS A VERY HAPPY DIPAWALI.

http://i873.photobucket.com/albums/ab296/abhishek21492/wallpaper-7_1024x768.jpg

NCCPA ALL INDIA CONFERENCE CONCLUDED.

Subjects committee of NCCPA 3rd Triennial AIC is concluded on 7th November, 2015.Representing AIBDPA, Coms.V.A.N.Namboodiri and M.R.Das participated in the discussion. Policy and Programme resolution and various resolutions adopted unanimously. Resolved to extend solidarity to CG Employees 19th November programme. Decided to meet after submission of 7th CPC report to plan our action.

The AIC elected unanimously a team of office bearers as follows:

Patrons: 1.VAN.Namboodiri; 2. R.L.Bhattacharjee. Chairman: Shiv Gopal Mishra Wkg.Chairman: S.S.Roy Vice Chairman:… 1.C.L.Mathur; 2.D.V.Dhaktod; 3.H.N.Joshi; 4.T.S.Parameswaran; 5.S.Rahman. SG: KKN.Kutty Dy.SG: 1.Pavitra Ranjan Chakraborty 2. K.Ragavendran Asst.SG: 1.K.G.Jayaraj; 2.Prabakharan Nair; 3.S.K.Sharma; 4.C.P.Shobana; 5.I.S.Dabas. Treasurer: H.L.Sidhu. Asst.TRR: S.Laha Org.Secretaries: 1.M.A.Karlekar; 2.T.I.Sudhakaran; 3.N.Somaiah; 4.Geetha Goshal; 5. K.P.Sharma; and 6.G.R.Verma. Internal Auditor: A.K.Ghosh.

ROUSING START TO NCCPA ALL INDIA CONFERENCE AT KOLKATA

The All India Conference of NCCPA started at ‘S.K.Vyas Nagar’ at Kolkata on 6 November 2015. A massive procession of pensioners was organised in the morning. The National Flag was hoisted by Com. Sisir Bhattacharjee, veteran P and T Trade Union leader and Chairman Reception Committee. NCCPA Flag was hoisted by Com.R.L.Bhattacharjee, President, NCCPA.. The Inaugural session was presided by Com.R.L.Bhattacharjee . It was inaugurated by Com. Ashim Das Gupta, former W.Bengal Finance Minister, who congratulated the central pensioners for forming the organisation. He severely criticised the neo- liberal policy of the Modi govt. which has only benefitted the rich and corporates. Com.K.K.N.Kutty (Confederation), V.A.N.Namboodiri(TUI (P and R), S.S.Rai( Reception Committee) and other leaders also addressed.

Com.VA.N.Namboodiri addressed the Meeting of AIBDPA Calcutta Telephones

A largely attended meeting of AIBDPA Calcutta Telephones was held at union office premises on 5 November 2015. Com.Supriyo Mitra, Circle President, presided. Coms. Ananta Bhattacharjee, All India President, D.Basu, AGS, Swastika Dasgupta, Org.Secretary, Sanjiv Banerjee, Circle Secretary, AIBDPA and other leaders were present. Com.VAN Namboodiri, Advisor, AIBDPA addressed the meeting and explained the various demands of the BSNL Pensioners. He also mentioned about the meeting with VII CPC, 78.2% IDA Merger etc.

Public Sector Undertakings Comes Under EPFO Scanner

While taking stock of the various developments in EPFO during the month of October, 2015, Shri K.K. Jalan, CPFC noted that several important decisions have been taken in the past one month.

Addressing the concerns voiced by the Standing Committee on Labour, a drive for ensuring compliance in respect of Public Sector Undertakings has been initiated. Special emphasis is laid on extension of the benefits of the Act and schemes to the eligible employees working in PSUs like Bombay Port Trust, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust, BSNL, MTNL, ONGC, NHAI, Indian railways and CPWD. Likewise, the extension of benefits to the workers engaged in the construction industry has also been the focus of the organization this month and a strategy has been firmed up to initiate formal interaction with CPSUs, SPSUs and other state govt. departments and trade unions with a view to bring all the eligible employees engaged in the industry under the ambit of the Act so that social security benefits are extended to all of them.

The month of October also saw a slight modification in the constitution of the Central Board of Trustees (EPF) as Shri Balasubrahmanyam Kamarsu has been nominated to the Board as an employers’ representative against the vacancy arising out the demise of Dr. Ram Tarneja. The Sub Committees on Contract Workers, Pension and EDLI Implementation Committee, Finance, Investment and Audit Committee of CBT, EPF were also reconstituted.

Vigilance Awareness Week (26 to 30th October 2015) was celebrated in all the offices of the organisation across the country. This year, going beyond undertaking activities within the office, an effort was made to sensitize young minds to vigilance and corruption related issues by organizing speech competitions, discussions at schools and colleges in many cities like Delhi, Coimbatore, Kolkata, Faridabad, etc.

With a view to popularize Jeevan Pramaan Patra (Online Life Certificate) instructions have been issued to the field offices of the organisation to equip reception counters of the field offices with biometric devices and PC with Jeevan Pramaan Patra software installed for the ease and convenience of EPS pensioners. EPF helpdesk in major pension disbursing bank branches are also being contemplated. It is also decided to organize mobile camps in selected areas for enabling EPS pensioners to upload their life certificates.

In a major step, the organization has clarified those student trainees who are paid stipend during on the job training while pursuing course in technical /professional educational institutions would not come under the definition of employee for the purpose of EPF &MP Act. This removes the ambiguity surrounding the eligibility of such student-trainees for enrolling as members of the Fund and is expected to bring about greater clarity among employers and also reduce litigations.

In a major step to assess the position of the accounting procedures in EPFO, it was decided to have a study conducted on the accounts issues of organization. It was also decided that Inoperative Accounts of less than Rs. 1,000 shall be transferred to the reserve account.

The organization has settled more than 70 lakh claims in the current fiscal and 42% of the same has been settled within 03 days while 80% has been settled within 10 days and 97% within the mandated 20 days. Likewise grievance redressal has also been progressing at a brisk pace and more than 18,000 grievances were settled in the month of October alone.

However, experience of various account holders say a different story than the tall claim of settlement of 70 lakh cases in a fiscal.!

WFTU WORKING WOMEN CONGRESS IN PEROVILIA,CY

Com.Hemalatha, Joint Secretary, CITU addressing

The WFTU World Working Women Congress in Pervolia Larnaca, hosted by PEO-Cyprus started with great success. In the first day the General Secretary of WFTU, George Mavrikos and the General Secretary of PEO, Pambis Kyritsis adressed the Congress. In the congress are present women delegates from 27 countries of the world and 45 unions, affiliates of the WFTU. The main intervention of the Congress was presented, on behalf of WFTU, by Nyameka Macanda, NEHAWU -S. Africa 2nd Deputy President.

In the evening, PEO organized a great rally in the streets of Larnaca, participating all the international delegations and a political-cultural event with traditional music. In the event addressed a greeting the WFTU General Secretary, PEO General Secretary and Paola Palmieri from USB-Italy, on behalf of the International Delegations.

WFTU SOLIDRITY TO THE STRUGGLES OF TEACHERS OF PUERTO RICO FMPR.

Dear Colleagues,

The Secretariat of the World Federation of Teachers Union was informed about the serious problems that you face in your homeland.

It is true that in many countries they are attempting to close down schools, like in your country, too, where 300 schools are closing down, they seek to privatize public education, a punitive evaluation system is being imposed, wages of teachers are getting reduced and generally labor rights are being taken away. At the same time the content of education does not meet the modern needs of education.

These measures are adopted by governments that serve the needs of multinationals and they steadily work to assure the profits and the interests of the capital. FISE, member of the World Federation of Trade Unions, WFTU, fights for the rights of teachers and for the access to free contemporary education for all children of the working class and the grassroots classes worldwide.

It supports the struggles of the Federation of Teachers in Puerto Rico and of all trade unions fighting for the abolition of exploitation of man by man.

UP(W) CIRCLE CONFERENCE HELD SUCCESSFULLY AT ALIGARH.

Com.V.A.N.Namboodiri inaugurated the UP(West) Circle Conference held at Mahajan Palace, Aligarh on 1st November,2015. Com.K.G.Jayaraj, General Secretary, Com.Sukhvinder Singh, All India Org.Secretary, BSNLEU, Com.M.K.Yadav, Circle President, SNEA, Com.Nabi Ahmad, District Secretary, BSNLEU, Aliigarh addressed the open session. Com.Uttam Chand Sharma, Circle President presided. Com.Abdul Rasheed, Circle Secretary welcomed the gathering.

In the subject session, Com.Abdul Rasheed, Circle Secretary and Com.R.V.Singh, Treasurer submitted the biennial report and accounts respectively and was adopted after discussion.12 comrades participated in the organisational discussion that followed and Com.K.G.Jayaraj, General Secretary replied.

Office bearers were elected with the following important functionaries.

Com.Uttam Chand Sharma (President) Com.Abdul Rasheed (Circle Secretary) and Com.R.V.Singh (Treasurer).

“E-Sahyog” Pilot Project of The Income-Tax Department to Facilitate Taxpayers

The Union Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley Launches The “E-Sahyog” Pilot Project of The Income-Tax Department to Facilitate Taxpayers

The Income-tax Department is committed to the ‘Digital India’ initiative of the Government of India. The Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley launched here today an “e-Sahyog” pilot project which furthers the Department’s commitment to work in an e-environment and reduces the need for the taxpayer to physically appear before tax authorities.

The “e-Sahyog” project launched on a pilot basis is aimed at reducing compliance cost, especially for small taxpayers. The objective of “e-Sahyog” is to provide an online mechanism to resolve mismatches in Income-tax returns of those assesses whose returns have been selected for scrutiny, without visiting the Income Tax Office. Under this initiative the Department will provide an end to end e-service using SMS, e-mails to inform the tax assesses of the mismatch. The taxpayers will simply need to visit the e-filing portal and log in with their user-ID and password to view mismatch related information and submit online response on the issue. The responses submitted online by the taxpayers will be processed and if the response and other information are found satisfactory as per automated closure rules, the issue will be treated as closed. The taxpayers can check the updated status by logging in to the e-filing portal.

The Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley also inaugurated a drive to provide public service at peoples’ door step byholding “special PAN camps in remote areas”. Under this campaign, special PAN camps are being held over two days at forty- three remote, semi urban and rural locations across India in the first instance to facilitate obtaining of PAN card by persons residing in such areas. The Finance Minister interacted with applicants and officials at seven of these camps through a video conference. More such camps will be held through the year. The camps will ease the burden of compliance for persons residing in remote, semi urban and rural areas who wish to enter into transactions of purchase or sale above rupees one lakh and will be required to quote PAN as announced by the Finance Minister in his Budget Speech 2015-16.

On this occasion, the Finance Minister stated that the objective of the Income Tax Department is to make life as easy as possible for the assesses and difficult only for those who consciously evade taxes. These digital initiatives will help in creating a positive environment.

These initiatives of the Department are expected to significantly reduce the burden of compliance on taxpayers and enhance the taxpayers’ satisfaction.