The 6th biennial district conference has been held at K G Bose Centre, Kollam on 12-12-2021. Com.K Sukumaran Nair, District President presided over the conference. Com.N Sasidharan Nair, District Secretary welcomed one and all. Com. N Guruprasad, Circle Secretary inaugurated the conference with a detailed speech covering the issues. Coms. K N Jyothilakshmi, ACS, BSNLEU, A Muraledharan Nair, District Secretary, AIPRPA, D Abhilash , Districtb Secretary, BSNLEU, K Mohanan Pillai, Circle Vice President and M D Rajan, Circle Organising Secretary addressed. Com.T Joseph, ADS proposed vote of thanks.

The subject session held in the afternoon was inauguarted by Com. K G Jayaraj, General Secretary. Com.R A Nair, CHQ Treasurer & Circle President addressed the conference. The report and audited accounts presented by Coms. N Sasidharan Nair, District Secretary and P Murali Mohan Das, Treasurer were adopted after discussion. Resolutions were adopted on important issues. Office bearers were elected unanimously with Com.K Mohanan Pillai (President) Com.K Sukumaran Nair (District Secretary) and Com. P Murali Mohan Das (Treasurer)

CHQ has the gratification that our sustained efforts have finally brought the desired result. BSNL management has been meting out cruelty towards the VRS retirees of Maharashtra belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes by withholding their retirement benefits for the alleged non-verification of caste certificates. Worse, in many cases, even provisiobal pension were denied and delayed without any justification and in violation of the CCS(Pension) Rules, 1972. CHQ took up the issue with the CMD, BSNL, Secretary, DoT, Secretary, DOP&PW and finaly Parliamentary Committee on Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes with quoting all the relevant instructions of Department of Personnel & Training, Department of Pension & Pensioners Welfare, Department of Telecommunications and BSNL from time to time for verification of caste certificates. Violation of CCS(Pension) Rules, 1972 also was mentioned in our letters. Actually it is the sole responsibility of the respective recruitment authorities to verify the caste certificate at the initial period of their service. But the BSNL management has made the VRS retirees scapegoats to save the actual guilty officers. Now, this order is issued on the effective intervention of the Parliamentary Committee and we are thankful to the Chairman and Members of the Committee for extending justice to the hapeless VRS retirees. This is a great victory and CHQ heartily congratulate the affected retirees of Maharashtra. Now, BSNL management has to settle all the pending cases as per this order and payments of retirement benefits and normal pension made with interest , wherever applicable.

It is an encouraging report from Com.R N Patil, Circle Secretary, Maharashtra to the effect that two more district branches are formed at Wardha and Goa.

The meeting of BSNL and DoT pensioners of Wardha was held on 09-12-2021 under the presidentship of Com. Akram Pathan and decided to form the District Branch of Wardha. Office bearers were elected with Com. Akram Pathan (President) Com. Laxman Mendhe (District Secretary) and Com. K B Kuhite (Treasurer)

GOA district branch was formed in the meeting convened on 10-12-2021. Com. Atul Watve presided over the meeting. Coms. R B Kerkar, R M Pal and M S Avkhale were elected President, District Secretary and Treasurer, respectively.

The Bihar Circle Executive Committee meeting along with the District Conference of Patna was held at TRC, Patna on 10-12-2021. Com. B P Singh, Circle Secretary, BSNLEU and Circle Patron , AIBDPA inaugurated the open session with an inspiring speech. Thereafter, Com., N K Srivastava, Circle Secretary spoke elaborately covering almost all the issues of the pensioners and revival of BSNL. The report presented was discussed and adopted. The CEC decided to hold the Circle Conference at Gaya in April, 2022 and to direct all the district branches to clear the CHQ and Circle quota before the circle conference. The District Conference elected office bearers with Com. R P Chowdhary (President) Com. A K Srivastava (District Secretary) and Com. Dhananjaya Kumar (Treasurer).

It was on 17th December,1982,the constitution Bench of the Supreme Court headed by the then Chief Justice Y V  Chandrachud delivered the historic judgment in the case filed by Shri.D.S.Nakera. The judgment being called as the Magna Carta of the pensioners declared in unequivocal terms that pension is not a bounty but a right of the pensioners and pensioners cannot be discriminated on the basis of date of retirement.

It is also a fact that the pensioners in the country started organising themselves after this important judgment and fought against many injustices and won many a battles. But the government continues the attacks on the genuine rights of the pensioners and the PFRDA Act is the  real challenge to the entire pension community. Attempts are also being reported to curtail the pension and to hand over the the pension fund to the private entities.

As far as BSNL and DoT pensioners are concerned many of the just demands, including pension revision, are still to be settled due to the negative stand of the government. So let us affirm to continue our fight against all injustices being meted out to the pensioners and the onslaught against the people.

Let us also remember the great man, D S Nakera for his heroic and relentless fight and observe the National Pensioners Day in a befitting manner.

An Extended Circle Executive Committee Meeting of West Bengal Circle was held at CTO, Kolkata on 04-12-2021. Com. Susanta Ghosh, CHQ Vice President presided over the meeting. Com. Sanjib Banerjee, AGS inaugurated the meeting with a detailed speech covering the issues. The audio speech of Com.K G Jayaraj, General Secretary on important issues, struggles and organisational tasks was placed before the CEC. Com.Sujoy Sarkar, ACS, BSNLEU and Tarak Kundu, ACS, CMU greeted the meeting. Com. Pijush Chakraborty, Circle Secretary presented the report and Com.Debasish Khan, Treasurer placed the accounts. All the District Secretaries and some of the Circle Office bearers participated in the discussion. The CEC decided to implement a three phased agitation successfully.

The bank employees are all set to go for a two days strike on 16th and 17th December, 2021 against the reckless privatisation of banks by the Modi government. The strike is being launched by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU). AIBDPA fully supports the decision and request all our units to extend solidarity to the striking bank employees.

V

03FridayDec 2021

Posted by VAN NAMBOODIRI

In a reply to a Parliament Question, Minister of State for Communications, Shri Devu Singh Chsuhan has stated that the assets of BSNL &MTNL are worth Rs. 1,33,952 crore and Rs. 3,556 crore respctively as on 30.09.2021. Net block of property, plant and equipment in respect of these companies are of Rs. 89,878 crore and Rs. 3252 crore respectively as on 31.03.2021.

These valuations are compltely undervalued and without correctly assessing the valuation. BSNL is having maximum land assets through out the country, including in central places in all cities and towns only next to Railways. In addition there are 7 Telecom Factories, 2 major Training Centres, about 30 minor traing centres having thousnds of acres of land. There are many heritage buildings, the value of which may be beyond description. ( Photoes of only CTO buildings at Mumbai and Kolkata as also BSNL HQ only are given here).

These most undervalued statistics are given only to justify their plan to sell the assets to private corporates, not only below market price, but also far below the average price which are shown in other land sale registrations.

The govt conspiracy should be exposed and defeated.