All India Postal RMS Pensioners Association held its Central Management Committee Meeting on 12-08-2019 at the BSNL Multi- Purpose Hall,  Panbazar ,Guwahati. Com.KKN Kutty, Secretary General, NCCPA inaugurated the CMC with an inspiring speech. Com.D K Rahate, President , AIPRPA controlled the proceedings. Com.K G jayaraj, General Secretary, in his address mentioned the special bond  of AIBDPA with AIPRPA which are the dominant constituents of NCCPA. He also spoke on the peculiar political scenario in the country and mounting attacks  on the workers and pensioners which have to be resisted with united struggles.

Com.K.Raghavendran, General Secretary, AIPRPA in his speech elaborately dealt with the issues of the pensioners including Option 1 and MACP. Com.G. Talukdhar, Circle Secretary, R-3 and General Secretary, JCTU also addressed. Coms. M R Das, AGS, AIBDPA, Shankar Kumar Das, General Secretary, Assam Pensioners Associations and S N Sarma, Circle Secretary, AIBDPA participated.

AIBSNLPWA has claimed in their website posting that they had sent their letter on pension revision to our email address aibdpa @gmail.com. But the fact is that our email address was changed some five years ago to mail. aibdpa@gmail.com

The updated email address is available in our website, “contact us” . This is only to clear the confusion in this regard.

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF FINANCE
RAJYA SABHA
QUESTION NO 3404
ANSWERED ON 23.07.2019

Pensionary benefits under NPS on voluntary retirement

3404 Shri Ravi Prakash Verma

Will the Minister of FINANCE be pleased to state :-

(a) whether voluntary retirement is allowed to employees of Central Government covered under NPS after completion of 20 years of service on the lines of old pension scheme;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) the details of pensionary benefits and other retirement benefits available/ allowed under NPS to employees who voluntarily retire;

(d) whether Government would increase its contribution to 20 per cent from 14 per cent under NPS in view of dismal returns on NPS fund to make it more attractive;

(e) if so, the details thereof; and

(f) if not, the reasons therefor?

ANSWER

The Minister of State (Finance)

(a) and (b) The features and benefits under National Pension System (NPS) and the old pension scheme are independent. Under NPS, there is a provision for voluntary retirement/exit prior to the age of superannuation, without linking it with the minimum number of 20 years of service.

(c) As per Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (Exits and Withdrawals under the National Pension System) Regulations, 2015, and amendments there under, the provisions for voluntary retirement/exit and the benefits available/ allowed under NPS to employees of Central Government who voluntary retires are as follows:

“3(b) where the subscriber who, before attaining the age of superannuation prescribed by the service rules applicable to him or her, voluntarily retires or exits, then at least eighty per cent out of the accumulated pension wealth of the subscriber shall mandatorily be utilized for purchase of annuity and the balance of the accumulated pension wealth, after such utilization, shall be paid to the subscriber in lump sum or he shall have a choice to collect such remaining pension wealth in accordance with the other options specified by the Authority from time to time, in the interest of the subscribers”

Further, as informed by the Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare, the benefit of retirement gratuity and death gratuity has been extended to Government employees covered under NPS on the same terms and conditions as are applicable under CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972.

(d) to (f) (d) to (f) Recently, vide Gazette Notification dated 31.01.2019, the mandatory contribution by the Central Government for its employees covered under NPS Tier-I has been enhanced from the existing 10% of basic pay +DA to 14% of basic pay + DA. The employees’ contribution rate would remain at the existing 10% of basic pay + DA. There is no proposal to increase the contribution to 20 percent from 14 percent under NPS.

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BSNLEU is greatly perturbed that in the name of Revival Package, BSNL’s valuable land parcels are being transferred to the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV). In turn, the SPV will hand over these lands to the corporates entrepreneurs at a throw-away price. According to BSNLEU, this is a very big scam. BSNLEU has written to the Secretary, Telecom, seeking his   intervention to stop this scam.

(BSNLEU Website)

Kannur District Branch organised a mammoth Dharna in front of Telephone Bhavan, Kannur on 07-08-2019 in support of the struggle being conducted by the CCLU (CITU) against the retrenchment and non-payment of wages for the last seven months. Com.Keecheri Raghavan, Secretary, Folklore Academy, Kerala inaugurated the Dharna. Com.P V Unnikrishnan, President presided over the meeting. Com.K Kunhiraman, District Secretary welcomed one and all. Coms. P Manoharan (Circle President, BSNLEU), K.Mohanan (Working President,CCLU ,Kerala), Karayi Sreedharan ( Circle Patron,AIBDPA) and a host of leaders addressed the Dharna.

Com.P V Unnikrishnan has stated that the District Branch has decided to donate Rs.One lakh towards the relief fund of the suffering casual ,contract workers. CHQ heartily congratulate Kannur District Branch for the support being extended to the struggling workers. 

The Second biennial district conference of Hisar district, Haryana was held on.3-08-2019 under the presidentship of Com.Ashok Gupta at Kumhar Dharamshala ,Hisar. Com.Kuldeep Singh Circle Secratery inaugurated the conference & explained about the issue’s related to pensioners like Pension Revision,Setellement of Medical Claims & financial revival of BSNL. He also emphasized on strengthening the organization .Com.Naresh Kumar, Com.Suresh Sharma,Com.Ashok Gupta & Com.R.K Mehta also addressed the conference.After adoption of the report &accounts , election of office bearers were held unanimously 

Com. Dharamchand ,Com.B N Verma and Com.P N Chopra are the President ,Distt.Secratery and Treasurer, respectively.

The call of AUAB to organise protest demonstration and gate meetings on 07-08-2019, demanding early steps to overcome the crisis in BSNL ,all over the country evoked good response from the employees. Pensioners also participated in large numbers everywhere and CHQ congratulates all the comrades.

The programme was held at Corporate office premises, New Delhi, challenging the threats from the arrogant buerocrats, security staff and the . Com.R S Chauhan, Convenor,AUAB, NTR Circle presided and was addressed by Coms. Swapan Chakraborty (Dy.General Secretary, BSNLEU), Islam Ahmed (President,NFTE), K Sebastin (General Secretary,SNEA) and K G Jayaraj (General Secretary,AIBDPA).

Ms.Sushama Swaraj, one of the rare humane faces in BJP, passed away at 1130 PM on 06-08-2019 at AIIMS, New Delhi. She had some health problems and had undegone kidney transplantation two years ago. However the end came after a massive cardiac arrest. She was only 67 and it is a great loss to the country.

She has held various coveted positions, starting as an MLA at an younger age of 25 and a Minister in the state of Haryana, Delhi Chief Minister, Central Communications Minister and finally, External Affairs Minister in the first Narendra Modi government and proved her brilliance as an able administrator. She was different from other leaders and ministers in BJP with her pleasant, kind and helping character.

AIBDPA pays respectful homage to the departed leader and conveys heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.

It has appeared in some WhatsApp groups that certain pensioners associations of BSNL/MTNL have given a proposal for BSNL pension revision due from 01-01-2017 be done on CDA pay scales with effect from 01-01-2016. These organizations are reported to have sent letters to other pensioners organizations, including AIBDPA, for a unified stand. Though AIBDPA has so far not received any such letter, as it had been widely circulated, we think that it has to be responded.

As far as All India BSNL DOT Pensioners Association is concerned, it has taken a principled and rationale stand, beneficial to the pensioners, from the very beginning. We have put forward the demand of pension revision with 15% fitment from 01-01-2017, delinking pay revision. There is no doubt that BSNL pensioners are covered under CCS(Pension) Rules, 1972. But with the formulation of Rule 37A ,BSNL retirees  are ensured pension on IDA pay scales.. Accordingly we got our pension revised from 01-01-2007 on IDA scales with 30% fitment, recommended by the 2^nd PRC for the pay revision of executives in CPSUs. Thus, a precedence is created for future pension revision with the criteria of  maximum fitment recommended by the PRC.

Unfortunately, All India BSNL Pensioners Welfare Association had been demanding pension revision on 7^th Pay Commission fitment from 01-01-2017. What is the reality?  BSNL retirees are not eligible for 7^th CPC fitment as we are covered under Rule 37A of the CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972. They had stated that their serious concern on the future of BSNL has made them to raise such a demand. And they had also pointed out that if there is no pay revision in BSNl, how could there be pension revision.  Of course, it is a fact that BSNL is in a serious crisis due to pro-private policy of the government and also it is noteworthy that serious and united struggles are being waged by all the unions and associations of BSNL against such attacks. With the constant struggles, the employees organizations could resist the government from disinvesting a single share of BSNL.

We had apprehended the adverse impact of the demand of 7^th CPC fitment that ultimately, it will end in pension revision on CDA scales, if at all the government accept it. AIBPWA had strongly refuted it and had asserted that their demand is only on IDA scales. But, the revised/ modified proposal has revealed beyond any doubt that it is on the CDA scales with effect from 01-01-2016. And a conversion formula is also formulated to regulate the pension on CDA scales from 01-01-2016 with future dearness allowance on central DR.  It will be suicidal to raise such a demand, detrimental to the interests of the pensioners.

The main reason attributed for such a proposal by these friends is reported to be their concern about  the future pensioners. There can’t be any dispute on the fact that the main stake holders of the future pensioners are the serving unions. And the united body of these serving employees unions, both executives and non-executives, AUAB, has put forward in uncertain terms, that the pension revision should be with 15% fitment from 01-01-2017, delinking wage revision vide AUAB letter No.UA/2019/68 dated 31-01-2019 addressed to Secretary, DoT.  AUAB again through it’s letter No.UA/2019/89 dated 21-05-2019 has demanded the Secretary, DoT to send a concrete proposal to this effect , to the Department of Pension & Pensioners Welfare for pension revision.

Another argument for demanding CDA pension revision is stated to be that there may not be any PRC in future. It is true, that there is no guarantee either for PRC or for that matter CPC. And in the present political scenario, can anybody assure that pension will be safe and pension revision automatc, particularly in the wake of provision in the PFRDA that any pension system could be brought in the ambit of NPS. ?

It should be remembered that the involvement and the struggles by the serving unions is very crucial in the settlement of such a basic demand of pension revision. The continuous struggles including the three days strike by AUAB has compelled the government to delink pension revision from wage revision.

AIBDPA welcome united movement of the pensioners organizations for settlement of the genuine demands of pensioners issues. But it should be for a realistic and logical demand and not for a disastrous demand. Therefore we appeal all the pensioners organizations to join together for pension revision with 15% fitment from 01-01-2017, delinking wage revision, for which AUAB is on serious struggles. So let us join these struggles and achieve our genuine demand.