A new branch of Habra, under Kolkata District Branch has been formed on 14-01-2017 in a well attended meeting. Com. Gautam Chatterjee, Branch Secretary, BSNLEU presided and Com.Pijush Chakraborty inaugurated. Coms. .Ajit Nandan, District Secretary, Pankaj Saha, D.Dasbakshi and Sisir Dutta also addressed.
The biennial District Conference of Karakudi in Tamil Nadu Circle was held with good participation of pensioners on 08-01-2017. Com.M. Muthuramalingam, District president was in chair. Com.S.Mohandoss, CHQ Vice President and Circle President, inaugurated the conference with an inspiring speech, covering recent developments and issues of pennsioners. Com.C.K.Narasimhan, Circle Secretary, delivering the special address dealt on organisational matters. Com.Mohandas, District Secretary, AIBSNLEA, Bhoominathan, District Secretary, BSNLEU, Radhakrishnan, Circle Vice President etc addressed. Report and accounts were adopted after discussion.
Office bearers were elected unanimously with the following important functionaries.
Com.M.Muthuramalingam (President), Com.V.Subramonian (District Secretary) and Com.R.Subramonian (Treasurer)
In a well attended meeting of BSNL DOT pensioners held on 10-01-2017, the District Branch of Khamgan has been formed. Com.R.N.Patil, District Secretary, Jalgoan addressed the meeting and explained the need to form the AIBDPA district Branch. Com.A.S.Choudhary, District President, Jalgoan also spoke on the issues of the pensioners. After discussion, the District Branch was formed with the following important functionaries.
Com.Thakare P.G (President) Com.H.L.Tiwari (District Secretary) and Com.G.P.Abhav (Treasurer).
Pensioners all over Kerala expressed their anguish and anger against the undue delay in the 78.2% IDA fixation process and drawal of arrears thereof. Pensioners from Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha and Pathanamthitta held a massive and powerful Dharna in front of the CCA office, Thiruvananthapuram on 10-01-2017. Com.K.G.Jayaraj, General Secretary inaugurated the Dharna participated by about 500 pensioners. Com.R.Aravindakshan Nair, Circle President and CHQ Treasurer presided. Coms. K.Mohanan, Circle Secretary, BSNLEU, P.K.Muraleedharan, Circle Convenor, NFPE, M.C.Nair, Circle Prsident, AIPRPA, Jacob Thomas, Circle President, P-III(NFPE), Benny, District Secretary, BSNLEU addressed the dharan. Com.N.Guruprasad, Circle Secretary welcomed all and Com.N.Vikraman Nair proposed vote of thanks.
After the Dharna, a delegation consisting Coms.K.G.Jayaraj, General Secretary, R.Aravindakshan Nair, Circle President and N.Guruprasad, Circle Secretary met the CCA, Shri. Manoj and discussed the issue of early completion of the work related to 78.2% IDA fixation and calculation of one extra increment for pension. They demanded that at least by 31-03-2017,everything in this regard should be completed.The CCA stated that the works could not be completed within the stipulated period due to shortage of staff and though now additional staff are posted, still,it is not sufficient.The delegation immediately offered the services of retired staff which was accepted by the CCA. Initially, two retired Section Supervisors, Coms.M.Balachandran Nair and M. Salauddin are being made available from 11-01-2017 itself.
Similar Dharnas were also held at Kannur, Kozhikode, Palakad, Malappuram, Thrissur, Ernakulam and Kottayam by the respective district branches.
The second biennial circle conference of Haryana has been held successfully at Karnal on 08-12-2016. Com. K.S.Kataria, Circle President presided over the conference. Com.Kuldeep Singh, CHQ Organising Secretary welcomed the gathering. Com.H.K.Sharma, Circle Secretary presented a brief report. Com.V.A.N.Namboodiri, Advisor inaugurated the conference. In his elaborate inaugural address, Com.Namboodiri covered almost all the issues of pensioners, including the struggles waged by AIBDPA and the Forum of BSNL Unions/Associations for achieving 78.2% IDA merger and annulment of 60:40 condition for payment of pensionary benefits, retrograde 7th Pay commission recommendations and refusal to implement option 1, automatic pension revision from 01-01-2017, the danger posed by the PFRDA Act, necessity to protect BSNL etc. Com.M.S.Kadian, Circle Secretary, BSNLEU exhorted to strengthen AIBDPA by forming district units where ever not yet formed and enrolling maximum pensioners. Com.K.G.Jayaraj, General Secretary spoke on the formation of AIBDPA and its 7 years systematic and different style of functioning, conducting sustained struggles,for the settlement of the genuine demands of both BSNL and DoT pensioners. Comrades from each district participated in the discussion that followed.
Office bearers were elected unanimously with Com.M.S.Kadian (Patron), Com.Kuldeep Singh (President) and Com.H.K.Sharma (Circle Secretary)
Karnal comrades made excellent arrangements for the successful conduct of the conference.
The Cabinet Note for Pension Revision for pre-2007 retirees was simultaneously sent to the Department of Expenditure, Law, Pension and Pension welfare and DPE. It has been received back from the first three departments according to the information given by DOT. When the file is received back from DPE also, for which efforts are being made,the cabinet note will be compiled with suggestions, if any, from the other departments. Then it will be first submitted to the Honerable Minister for Communications & IT, thereafter for the cabinet for approval.