.A meeting of the Joint Forum of BSNL/MTNL Pensioners Associations has been held online on 21-02-2023. All the leaders of the eight constituent organisations participated in the meeting.Com.D D Mistry, General Secretary, BDPA(I) presided over the meeting. Com.K G Jayaraj ,General Secretary , AIBDPA welcomed all and briefed on the recent developments regarding pension revision.

Com.G L Jogi, General Secretary SNPWA stated that things are moving in the right direction at DoT level. Coms.H F Chaudhary, General Secretary, All India Central Government Pensioners Association HQ Pune, Thomas John, President, BDPA(I), V A N Namboodiri Advisor, AIBDPA ,R K Mudgal, General Secretary, MTNL Retired Executives Welfare Association , D C Sharma( SNPWA) and M R Das, President, AIBDPA also aired their opinion.

After hearing the views of all, it was generally felt that the delegation of Joint Forum should meet the Hon’ble Minister of Communications and top officers of DoT including Secretary,Telecom. After ascertaining the exact position the Joint Forum will meet physically at New Delhi and take appropriate decision by the last week of March,2023.

It was also decided to hold the preliminary physical meeting at 2PM on 19-03-2023 at NTR Recreation Club, Room No.556, Kidwai Bhawan, Janpath , New Delhi.

The meeting of the Co-ordination Committee of BSNLEU, AIBDPA and BSNL CCWF held on 18-02-2023 has decided to participate in the Mazdoor- Kizan Rally being organised at New Delhi on 5th April, 2023. The 14 point charter of demands put forward by the organisers are of paramount importance. The meeting felt that it is the bounden duty of all the workers, pensioners and the general public to make the Rally a resounding success to give a strong message to the Narendra Modi Government against its anti-worker, anti-farmer and anti-people measures. The campaign in this regard is equally important and we have to implement the decisions of the meeting successfully. The Co-Ordination Committee at Circle/District level be held immediately and arrangements made for the success of all the programmes.

Further, participation of maximum comrades in the Delhi Rally on 05-04-2023 be ensured from Delhi NTR, ALTTC, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, MP and UP. Necessarry arrangements may please be made by these circles well in advance.

Trade Union International ( Pensioners & Retirees) had an important meeting virtually on 2nd February night of leaders of world countries. The meeting was organized by the General Secretary Comrade Quim Boix and was presided over by the President of the organization Comrade Dimos Koumpouris of Greece. This meeting discussed the draft report of General Secretary TUI(P&R) Comrade Quim Boix for the 2024 World Congress. The meeting remembered the great contribution of Comrade KKN Kutty, who passed away on 8th December, 2022. From India both Comrades K.G.Jayaraj and K.Ragavendran attended and addressed. Written interventions by them also were sent earlier by both of them. Indian conditions and sturggles of united workers and the new initiative for struggles against NPS were presented in the responses. They expressed the desire that the draft report of world congress to be educative to all. Indian leaders wanted the help of WFTU intervention with various Asian Countries so that the Asia Regional Conference of TUI at Kerala on 1 October, 2023 is attended by delegates from different Asian countries. Com..Swastika Dasgupta( Vice President,AIBDPA) was proposed to the TUI Women Wing by the Indian leaders. The meeting took note of Struggle by French Workers and Retirees and discussed in detail of the prevailing conditions against pensioners and workers in different continents. Comrade Quim Boix General Secretary assured to discuss with the leadership of WFTU regarding the pension issue of Bank Pensioners of India. The next meeting will be held on 19th or 20th of April, 2023.

Com.K G Jayaraj, General Secretary had a telephonic discussion with Dr. Mahesh Shukla, Member ( Services) on today, the 31st January,2023.

At the outset,General Secretary extended all the best Wishes to Dr. Mahesh Shukla who is retiring on superannuation on today.Regarding pension revision, Member (Services) stated that the calculation sought on 5% .10,% and 15% fitment has been received from the Controller General of Communication Accounts. Now, the Hon’ble MOC has to take a decision on the fitment and he will be meeting the MOC today itself. He also stated that he is only glad to extend his services on pension revision even after his retirement.

General Secretary, on behalf of AIBDPA, extended our gratitude to the Member (Services) for his initiative and continuing efforts for the settlement of pension revision pending for the last six years.

India is celebrating the 74 th Republic Day on 26-01-2023. AIBDPA extends very warm greetings to all of you on this happy occasion. While we are all proud of the progress India has made during all these 76 years of Independence, we are equally concerned about the attacks on the very foundation of the constitution. It is not a secret that there are concerted efforts from the ruling class themselves to change the basic structure of the constitution. We are witnessing handing over of national assets to the corporate in the name of National Monetisation Pipeline. Gautham Adani has jumped in to the second richest in the world. At the same time the gap between the rich and poor has widened alarmingly. Challenges are plenty before us and we have to affirm to continue the fight for the protection of the constitution and against the attacks on the people, workers and pensioners.