The 7th Circle Conference of Karnataka was held in a befitting manner at Com.G G Patil Hall, Ranibennur on 27th December, 2024. The conference started with the flag hoisting by veteran leader, Com.V A N Namboodiri, Advisor at 0930 AM. The Open session held at 10AM was presided over by Com.R B Tatapati, Circle President. Com.H B Naik, Chairman, Reception Committee welcomed one and all. In his inaugural address, Com.K G Jayaraj, General Secretary explained as to how AIBDPA has grown to the present level as the biggest pensioners organisation of BSNL and DOT pensioners. He narrated the great tradition of the P&T Trdae Union movement and that legacy is being followed by AIBDPA also by conducting continuous struggles for the settlement of genuine demands of the pensioners. The present status of pension revision, BSNL MRS, CGHS , Commutation, Notional increment were also dealt by General Secretary. Com.V A N Namboodiri, Advisor delivered the keynote address and highlighted the main issues of the pensioners and the negative and retrograde stand of the central government. Coms. C K Gundnna, AGS, BSNLEU and H V Sudharshan, Circle Secretary, BSNLEU addressed and gave a good accounts of wage revision and revival of BSNL. The other speakers were Coms.H C Prakash, AGS and Eranna, CHQ Organising Secretary.

All the speakers remembered the great contributions of Com,G G Patil, Former AGS and his selfless ,and sincere services to the cause of the workers and pensioners. The family members of Com.G G Patil including his loving wife Smt. Usha Patil attended the conference and were honoured.

In the delegates session, Com.Muddaiah, Circle Secretary and Com.C G Annigeri, Treasurer presented the report and audited accounts , respectively. Thereafter, active and constructive discussion took place in which 35 comrades from all the districts participated. A new set of office bearers were elected unanimously with Com. L D Durgad (President) Com.Muddiah (Circle Secretary) and Com.C G Annigeri (Treasurer). The conference came to an end with vote of thanks by Com.B G Byatappanavar, Secretary , Reception Committee.

Dr. Manmohan Singh who served the country in many capacities including Chief Economic Advisor, Finance Secretary, Finance Minister and Prime Minister passed away after a brief illness at AIMS, New Delhi on 26th December, 2024 at the age of 92. It was Prime Minister Shri. P V Narasimha Rao who inducted Dr. Manmohan Singh as his Finance Minister in 1991 and that turned to be crucial for him and the country. He did not hesitate to open the Indian economy adopting the neoliberal policies as he believed that it is the right thing to tide over the crisis. The left parties who supported the UPA-1 government had to part ways when Dr. Manmohan Singh signed a nuclear deal with USA , a clear deviation from the foreign policy hitherto followed by India. Also it was at the fag end of his term in 2013, PFRDA was passed by Parliament supported by BJP. Dr. Manmohan Singh was a brilliant administrator and a clean and gentleman politician, respected by all. AIBDPA pays respectful homage to the departed leader and conveys heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family and friends.

M T Vasudevan Nair, popularly known as MT was a gifted writer who mirrored the sociopolitical changes and renaissance in Kerala. He was also a great script writer , film maker and an eloquent public speaker .His all round brilliance earned him many awards including Padma Bhusan and Jnanpith. He was 91 and was struggling at a Kozhikode hospital for the last few days due to respiratory problems and the end came on 25th December, 2024. AIBDPA pays respectful homage to the departed great writer and humanist and conveys heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family and friends.

Com.C K Narasimhan, Circle President addressing.

It was all enthusiasm in the 7th Circle Conference of Tamil Nadu held at LKS Mahal, Trichy on 19-20 December, 2024. The conference kick started with the hoisting of National Flag by Com.C K Narasimhan, Circle President and the AIBDPA Flag by Com.K G Jayaraj, General Secretary. The open session held at 10AM was presided over by Com.C K Narasimhan, Circle President. Com.S Sreedhar, Secretary, CITU and Chairman Recepetion Committee in his address briefly narrated the importance of Trichy. Com.R Rajasekar, Circle Secretary welcomed one and all. Com.K G Jayaraj, General Secretary inaugurated the conference. In the inaugural address, General Secretary congratulated Tamil Nadu Circle for the decision to hold the 5th Triennial All India Conference at Coimbatore in December, 2025. General Secretary explained as to how AIBDPA has grown to the present level as one of the biggest pensioners organisations in the country by following the great tradition of P&T Trade Union movement , the right path of struggle and all credit goes to its fighting members. He also mentioned the decisions of the Central Executive Committee meeting held at New Delhi on 12-11-2024, the campaign of “Meet the Pensioner ” in January 2025 and appealed to implement it most successfully by each and every branch.

Delivering the keynote address, Com.A K Padmanabhan, Veteran leader and Vice President, CITU thoroughly exposed the anti-worker, anti-pensioner and anti-people policies of Narendra Modi government and highlighted the importance of unity and struggle to resist the onslaught of the government. Com.S Chellappa, AGS, BSNLEU explained the stepmotherly attitude of the government towards BSNL and the struggles conducted by BSNLEU and AUAB for revival of BSNL and wage revision. Coms. S Mohandoss, CHQ Vice President, V Venkitaraman, CHQ Organising Secretary, V Seethalakshmi, CHQ Asst.Treasurer, P Raju, Circle Secretary, BSNLEU, Shaik Ingris, Circle Secretary, TNTCWU, P Mohan, State Secretary, AIPRPA and K Govindaraj, AGS & Circle Secretary, Chennai Telephones addressed.

In the delegates session held thereafter Com.R Rajasekar, Circle Secretary presented the report and Com.S Nataraja submitted the accounts. 43 comrades participated in the active and constructive discussion on report and organisation. Com.R Rajasekar effectively replied to the issues raised in the discussion after which both the report and accounts were adopted. The conference elected a new set of office bearers unanimously with Com.C K Narasimhan (Advisor) Com.C Gnanasekharan (President) Com.R Rajasekar (Circle Secretary) Com.A Elangovan (Treasurer). A nine member Circle Women Committee with Com.P Indira, Convenor was also elected.

The Reception Committee led and guided by Com.S Sreedhar (Chairman) and A Elangovan (General Secretary) made excellent arrangements for the great success of the conference.

National Pensioners Day has been obseved throughout the country on 17-12-2024 by AIBDPA units jointly with other pensioners organisations in many places. The speakers in the meeting highlighted the importance of the landmark judgment of Supreme Court on 17-12-1982 on pension in the D S Nakara case and reminded the challenges being faced by the pensioners.

Com.V A N Namboodiri, Advisor addressing the meeting organised by CCGPA, Bangalore on 17-12-2024.

Ustad Zakir Hussain, who is regarded as the greatest tabla player of his generation, has passed away at a San Francisco hospital on 16th December, 2024. He was only 73 and the untimely death occured due to pulmonary fibrosis. Zakir Hussain started playing tabla at an young age of 7 and became prominent worldwide with his masterly skills on the instrument. He was a 4 time winner of Grammy award, the world’s greatest award for music. The country also honoured him with Padma Sri, Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan. AIBDPA pays rich tributes to the departed great musician and conveys heartfelt condolences to his bereaved family and friends.

CHQ is happy to announce that the 5th Triennial All India Conference of All India BSNL DOT Pensioners Association will be held at Coimbatore in December, 2025. The decision of the Tamil Nadu Circle Executive Committee meeting held on 13-12-2024 to host the AIC at Coimbatore has been accepted by CHQ. CHQ heartly congratulate Tamil Nadu Comrades for taking up the huge responsibility of holding the AIC.

Com.Mallappa chaired the 2nd District Conference of Raichur on 14-12-2024 at Telcom Recreation Club, Main Exchange. Coms.H C Prakash, AGS, Earanna, CHQ Organising Secretary and Com. R B Tatapati, Circle President spoke elaborately on the main issues of pension revision, CGHS, Commutation etc and the struggles launched at various levels. Shri. Srikant, DGM and Shri.Ravikumar, AGM represented BSNL, Raichur and greeted the conference. Coms. Basavraj, ACS and Com. Zilani Basha, District Secretary, BSNLEU also addressed. Office bearers with Com. Mallappa (President), Com.Basavaraj (District Secretary) and Com. Mehaboob (Treasurer) were elected unanimously.

The Central Executive Committee meeting of AIBDPA held at New Delhi on 12-11-2024 had taken a decision to observe Protest Day on 12-12-2024 against denial of regular pension and retirement benefits to the ST VRS Retirees of Maharashtra

.Thereafter Coms. K. G. Jayaraj, General Secretary, M G S Kurup, CHQ Treasurer and M I Jakati, Circle Secretary, Maharashtra had fruitful discussions on this issue with the Controller General of Communication Accounts on 13-11-2024 and CMD, BSNL on 14-11-2024. Both the CGCA and CMD, BSNL had assured early action for the settlement of the long pending burning issue.

Now, based on the instructions of the Corporate Office, Circle Office, Maharashtra vide letter dated 22-11-2024 has asked CCA, Maharashtra & Goa to release the retirement benefits of ST VRS retirees of Maharashtra withheld due to alleged fake caste certificate, strictly according to the DOP&PW OM dated 30-11-2021. In the wake of this positive development, CHQ has decided to defer the Protest Day on 12-12-2024.