Vellore District Branch General body meeting was held on 25-09-2017 with very good participation of pensioners. Com.V.Elumlai, District President presided over the meeting. Com.Jothi Sudandhiranathan, District Secretary welcomed the participants. Com.C.K.Narasimhan, Circle Secretary inaugurated and explained the issues confronting the pensioners and the one day strike on 27-07-2017 in BSNL by all unions and associations for wage revision and pension revision. He appealed to support the strike in all ways and organise solidarity demonstration on 27th July.

An amount of Rs.60,000 was handed over to the Circle Secretary towards quota of donation to CHQ and Circle on 78.2% pension revision.

Question :   According to the 3rd PRC recommendations, BSNL is not eligible for Wage Revision. On 19-07-2017, the Cabinet meeting, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has already fully approved the recommendations of the 3rd PRC. Under these circumstances, whether the DoT has power to allow BSNL to give Wage Revision to it’s employees? 
Answer : Certainly, the DoT, being the Administrative Ministry for BSNL, is having a major role to play in the Wage Revision of BSNL employees. However, we should understand that, right from the beginning, the DoT is playing a negative role in the matter of wage revision to BSNL employees. The unions and associations, as well as the BSNL Management have demanded exemption from the Affordablity Clause of the 3rd PRC. But, the the government will not accept this, unless it is recommended by the DoT. 
On 12-07-2017, the Committee of Secretaries meeting took place under the chairmanship of the Cabinet Secretary, to take it’s final decision on the recommendations of the 3rd PRC. Shri Sivasailam, Additional Secretary, who attended that meeting on behalf of the DoT, did not demand that BSNL should be exempted from the Affordability Clause of the 3rd PRC. Thus, the Committee of Secretaries decided not to give exemption to any PSU. So, we must understand that the DoT itself is not in favour of giving any exemption to BSNL, from the recommendations of the 3rd PRC.
Thereafter, the draft Cabinet Note, prepared by the Committee of Secretaries, came for the vetting of the DoT. Thus, the DoT got one more opportunity to help BSNL. This opportunity should have been utilised by the DoT, to get it’s recommendation incorporated in the Cabinet Note, that BSNL should be exempted from the Affordablity Clause of the 3rd PRC. But, the DoT did not do so. Thus, it is very clear that the DoT itself does not want to give Wage Revision to BSNL employees. So, if anyone says that the Cabinet might have given power to the DoT, to consider Wage Revision to BSNL employees, they are only fooling themselves and fooling the employees. Only the powerful struggles of the BSNL employees can compel the DoT and the NDA government to settle the Wage Revision. 

(courtesy:BSNLEU website)

NEW DELHI: Employees of state-owned telecom firm BSNL have called a day-long nationwide strike on July 27 for not being given wage hike by the third pay revision committee. The committee recommends hike on the basis of performance of public sector firms. “BSNL became a loss making entity not because of the employees but because of the anti-BSNL policies and measures adopted by the government. BSNL was not allowed to procure equipments for its mobile network expansion from 2006 to 2012,” BSNL Employee Union convenor P. Abhimanyu said in a statement said. 

The recommendation of the third Pay Revision Committee was approved by the Cabinet on July 19. As per the affordability clause of the recommendations, only those public sector undertakings (PSUs) which have earned profit during the last three financial years are eligible to give wage revision to their employees. “The officers and workers of BSNL are going on a one day strike on July 27, 2017, demanding wage revision. The next round of wage revision has become due for the entire public sector employees from January 1, 2017,” the statement said. Abhimanyu alleged that tenders floated by BSNL to procure mobile equipments were cancelled one after another by the government to benefit the private telecom companies. 

 “As a result of this blockade created by the government in the procurement of equipments, BSNL was not able to take advantage of the exponential growth witnessed in the mobile segment, during this period,” he said. BSNL Management started procurement of equipments from 2013 onwards and thereafter, significant improvement has been made to the BSNL’s quality of services. As a result of all these efforts, a significant change has come in the financial position of the company, the statement said. BSNL had incurred Rs 691 crore operational loss in the year 2013-14, whereas it earned an operational profit of Rs 672 crore in 2014-15 and Rs 3,854 crore in the year 2015-16.

“Even in the midst of cut-throat competition from Reliance Jio, BSNL is adding 20 lakh new mobile customers every month. BSNL is sure to become a profit making PSU within next 2-3 years,” the statement said. Abhimanyu said that BSNL officers and workers have significantly contributed in bringing the company on revival path and BSNL employees should be given wage revision with 15 per cent fitment. “The unions and associations will be compelled to resort to more serious forms of struggles, if the government does not respond favourably to the demand of the employees,” he said

(courtesy:BSNLEU website)

Preparations are almost complete everywhere for the one day strike on 27-07-2017 and the workers are determined and enthused to participate and make the strike a complete success. The negative approach of the government and the Communications Minister to the just demands of  All Unions and Associations has angered the workers who are toiling hardly for the revival of BSNL and this will naturally reflect in the strike. 

BSNLEU has called to organise demonstrations in all places on the strike day,  27-07-2017 by the striking workers.

AIBDPA calls upon all our units to extend all the support to make the strike full and join the demonstration of the striking workers on 27-07-2017.

Press statement on the one day strike on 27.07.2017, being organised by the officers and workers of BSNL..

The officers and workers of BSNL are going on a one day strike on 27.07.2017, demanding wage revision. The next round of wage revision has become due for the entire public sector employees from 01.01.2017.

The government formed the 3rd Pay Revision Committee (3rd PRC), headed by justice Satish Chandra (retired) for this purpose. The Committee has already submitted it’s report and it was approved by the Union Cabinet on 19.07.2017. As per the “Affordability Clause” of the recommendations, only such of those Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) which have earned profit during the last 3 financial years are eligible to give wage revision to their employees. Since the employees of BSNL are not eligible for wage revision as per the recommendations of the 3rd PRC, the unions and associations of BSNL have demanded exemption from the “Affordability Clause” of BSNL.

They have made it clear to the government that, BSNL became a loss making entity not because of the employees but because of the anti-BSNL policies and measures adopted by the government. BSNL was not allowed to procure equipments for it’s mobile network expansion from 2006 to 2012. The tenders floated by BSNL to procure mobile equipments, were cancelled one after another by the government, to benefit the private telecom companies. The cancellation of the tender floated by BSNL in 2007, to procure 45 million line mobile equipments and cancellation of the tender floated in 2010 to procure 93 million line mobile equipments were a severe blow for BSNL.

As a result of this blockade created by the government in the procurement of equipments, BSNL was not able to take advantage of the exponential growth witnessed in the mobile segment, during this period. The officers and employees went on struggles several times against the cancellation of these tenders, and demanding procurement of equipments. As a result of these struggles, BSNL Management started procurement of equipments from 2013 onwards, and network expansion is being made in right earnest.

Thereafter, significant improvement has come in BSNL’s quality of services. The unions and associations of the officers and workers have also taken many pro-active steps to improve customer satisfaction and the revival of the Company. The unions and associations have conducted many movements such as “Customer Delight Year”, “Service With A Smile”, etc., to improve the performance of the employees, with a view to improve customer satisfaction and to achieve the financial revival of the Company. As a result of all these efforts, a significant change has come in the financial position of the Company. For example, Company incurred Rs.691 crore operational loss in the year 2013-14, whereas it earned an operational profit of Rs.672 crore in 2014-15. This has increased to Rs.3,854 crore in the year 2015-16.

Even in the midst of cut-throat competition from Reliance Jio, BSNL is adding 20 lakh new mobile customers every month. BSNL is sure to become a profit making PSU within next 2 / 3 years. The efforts and initiatives taken by the officers and workers of BSNL, and their unions and associations, have significantly contributed in taking BSNL in the revival path. Hence, BSNL should be given exemption from the “Affordability Clause” of the 3rd PRC report and BSNL employees should be given wage revision with 15% fitment.

To insist upon this demand the officers and workers observed dharna on 20.06.2017 and hunger strike on 13.07.2017. Since, the government has not responded favourably, the officers and workers are going on one day strike on 27.07.2017. The unions and associations will be compelled to resort to more serious forms of struggles, if the government does not respond favourably to the demand of the employees.

[P. Abhimanyu]

Convenor Mobile No: 9868231113

Balasore District Branch has held its bi-monthly meeting on 23-07-2017 with good participation of pensioners. Com.Gadadhar Panda, District President was in the chair. Com.Purushottam Pradhan, District Secretary welcomed all and touched the current issues. Coms. A Dhupal, Circle Patron, Sreedhar Das, Asst.Circle Secretary and Com.P.K.Nayak, Asst.Treasurer, BSNLEU CHQ and District Secretary addressed the meeting. The meeting expressed its full satisfaction in the settlement of all the cases of 78.2% IDA revision with the effective intervention of CHQ and Circle. The meeting resolved unanimously to support the strike on 27-07-2017 for pay revision and pension revision.

It is worth mentioning that 25 pensioners were enrolled as new members in the meeting.

Dept. of Health & family Welfare OM
No. S-11016/2/2015-CGHS(P)/EHS
dated 19th July 2017.
Sub: Extension of CGHS facilities to the pensioners of Post and Telegraph Department.
With reference to the above subject, the undersigned is directed to draw attention to the Office Memorandum No S-11011/46/95-CGHS D-II/CGHS(P) dated 1, August 1996 and to state that it has now been decided to revoke the OM dated 1-8-1996 in compliance of the Orders of Hon’ble Central Administrative Tribunal, Ernakulam Bench dated 12th July 2005 in OA No 563/2004 and 590/2004 and Order dated 01-06-2017 in OP 180/21/2017 arising out of OA No 180/563/2004 between Central Government Pensioners’ Association (Kerala) and Ors Vs UOI & others.

2. The retired employees of Post and Telegraph Department shall hereafter be entitled to the CGHS facility, irrespective of whether they were members of CGHS prior to retirement or not, subject to the payment of prevalent subscription for availing themselves of this facility as per rules as in the case of other Central Government pensioners.

3. This issues with the approval of the Competent Authority. 

AIBDPA HAD TAKEN UP THE ISSUE AND WRITTEN TWO LETTERS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & FAMILY WELFARE, RECENTLY, AND REPLY ALSO GOT TO THE EFFECT THAT IT IS BEING CONSIDERED. THE ISSUE IS ONE OF THE DEMANDS IN THE CHARTER OF DEMAND ON WHICH CALL ATTENTION DAY ON 20-04-2017 AND MASS DHARNA ON 13-05-2017 WERE HELD THROUGH OUT THE COUNTRY.

Restoration of full pension of absorbee pensioners – Corrigendum

F.No.4/34/2002-P&PW(D).Vol.II
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions
Department of Pension & Pensioners Welfare

3rd Floor, Lok Nayak Bhavan,
Khan Market, New Delhi
Dated the 21st July, 2017

Corrigendum

Subject: Restoration of full pension of absorbee pensioners in view of the order dated 01.09.2016 of Hon’ble Supreme Court in Civil Appeal No. 604812010 and Civil Appeal No. 637112010.

The undersigned is directed to refer to this Department’s OM of even no. dated 23-06-2017 on the above subject. As per the said OM, the benefit of the orders of Hori’ble High Court of Madras dated 02-08-2007 and the Orders of Hon’ble Supreme Court dated 01-09-2016 would be extended to all similarly placed absorbee pensioners. Accordingly, the words “absorbee petitioners” in para 8 of the above OM may be read as “absorbee pensioners”.

sd/-
(Harjit Singh)
Director