The biennial district conference of Kalyan was held on 04-01-2023. Com.Kashid, District President was in the chair. Inaugurating the conference, Com. R N Patil , Circle Secretary gave a good account of the recent developments in respect of pension revision, medical issues, CGHS , denial of retirement benefits to VRS retirees etc. The decisions of the historic Mysure All India Conference were also explained. Com.Santosh A Soni, CHQ Organising Secretary and District Secretary presented the report and the accounts by the Treasurer. Both the report and accounts were adopted after discussion. There was a significant participation of more than 150 pensioners. Election of office bearers were held unanimously and the following are the important functionaries; President : Com. D V Wargude , District Secretary : Com. Santosh A Soni , Treasurer : Com. Prakash Tumkar.

Com.A Dhupal , CHQ Vice President who has shouldered the entire responsibility of organising and strengthening AIBDPA in Odisha due to the illness of the Circle Secretary and demise of the Treasurer, has succeeded in forming the Bhubaneswar District Branch. The meeting of the BSNL and DoT pensioners of Bhubneswar was held on 03-01-2023. Com.Debadutta Das, Circle Vice President controlled the proceedings. Com. A Dhupal in his eleborate inaugural address explained the main issues of the pensioners including pension revision, the functioning of AIBDPA, medical issues, CGHS problems ,the struggles being conducted and the recent hisytoric Mysuru Conference. Office bearers were elected unanimously with Com. Kailas Ch Pati (President) Com. Chittaranjan Behura (District Secretary ) Com. Chittaranjan Das ( Treasurer).

22 Dec 2022

Dear colleague’s,

The year that is coming to its end has been another year of important struggles in the long history of the WFTU. The 18th World Trade Union Congress that took place in Rome, Italy on 6-8 May 2022 under the slogan “United we continue for the satisfaction of our contemporary needs – Against Imperialist-Capitalist barbarity”, undoubtedly constitutes a great milestone for the international class-oriented trade union movement.  This historic 18^th congress has reiterated the anti-imperialist and anti-fascist character of the WFTU and its commitment to the struggle for the liberation of the working class from the capitalist shackles.

The year 2022 marked by the sharpening of imperialists’ competition to control global resources and markets.  The Russia invasion and the war in Ukraine undermines the inalienable right of the peoples to live in peace, triggering at the same time serious repercussions and affecting the working-class living conditions globally.

The USA, the EU and NATO, attempt to present the situation as a war between liberalism and authoritarianism, hopping that this way, their own criminal role can be hushed up.  But this dirty role is clearly visible in so many imperialist wars and interventions: Palestine, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Yugoslavia, Cyprus, and so many other places as well as in the embargos in Cuba and Venezuela and so many sanctions and economic wars. Peace is not being protected by even more militarism or patronage of all kinds of far-right nationalists and fascists. Peace cannot be based on blockades, sanctions, and economic wars.

The WFTU fights for permanent and stable peace, for the dissolution of NATO and all military coalitions and for the abolition of nuclear weapons.

As the imperialist wars continue, workers all over the globe, exhausted after the Covid-19 pandemic, are facing once again the consequences of a new capitalist crisis. The uncontrollable increase of the prices; especially the prices rise of the necessary goods for daily life, as well the “energy poverty”, is another way to cut salaries and to protect and increase profits. In this way, not only the bill of the pandemic and the economic crisis but also the war of NATO with Russia in Ukraine, they want to be paid by the working class, the pensioners, the farmers, and the poorer part of the self-employed people.

The working class all over the world with its relentless struggles refuses to pay for the capitalist crisis and the imperialist wars.  The WFTU affiliates are at the forefront of these struggles demanding the satisfaction of the contemporary needs of the workers at all levels: salary, employment, social security, culture.

During the last months, it was the struggles and mobilizations of trade unions that stood in the way of anti-people policies that wanted workers voiceless, and submissive.  On uncounted occasions, thousands of workers took to the streets giving strength and optimism to all to break that climate of fear, intimidation, and repression. Fighting for free and inclusive healthcare for all, respect and implementation of the democratic and trade union freedoms, an immediate increase of wages and pensions, protection of workers’ purchasing power and living standards, and for the satisfaction of the popular strata interests.

The arrest of the recently elected Secretary General of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC),  Luca Visentini, for scandal linked with the cover-up of terrible crimes committed against thousands of workers,  brings to the surface one more time the necessity to intensify the struggles  to protect the autonomy and the class orientation of the Trade Unions, away from bureaucracy, corruption, and manipulation by the capital and employers. The incorporation to the neoliberal, anti-labour policies, the absence of a substantial reaction, clearly coexists with the corruption.

The World Federation of Trade Unions and its hundred affiliates from 133 countries of the 5 continents, representing more than 105 million workers, will remain the pioneers of the working-class, at the forefront of struggles, armed with the decisions of its 18th World Trade Union Congress and with its militant history as a beacon.

It will intensify the coordination and struggle for:

– The continuation of massification and the upward course recorded by the class-oriented trade union movement in recent years.

– The coordination of the action and struggles of the organized class-oriented Trade Union movement throughout the world and supplying it with the necessary information and tools that will make the struggles even more prepared and effective.

– The further development of internationalist solidarity, cooperation and joint coordinated action of the peoples and the workers with the class unions in each country as a front.

– The deepening of the intervention in the International Organizations in which the WFTU participates with the aim of more effectively projecting the demands and interests of the working class.

– In the struggle against discrimination of all forms and the highlighting of the particular issues concerning working women and young workers.

– In the preparation of the health and safety of workers and the working environment, as well as sustainable human development with climate change at the forefront.

As we get ready to welcome the year 2023, we are confident that the international class-oriented trade union movement is ready and well-prepared to pave the way for future struggles, for the defense of workers’ interests and the satisfaction of their contemporary needs. For a world without imperialistic wars and interventions, without any kind of discrimination and man-by-man exploitation.

Happy and militant New Year,

United We Continue.

The Secretariat

 Many Recommendations of Parliamentary  Standing Committee goes in SMOKE!

Report of Parliament Standing Committee submits ATR in Rajyasabha  and expresses satisfaction on many issues over the action taken by the DoP&PW! Here we are analyzing the document to some extent and a full analyzation of the Report will be done later. Comments are welcome from all readers either by email to nccpa.hq@gmail.com or in Whatsapp Group of NCCPA – KR Deputy SG NCCPA

Action Taken Report on the recommendations of the Parliament Standing Committee submitted in Rajya Sabha – CAT is out of the BAG now!

The ATR (Action Taken Report) on the recommendations of the 110^th Report of the Parliament Standing Committee is tabled in Rajya Sabha by the above Committee. The community of Pensioners all over the country were wondering about the nature of recommendations as many of them were recommended though rejected by the 7^th CPC! The Pensioners were pinning much hope that these recommendations will be implemented by the Union Government! But the National Executive of NCCPA that met in June 2022, had clearly opined that these recommendations were only publicity stunt and not for real implementation! The averment of NE of NCCPA has come out true today with the ATR submitted in Rajya Sabha. Let us see the aspects of the report:

1.      The ATR itself is clear in stating that out of 28 recommendations made by the Committee only five (5) are accepted. It says that recommendations in Paras 2.12; 3.12; 3.23; 3.31; and 4.7 are accepted. What are these Paras? Para 2.12 stated that the pension related grievances can also be lodged in CPGRAMS Portal. Para 3.12 deals with the grant of Provisional Pension until the grant of regular pension and the regular PPO. Para 3.23 recommends for provision of non-CGHS Pensioners with the medical facilities on par with serving employees or an idea for cashless health insurance facility in lieu of FMA should be mooted by Department of Pension and Pensioners Welfare. Para 3.31 expresses hope of the Committee that additional funds are sanctioned by the Government to provide for deserving pensioners organizations based on their previous performance. Para 4.7 deals with the issue of digitisation of entire process of pension sanction. These are the recommendations accepted and the Parliament Standing Committee expressed happiness and satisfaction over the action of accepting just 5 of its recommendations!

2.      Implementation of even the above issues require to be seen by us to what extent various departments and Ministries are going to take them seriously for implementation though the replies are assuring and OMs also are issued. But very important issues recommended by the Standing Committee stand rejected by the Government!

3.      Many important recommendations of the Parliament Standing Committee are just given up in the wind! The ATR says that the Committee does not desire to pursue in view of the replies given by the Departments of Government on 16 of the recommendations made in Paras 3.3; 3.4; 3.10; 3.13; 3.19; 3.20; 3.21; 3.22; 3.28; 3.35; 4.9; 4.14; 4.15; 5.11; 5.12 and 5.16 of the Report!

The Committee says that it is satisfied with the explanations advanced! Well; we are not satisfied! Para 3.3 deals with enhancement of Group Insurance quantum; Para 3.4 states to change the savings fund to insurance fund be modified; Para 3.10 recommended to maintain GPF Account in electronic mode and transferred to the parent department; Para 3.13 wanted to end the delay caused in sanction of pension due to corona; Para 3.19 recommended for proper medical facilities to pensioners as ruled by the Apex Court and rules to immediately reimburse the bills of treatment shall be finalized and that the FMA to be enhanced to 3000/- to mitigate the problems of pensioners; Para 3.19 recommended for enacting rules for reimbursement of medical expenses incurred by CGHS beneficiary in a non-empanelled hospital fully as per apex court direction and to avoid pensioners spending huge money for getting justice in different courts; Para 3.20 recommended that CGHS should be expanded to district headquarters also and allow CPENGRAMS to admit medical related grievances also; Para 3.21 recommended for enhancement of FMA to 3000/- by accepting the points of Pensioners Associations that at old age pensioners are faced with lot of diseases; Para 3.22 suggested for a hassle free surrender certificate of FMA in online; Para 3.28 recommended for grant of additional pension from 65 years itself as the joint family system is breaking up and the pensioners are forced to live separately to meet the additional expenditure and stressed the DoP&PW to vigorously pursue this issue with the MOF; Para 3.35 recommended for change of date of upgradation under MACP from 1.1.2006; Para 4.9 recommended for improvement in CPAO Portal; Para 4.14 recommended that the Head of Office start the pension process before one year of retirement; Para 4.15 deals with the delay in sanction of family pension; Para 5.11 recommended for wider modern technology for pension; Para 5.12 dealt with the system of withdrawal of pension from homes to the elderly pensioners; and Para 5.16 recommended for streamlining of pension and family pension sanction.

4.      All the above are vital and important for the pensioners and family pensioners. If the Committee expresses satisfaction over the nature of action taken on these issues by the Government Departments and comes to the conclusion that it does not want to pursue further these issues, then we are sure that these vital issues are thrown to air by the Parliament Standing Committee! In nut shell, the Parliament Standing Committee enacted a drama for the amusement of lakhs of pensioners in the country and that the amusement is over!

5.      The Parliament Standing Committee did not accept the replies given to seven (7) recommendations stated in Paras 2.10; 2.16; 2.21; 2.30; 2.33; 3.37; and 4.13! In Para 2.10 the Committee wanted the pension complaints to be streamlined by forming a social audit panel; In Para 2.16 it had recommended for accountability mechanism to deal with the grievances of pension; Para 2.21 recommended for an Appellate mechanism to be operationalized for improving the effectiveness of the grievances; Para 2.30 recommended for virtual pension Adalats once in six months; Para 2.33 recommended for a pre-litigation conciliation for avoiding grievances in the pre-litigation time itself; In Para 3.37 the Committee had recommended for full liberalized pension on par with widows of defense personnel to widows of  Paramilitary / Civil Servants also; and 4.13 wanted the Government to be proactive in reaching out family pensioners and for liberalizing the procedures for children of the deceased Government servants.

6.      From the Action Taken Report it is clear that the Government has rejected (1) Additional Pension from 65 years; (2) No MACP from 1.1.2006; (3) No notional increment to 30^th June Retirees as per Para 2.37 of the present Report No.120 submitted in Rajyasabha. Therefore, many basic aspects of the recommendations are thus rejected. The increase in FMA quantum is of course not outrightly rejected but under consideration and we do not know the exact quantum of enhancement. But one thing is clear; it will not be 3000/- as recommended by the Committee. 

As per the Consumer Price Index released by Labour Bureau of India , the IDA for the 2007 pay scales and pension will be 201.1% from 01-01-2023. 195.8% +5.3% = 201.1%. The new rate of IDA is payable after the orders are issued by DPE.