Today, the 6th April, 2016 Com.K.G.Jayaraj, General Secretary had a telephonic talk with Ms. Annie Moreas, Member (Finance) on the issue of 78.2% IDA merger. She has stated that the file is ‘moving’ and may be sent to the Minister. But the fact remains that the file is still with the Secretary, DoT even after about one week of its submission to him by the establishment section of DoT.
CALL DROPS- CENTRAL GOVERNMENT TO SUBMIT PROPOSAL FOR SOLUTION IN SUPREME COURT.
The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) had approached the Supreme Court against the order of TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) for payment of compensation to the customers for call drops. While hearing the petition on 5th April, 2016 by the bench of Justice Kurian Joseph and Rohinton Nariman, Attorney General, Mukul Rohatgi sought time till 12-04-2016 to submit the proposal, rather ‘solution’ of the government to end the impasse in this regard. Earlier the counsel for COAI argued before the bench ‘nobody is running away from call drops issue’ but objected to the clauses in the Telecom Consumers Protection (9th Amendment) Regulations of 2015.
BLACK MONEY- NO PROGRESS SO FAR.
One of the most important and attractive poll promises of the BJP was that once they are elected to govern the country, they are committed to bring back the black money stashed away to foreign countries within 30 days. But even after 23 months there is no result in this regard despite appointment of a Special Investigation Team headed by former supreme court judge M.B.Shah. And the investigation agencies are reported to be struggling to estimate how much Indian wealth is parked in tax havens.
Now, the Panama papers have bring out another list of India’s rich and influential who have parked money in tax havens, the officials are grapping to find credible ways to verify a new estimate showing that over Rs.33,83,500 crore has left India during the period 2004-13. The investigation team is not at all confident of any major breakthroughs in the near future. But even at this stage the irony is that there is no effective intervention by the government other than certain statements.
GREECE- 220 KM DEMONSTRATION STARTED FROM PATRAS ON 03-04-2016 TO ATHENS AGAINST UNEMPLOYEMENT.
Determined to rally for 220 klm starting from Patras end finishing outside the Greek Parliament in Athens are hundreds of unemployed and working people to demand measures against unemployment and measures of support for the unemployed.
The initiative of the Municipality of Patras exposing the extreme problem of unemployment, the poverty and misery of the popular families which began yesterday on Sunday, April 3rd, has been embrased by PAME and the class-oriented trade unions, by active popular organizations, cultural and athletic associations of the people of Greece.
Some of the slogans heard along the long rally are: “Unpaid work and terrible working conditions is what the capitalist barbarity has to offer”, “No more poverty and unemployment, no more sacrifices for the plutocracy”, “We will not become slaves of the employers”, “We demand work for all, work with rights”.
The demonstrators will arrive in Athens on Sunday, April 10th, 2016.
The WFTU has extend its solidarity to the demonstrators and the people of Greece and appeals to its members and friends worldwide to send messages of solidarity to this important initiative
MEETING OF TUI DELGATION WITH WFTU LEADERSHIP CONCLUDED WITH GREAT SUCCESS.
The meeting between the TUIs and the WFTU Leadership concluded with great success. In the meeting took part high level delegations of all TUIs the main topics were the strengthening of the class oriented struggle in every sector and the preparations for the 17th World Trade Union Congress in Durban, South Africa. In the framework of the meeting, the international delegations took part in the demonstration organised by PAME against the destruction of social security.
On behalf of the WFTU Secretariat, the WFTU General Secretary took the floor and talked about the high value of the exchange of experience, the collective discussion and the common planning of the WFTU with its sectoral organizations -the TUIs- and announced the decision of the secretariat that this meeting will take place every year in order to strengthen the coordination and cooperation.
The TUI delegates discussed openly about the great steps they have done and the problems they face and have to overcome. The meeting concluded in a militant spirit and reassured that initiatives will be taken in every sector to promote the 17th World Trade Union Congress.
The SecretarIat
KOLLAM DISTRICT CONVENTION HELD MOST SUCCESSFULLY ON 05-04-2016
There was a large participation of pensioners in the Kollam District Convention held at K.G.Bose Centre, Kollam on 05-04-2016. Com.B.Thulaseedhara Kurup, District President, CITU inaugurated. Com.N.Guruprasad, Circle Secretary delivered the keynote address with an elaborate speech covering the Tirupati AIC decisions, current position of 78.2% IDA merger, the ensuing referendum in BSNL and the Elections to the state legislature. Com.R.Aravindakshan Nair, CHQ Treasurer, C.Muraledharan Pillai, District Secretary, BSNLEU and Com.K.N.Jyothilakshmi, Asst Circle Secretary, BSNLEU also addressed. Com.N.Sasidharan Nair, Dist Secetary welcomed the gathering and Com.V.Ponnappa Pillai, Vice President presided. Com.M.S. Thulaseedharan Pillai proposed vote of thanks.
At least 50% IDA should be merged immediately
After the 2007 wage settlement in BSNL and other PSUs which continues with 10 year wage revision (BSNLEU had demanded 5 year wage revision), the IDA has gone up to 112.4% w.e.f. 01-01-2016. Wage revision is due from 01-01-2017, but the DPE has not issued any guidelines in the matter, either in the case of executives or non-executives. Employees are put to much hardship due to the high cost of living and due to the non-merger of IDA. At least, half of the DA should be merged immediately, with out waiting for the wage revision.
Though the VII CPC has submitted its report to the Government on the pay scales of the central government employees w.e.f. 01-01-2016, the latter has neither implemented it nor given any merger of the DA as used to be given.
The delay is unwarranted and unjustified. We demand the government to take necessary decision in the matter and order merger of at least 50% DA to the PSU employees, including BSNL and the pensioners as well.
BAD LOANS(NON PERFORMANCE ASSETS) OF VARIOUS BANKS AND THE TOP WILLFUL DEFAULTERS.
The Reserve Bank of India has at last furnished the list of willful defaulters of Public Sector banks to the Supreme Court. A supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice T.S.Thakur had asked the Reserve Bank clarifications on the reported writing off of Rs.1.14 lakh bad loans for the period of 2013-15. The intervention of the Supreme Court was warranted as Vijay Mallya who has defaulted a whooping R.9000 crore to the PSU banks absconded.
The following is the bank wise list of top bad loans written off .
State Bank Of India- Rs.21,313 crore, Indian Overseas Bank- Rs.3,131 crore, Allahabad Bank-Rs.2,109 crore, IDBI-Rs.1,609 crore, Bank Of Baroda- Rs.1,564 crore, Syndicate Bank-Rs.1,527 crore, Canara Bank-Rs.1,472 crore, UCO Bank- Rs.1,401 crore, Central Bank of India-Rs.1,386 crore.
Some of the firms and persons who willfully defaulted after availing loan above Rs.500 crore is given below.The list as on 31-12-2015 containing 7129 defaulters is prepared based on the information received from the Credit Information bureau.
Zoom Developers- Rs.2411 core, Winsom Diamond & Jewellery- Rs.2266 crore , Deccan Chronicle Holdings- Rs.1314 crore, King Fisher Airlines- Rs.1,201 crore( from SBI only, the total default amount of Vijay Mallya from 17 PSU banks is Rs.9,000 core), Surya Vinayak Industries- Rs.1102 crore, Beeta Naptol- Rs.958 crore, Indian Technomat- Rs.724 crore Raza Textiles- Rs.695 crore, S.Kumar Nationalwide- Rs.681 core
The total loan amount defaulted willfully during the period is Rs.70,540 core.
VELLORE DISTRICT BRANCHES OF AIBDPA & AIPRPA ORGANISED A POWERFUL DEMONSTRATION BEFORE THE VELLORE HEAD POST OFFICE ON 01-04-2016 AGAINST INTEREST CUT OF SMALL SAVING SCHEMS.
WFTU Statement on the occasion of the World Day against Racial Discrimination
The WFTU, on the occasion of the World Day against Racial Discrimination, wants to express and reaffirm its basic principle and stable fight against all forms of racial discrimination.
We express our deep class solidarity with the the millions of immigrant workers, the millions of refugees who are facing double exploitation, as part of the working class, but also as immigrants. All workers, whether they are foreigners or locals are class brothers and our struggles are common, no matter the nationality, race, color of skin or religion.
The WFTU calls upon the international working class, to keep expressing its solidarity with immigrants and refugees, especially now, when imperialist wars and aggression have created huge waves of refugees. Racial discrimination and other types of discrimination are created and kept alive so the monopolies, the transnational corporations, the imperialist mechanisms and the reactionary governments in order to divide workers and safeguard the interests of the capital, maintaining class exploitation. The WFTU also calls upon all workers and the toiling masses to reject and fight against all fascist and nazi mentality and propaganda that is inhuman and against the interests of the working class.
The WFTU and its affiliates and friends in more than 120 countries will keep fighting for the interests of the working class, against racial discrimination created by capitalist barbarism.
The Secretariat