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From the very beginning, we are clear about our demand on our future pension revision.
WE ARE BSNL RETIREES; BUT WE ARE CENTRAL GOVT PENSIONERS.
In 1998 and in 2008, when the CPC reports were implemented on pension, the orders were issued stating that those orders were applicable to all pensioners and family pensioners covered by CCS Pension Rules, 1972. We are getting pension from the Government of India under Rule 37 of CCS Pension Rules 1972. Hence, the seventh CPC Report should cover BSNL retirees also. We approached Secretary, Telecom with this demand. He assured that he would take up the matter with concerned Ministries even if there is no specific recommendation from the CPC.
Some organizations are confused. One day they go to authorities with the demand that the proposed third Pay Revision Committee (PRC to be appointed in 2016 or 2017) should be asked to propose pension revision of BSNL retirees. Next day they go to authorities with the demand for extension of CPC report. We appreciate their anxiety. But we should be firm on the demands. If all the organizations make joint efforts, we can achieve future pension revisions as per CPC reports, without depending upon the financial performance of BSNL company.
Inspiring report has been received from Tamil Nadu Circle and Chennai TD Circle Units about relief activities by the team entrusted the work, to the people affected by the devastating floods in Chennai and some other parts of Tamil Nadu.
16 BSNL Pensioners of Tamil Nadu Circle have been identified who were badly affected by the floods and helped by AIBSNLPWA.
Similarly, Chennai TD comrades also have identified some BSNL Pensioners of Chennai affected. The Relief work is going on.
Detailed report will be given later on.
Com. M Kannappan, Treasruer of AIBSNLPWA Chennai TD Circle has sent to us the following details of Receipts towards the Floods Relief Fund:
1 SALEM WEST 65000.00
2 MADURAI 58700.00
3 AP CIRCLE 25000.00
4 CH TD 25000.00
5 KARNATAKA CIRCLE 25000.00
6 KERALA CIRCLE 25000.00
7 TN CIRCLE 25000.00
8 TANJORE PENSIONERS 23110.00
9 CHQ 20000.00
10 ERNAKULAM 20000.00
11 MALAPPURAM 20000.00
12 PALAKKAD 20000.00
13 TRICHY 16400.00
14 VIRUDHUNAGAR 15450.00
15 BHOPAL 11000.00
16 COIMBATORE 15000.00
17 KOTTAYAM 10000.00
18 MUMBAI TEL FACTORY 10000.00
19 PONDICHERRY 10000.00
20 TANJORE 10000.00
21 TENKASI 10000.00
22 TIRUNELVELI 10000.00
23 TRICHUR 10000.00
24 TRIVANDRUM 10000.00
25 TUTICORIN(2) 10000.00
26 V SUNDAR 10000.00
27 VISAKHAPATNAM 10000.00
28 KANNUR 8500.00
29 KOLKATA TRTAFFIC 5000.00
30 ANANTAPUR AP 5000.00
31 CALICUT(1) 5000.00
32 CALICUT(2) 5000.00
33 KUMBAKONAM 5000.00
34 SALEM EAST 5000.00
35 SAMBALPUR 5000.00
36 SILCHAR, ASSAM 5000.00
37 SWAMINATHAN TRUST 5000.00
38 TUTICORIN(1) 5000.00
39 V S MUTHUKUMARAN 5000.00
40 VIZIANAGARAM 5000.00
41 TIRUPATHI 5000.00
42 NAMBUNARAYNAN 3000.00
43 SANKARESWARI , 3000.00
44 KOLLAM 2000.00
45 M C SHARMA 2000.00
46 MURUGESAN, KALYANI 2000.00
47 RAMALINGAM, SRINIVASAN 2000.00
48 PATHANAMTHITTA 1500.00
49 B L SHARMA, SAGWARA 1000.00
50ALAPPUZHA KERALA 1000.00
51 NARAYNAN MANGALASSERY 1000.00
52 RAGHAVAN POTTI 1000.00
53 M R P PATNAIK 500.00
54 MATHURA (UP WEST) 500.00
55 Prakashnagar AP 100.00
56 VIJAYAWADA AP 12600
Shri. V Sunder (Retd DE of Chennai) donated Rs 10000;
Shri S Srinivasan (Retd DGM of Chennai) donated Rs 1000 and
Shri S Ramalingam (Retd TM of Chennai) donated RS 1000 to the Relief Fund.
SALEM WEST BRANCH DONATES Rs 65,000
MADURAI SSA UNIT DONATES Rs 58,700.
MUMBAI TEL. FACTORY SSA UNIT DONATES Rs 10,000
The Forum of BSNL Unions and Associations has given a call to their members to conduct demonstrations on 22-12-2015 demanding immediate settlement of 78.2% case for revision of pension with effect from 1-1-2007.
We welcome the decision of the Forum.
It was reported that DoT is sending the revised Cabinet Note to Ministry of Law for its views. Normally, the Law Ministry should give its views within two weeks. And therefore, it can be expected that the revised Cabinet Note will go to Cabinet Secretariat shortly.
Anyway, we are happy that the Forum has given a call for some demonstrative programme.
Com. R L Kapoor reports from Delhi through SMS:
"Today I visited Sanchar Bhavan and enquired about the Case.
The 78.2% case is being referred to Ministry of Law for wetting the Cabinet Note."
Many of our branches have observed the Pensioners Day with great enthusiasm.
Reports are pouring. We will give the gist after compiling all the reports.
Some photos are given below.
[Photos in JPG format only can be uploaded in this Website.]
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CALICUT- KERALA.
ELURU - AP
NAGERCOIL - TN
BHIMAVARAM - AP
TENKASI - TN
MANGALORE - KARNATAKA
VIJAYAWADA - AP
BHUBANESWAR - ODISHA
HUBLI - KARNATAKA
SALEM WEST - TN
BHOPAL - MP
BANGALORE - KARNATAKA
CHENNAI STR DN - TN
JABALPUR - MP
MADURAI - TN
HYDERABAD - AP
Tenkasi branch of Tirunelveli District has donated Rs 10,000.
Shri Narayanan Mangalassery of Calicut has transferred a sum of Rs 1000 to the fund.
Silchar, Assam has sent RS 5000
Indian pensioners’ community observe 17, December as PENSIONERS DAY. Because it was on 17, December 1982, the Supreme Court of India delivered its landmark judgement in the case filed by late Mr D S Nakara and others.
BACKGROUND IN BRIEF
The first Pay Commission (1946-47) recommended that pension should be 1/80 of each year of service completed. Maximum pension in central service was suggested as Rs. 8000 per year. Govt raised it to Rs 8100 per year; means Rs 675 per month. The Second CPC (1957-60) did not change it. III CPC (1970-73) also did not consider the plight of old pensioners.
On 25, May 1979 the Government introduced a ‘liberalised pension scheme”. The ceiling on maximum pension was raised from Rs 675 to Rs 1000 per month. But, the order said that the new scheme would be applicable only to those who were in service on 31st March 1979. Since Mr D S Nakara and Mr. Satyendra Singh, two officers, retired before 31-3-1979, they continued to get Rs 675 as monthly pension. They approached the Court of Law to remove this ‘cut off date” of 31-3-1979.
A five member bench of Supreme Court delivered a judgement on 17-12-1982 stating that such cut-off date is against the Constitution.
Not only that.
Supreme Court made very categorical statements about pension etc. Thus the Judgement in Nakara Case became a landmark judgement in the history of Indian judiciary. It has become the ‘magna carta’ for Indian pensioners. Many subsequent judgements, reports of IV CPC, V CPC, VI CPC and the VII CPC also quoted this judgement. Old pensioners get some benefit only because of this judgement.
VII CPC.
The seventh Pay Commission has recommended that pension of those who retired before 1-1-2016 should be multiplied by 2.57. Suppose a person was getting Rs 10,000 as monthly pension, then his new basic pension will be: Rs 25700.What is the real increase?
Basic Pension: ... Rs 10,000
DA as on 1-1-2016: ... Rs 12,500
Total recd: ... ... Rs 22,500
Increase will be ...........Rs 3,200
32 percent of existing basic pension or 14.2 percent of existing total pension.
THE FITMENT FORMULA
The fitment formula of 2.57 was arrived at because the VII CPC fixed new minimum pay in Central Govt. Services as Rs 18000. 2.57 times of Existing minimum pay of Rs 7000. This new minimum pay of Rs 18000 is most irrational and unscientific. Staff Side has demanded that it should be at least Rs 26,000. Government may consider it.
PENSIONERS’ DAY IN 2015
When we, BSNL/MTNL retirees, observe the Pensioners Day 2015, we are waiting for a government decision on the demand for revision of our pension with 78.2%. There should not be a cut-off date like 1-1-2007 or 10-6-2013.Those who were in service on 10-6-2013 and retired thereafter are getting pension with 78.2%. Those who retired before that cut off date are denied the benefit.This is against the judgement in Nakara case. This injustice should be ended immediately. Central government pensioners will get a pension revision from 1-1-2016, as recommended by CPC or as revised by the Government. We are also central government pensioners. There should not be any discrimination in this matter too. That is what Supreme Court declared on 17-12-1982.
Hence, Nakara Case Judgement is important to us.
Pensioners Day is important to us.
OUR COIMBATORE SSA UNIT HAS SENT Rs 10,000 inclusive of a personal donation of Rs 2000 from Shri Sundara Rajan, a member of Coimbatore unit, now living at Hubli, Karnataka.
R C Malhotra, AGS reports from New Delhi as:
" Establish Section prepared the revised Cabinet Note with the data asked for by Department of Expenditure. The same was submitted to Member (Services) for forward transmission. But, in the meanwhile, the Legal Section raised some doubts and wanted some corrections. So Establishment Section is making necessary corrections to the Cabinet Note as Legal section wants...."
In short, the file is still in Sanchar Bhavan
Sh. B L Sharma, Retd JTO, Sagwara Rajasthan has sent Rs 1000 to the Fund.
The Kolkata Traffic branch has sent Rs 5000 to the Fund today.
Sh. V S Muthukumaran, Retd DGM,.... informs that he has transferred Rs 5000.
COM. K MUTHIYALU SPEAKS
[COMS. NATARAJAN, DG, A K DHANABALAN, T S VITTOBAN, S ARUNACHALAM ARE SEEN IN THE PHOTO.]
VIRUDHUNAGAR (TN)
Today, Virudhunagar branch has sent a sum of Rs 15300 to the Relief Fund
VISKHAPATNAM
Visakhapatnam branch (AP) has sent a sum of Rs 10,000 to the Fund.
Thanjavur:
On 12-12-2015, in the general body meeting held at Thanjavur to observe PENSIONERS DAY, a call was given for donation towards Chennai Flood Relief Fund. Rs 22000 was donated by the pensioners present on the spot. Added the amount from District Association, a total sum of Rs 37000 was donated by Thanjavur Comrades. CHQ Leaders Com. G Natarajan, D Gopalakrishnan, T S Vittoban, K Muthiyalu, S Arunachalam, V Rama Rao and Com. S Gunasekaran (former CHQ Treasurer) addressed the meeting.
TIRUCHIRAPALLY
In the evening a meeting was held at Tiruchirapally. There also a sum of Rs 16400 was collected on the spot from the participants towards the Relief Fund. Com. DG and Com. Rama Rao addressed the meeting
10—12—2015 6 PM
Today, the CHQ leaders available in Chennai, Circle Secretaries of Tamilnadu and Chennai TD and other active workers of our Association in Chennai met and discussed the situation after the Floods. It was decided:
1. CHQ will donate a sum of Rs 20,000
2. Chennai TD Circle Unit will donate Rs 25,000
3 Tamilnadu Circle also will donate Rs 25,000.
4. A sum of Rs 50,000 will be earmarked for purchasing Notebooks and distributing to the poor students in Chennai Corporation schools and Government schools of Cuddalore and Pondicherry. [Government of Tamilnadu decided to distribute Text books, not Notebooks.]
5. Remaining amount will be utilized to help our own members and BSNL pensioners who are really affected by the rain and floods.
6. According to the information already received, ten comrades are worst affected.There may be some more people. We are searching. Such people will be given the relief in kind/materials – not in cash.
7. A committee of eight comrades has been constituted to contact BSNL pensioners living in areas greatly affected by the floods and assess the situation. The Four CHQ Office Bearers in Chennai will supervise these relief activities.
Com. V Rama Rao, our All India Asst. Treasurer and Tamilnadu Circle Secretary and a known social worker takes lead to collect relief materials and distribute the same to the deserving victims of recent floods in Chennai.