Archives-News
Pension Revision
Dear Comrades,
On our request, Member (S)
gave us time at 0130 pm yesterday (20/7/23).
Accordingly Our Dy GS Com
Anupam Kaul and our OGS Com J S Dhahia met him.
OSD, DDG (Estt.) and Director
(Estt) were also in the chamber.
On the Eve of his ensuing
retirement on our behalf Member (S) was presented with a bouquet and flowers.
After exchanging pleasantries,
our leaders asked about the present status of pension revision recalling the
earlier meeting held with him on 29/5/23 in which it was informed that though
other formalities are over, the percentage shall be decided shortly by Hon MoC
and Secretary. Though two months have
gone by it's not decided our leaders told.
For this our leaders were
informed that consultation is still on and we can't say how much time it will
take.
The above is the official
position.
The following is
unofficial/yet to be confirmed news.
Most of you may be aware that
we have one source which has direct access with Telecom Secretary .
Our Vice-President Com R S N
Murthy informed me yesterday (20/7/23) late night the following:-
When there was interaction
between the Telecom secretary and our source, the former said to have conveyed
that he will decide the issue of pension revision and take necessary follow up
action before relinquishing his position as Telecom secretary.
Delays are undue. Assurances
are not kept up. This is our experience. Time is running fast. But still we
have to wait and watch.
V Vara Prasad
General Secretary
21/7
The matter was listed as item 27 before bench 5 today on 13-07-2023. Mr Sanjay Ghose Senior Advocate appeared on our behalf. The respondents repeated the same old arguments. The bench heard and recorded submissions of all parties that it will pronounce the order. Judge told that , if any clarifications are required then that will be sought for and the parties can give clarification on 16-08-2023. It has posted the matter to 16-08-2023. There is a possibility of delivering the judgement on 16th August 2023.
The matter was listed as Item 31 today before Court No 5.
The arguments took place for more than 100 minutes.
Our Dy.GS Com AnupamKaul was present in the court.
Director (Estt.) was also present.
Mr.SanjoyGhose, SrAdv appeared on our behalf and argued the matter. Thereafter, the other side argued for some time. They submitted that IDA scale is higher and so now the pensioners cannot claim parity. They further relied on the judgments of Ernakulam, Hyderabad and Bangalore bench.
The Hon judge was interacting with the lawyers.
In rejoinder, we submitted before the Court that the Government had assured us to pay pension on IDA scale and grant of IDA scale is in terms of judgment of the SC. We also distinguished the judgments of other benches.
The bench has recorded that arguments have been addressed by both sides. It has adjourned the matter to Thursday only to hear any further submissions which any party wishes to make.
Our lawyers are preparing the necessary documents for submission on 13/7/23.
Today's development is giving a positive signal.
DPE has issued orders for revision of IDA rates to 205.6% w.e.f 01-07-2023 for 2007 scales. Copy of Order payment-of-ida-at-revised-rates.pdf
In the Pensioners' Patrika for July-August 2023, while printing the list of office bearers elected by Jharkhand Circle Conference a serious mistake has crept in inadvertently. It is my mistake.
Com. S K Sharma was elected as President of Jharkhand Circle. But it was shown as R K Tiwari. Com. Tiwari is Circle President of MP Circle. I first typed the list of MP Circle, then copied it, pasted for Jharkhand Circle and then changed the names. While doing so I missed to change the name of President. The mistake so happened. I regret very much for the mistake. I apologize to Com. S K Sharma. I shall give a correction note in next issue of Patrika.... P S Ramankutty , Editor
Next CWC meeting will be held at AHMEDABAD on 01st and 2nd Oct 2023. Formal notice will be issued in due course
Special General Body meeting was held on 25-06-2023 at Trivandrum. CHQ Advisor Com P S Ramankutty , General Secretary Com V Vara Prasad ,CHQ office-bearer Com Pada Nair have addressed. District President and District Secretary of Trivandrum were on the dias. Secretaries of local branches have attended.
Special General Body meeting was held on 23-06-2023 at Nagercoil. GS Com V Vara Prasad addressed. District President Com Rajan Babu District Secretary Com Chelliah District Secretary Tirunalveli Com Paramasivam shared the dias.
District Conference of SALEM WEST division was held on 22-06-2023 with 300 members in audience. Shri M P Velusamy presided over the meeting. Com D Gopalakrishnan , All India President, Com V Vara Prasad General Secretary Com K Muthialu Vice President (CHQ) Com S sundarakrishnan Circle Secretary Tamilnadu Circle, addressed. Com P Venugopal OS CHQ conducted the conference. Com K Ramani gave welcome address. Following were elected unanimously as office-bearers :
President : Com M Govindaraj
Secretary : Com R Balaraman
Treasurer : Com M Ramasamy
CGHS rates revised for 36 radiological / imaging investigation vide its order dated 19th June 2023.
pecial General Body Meeting of Chennai Circle was held on 14-06-2023. Com M Munuswamy Presided over the meeting. Com D Gopalakrishnan , All India President, Com V Vara Prasad, General Secretary, Com S.Sundara Krishnan, Circle Secretary, Tamilnadu Circle addressed. CHQ Office bearers Com TS Vittoban, Com K Mutialu, Com G Natarajan, Com Rathna, Com Latha attended. The meeting started with an welcoming note by Com S.Thangaraj and ended with vote of thanks by Com N Kannappan, Circle Treasurer. 
Special General Body Meeting of STR Division , Chennai was held on 13-06-2023. Com A Sugumaran Presided over the meeting. Com D Gopalakrishnan , All India President, Com V Vara Prasad, General Secretary, Com K Mutialu Vice President (CHQ) , Com S.Sundara Krishnan, Circle Secretary, Tamilnadu Circle addressed. CHQ Office bearers Com TS Vittoban, Com Rathna, Com Latha attended. The meeting started with an welcoming note by Com N Kodandaraman, and ended with vote of thanks by Com N S Deenadayalan (DS)
We are totally distressed by the train tragedy at Balasore and convey our condolences to the bereaved families.
It is the third worst railway accident in India considering human casualty.
On 6th June 1981 a train accident in Bihar killed about 800 people.
Another accident in UP on 20th August 1995 killed 400 people. Now at Balasore about 300 people lost life and more than 1100 people injured after an accident involving three trains. The horrific accident happened when Coromandel express heading towards Chennai , derailed. Technical fault or human error, whatsoever, has caused such a great tragedy.
Proper treatment of injured is the urgent need. The local people of Balasore immersed themselves in assisting rescue ops and several people lined up to donate blood.
We appreciate the prompt action taken towards rescue operations by NDRF, Railways and the Governments at State and Centre. But the fact remains that more than 3 lakhs posts are vacant in Indian Railways, a system constructed in 19th century which has become the most important transit system of our country. India’s railway system is a marvel, in that it connects a massive country together, is an affordable mode of transportation that serves 23 million people each day.‘Kavach’, the automatic Train protection system developed by Railways is available only in few areas.Railways have confirmed that the trains that met with the tragedy were not ‘Kavach’ enabled. We hope that Indian Railways will take immediate action to improve the protection devices to save the human lives. The Government has to take appropriate action to avoid recurrence of such accidents.
Financial compensation for the dead is not enough. Majority of the passengers died in the accident travelled in Unreserved Coaches. The Govt should identify the victims and extend relief and provide employment to the kith and kin in Railways.
Meeting with Member (S) jointly with like minded associations
As per programme to meet Sh U S Pandey,Member (Services), myself and two other members of our Association reached Sanchar Bhawan New Delhi in time.In the Reception Office Com Prahlad Rai G S of AIRBSNLEWA met and told me "should we go together or you want to go alone."Upon this I told him that as we are like minded and our approach is the same then no harm in meeting the M (S) together.So we all went and met the Member (Services) and the meeting lasted for 30 minutes from 1310 to 1340 hours.
I informed that we met MOC on 27/5/23 for expediting the pension revision case and Hon'ble Minister told that he will meet Secretary DOT shortly and will see that the case is approved with fitment formula very soon.
M(S) replied that once the process at higher level is completed he will start the process of preparing Cabinet Note and other formalities without delay.Sh A K Sahu CGMT and OSD was assisting M(S) who is likely to take over as M (S) when Sh U S Pandey retires within 2-3 months.M(S) categorically said that he will not delay the case once it comes to him.
We told that we have full justification for revision of BSNL/MTNL pensioner's pension revision as per 7th CPC which we have already submitted to the DOT long back.M(S) told that if you have any thing new you can send the same to me which I will place for negotiation along with other views.Points raised like,"you are already getting more pension, 3rd PRC /7th CPC etc. were countered properly by us.We emphasised that we want permanent solution of our pension revision which is possible and fully justified as per 7th CPC.
Following participated in today's meeting:.
1. J S Dahiya O/Secy AIBSNLPWA
2.Zile Singh of AIBSNLPWA
3.N N Sharma of AIBSNLPWA
4.Kishan Singh, President of AIRBSNLEWA
5 Prahlad Rai GS of AIRBSNEWA
6.K R Yadav of AIRBSNLEWA
7. A K Kaushik G S RTOWA
8.A.K Kapoor of RTOWA
Meeting ended in a cordial atmosphere. Photos were,however,not taken. then we came out team of SNPWA including G L Jogi G S, R K Mudgal and D C Sharma was waiting for their turn for meeting the Member (Services)
J S Dahiya
The following message is given by our lawyer:- As you are aware, the matter was listed as part-heard before a bench comprising of Mr.Tarun Shridhar (Administrative Member) and Ms.Pratima Gupta (Judicial Member). When the matter was called out, we appeared on your behalf led by Mr.Sanjoy Ghose, Ld. Sr. Counsel who pointed out that the submissions made on behalf of the Applicants have been recorded in the last order and the Respondents had sought time to take instructions. The counsel appearing for the Respondent DoT however sought further time on the ground that he had been recently engaged. We opposed the request made by the Counsel for DoT on the ground that the matter was part-heard on 29th March and that DoT should have sought instructions by now. The bench told the counsel for DoT that the issues already stand crystallized vide order passed on 29th March and that the Respondents need to respond to the same. The bench further granted the Counsel for Respondent DoT 3 days time to seek instructions and adjourned the matter to 25.05.2023 i.e. Thursday.
Our Pension Revision Case scheduled for today in PB CAT New Delhi could not be taken up as Bench did not sit. The same is listed for Monday i.e on 22-05-2023 at Sl No 28 .