30 Sept 2020
28 Sept 2020
LETTER TO CGM ON OPTION AND VALIDITY OF MRS CARD
LETTER TO CGM AP Circle to extend the last date for submission of options upto 31-12-2020 and to allow the validity of the MRS cards till 31-03-2021.
22 Sept 2020
CHQ to Member (F) DOT on LIfe certificate
CHQ writes to Member (F) DOT for extension of date to 31-12-2020 for submission of Life certificate by Pensioners under SAMPANN
CHQ to Dir HR BSNL on MRS Option & Validity of Cards
CHQ writes to Dir HR BSNL for extension of dates for option to 31-12-2020 and validity to 31-03-2021
21 Sept 2020
18 Sept 2020
OA No. 100/1329 of 2020 for Pension revision
OA filed by AIBSNLPWA for Pension Revision for BSNL retirees was filed before Hon PBCAT New Delhi . The case is admitted on 18-09-2020 and is posted to 18-11-2020. Notices issued to respondents.
15 Sept 2020
FACILITY OF SUBMISSION OF LIFE CERTIFICATE AT CSC OF SSAS
BSNL C.O ORDER : TO MAKE FACILITY OF SUBMISSION OF DIGITAL LIFE CERTIFICATE BY PENSIONERS / FAMILY PENSIONERS OF DOT/BSNL THROUGH ONE CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER IN EACH SSA
13 Sept 2020
Sri Naini Gopal vs SBI CPPC & others in Bombay High Court (August 2020)
Sri Naini Gopal (aged 85 ) Assistant Foreman Ordinance Factory Bhandara Retired on 01-10-1994 Nagpur Petitioner
Union of
India Ministry of Defence , Respondents
The
Principal Controller of Defence Accounts
The General
Manager SBI CPPC 5th Floor Premises No
T-651 , T-751 ITC Belapur, CBD Belapur Railway Station Complex , Navi Mumbai –
4000614
The General
Manager Ordinance Factory Bhandara
High court
of Bombay Nagpur Bench
LD-VC-CW-665
of 2020.
CASE HISTORY BRIEF
In the
month of August 2019, the basic pension of the petitioner was reduced from Rs
25634 to Rs 25250 (from 01-01-2016) and CPPC SBI directed recovery of Rs 369035
from the pension payable in instalments of Rs 11400 i.e 1/3 of monthly pension
from 01-08-2019.
An amount
of Rs 872 was erroneously paid in excess from October 2007 due to technical
error.
The stand
taken by employer, the competent authority has stated that fixation of pension
was correct and proper and supported the claim of the pensioner and intimated
that pension at the rate of Rs 26000 has been correctly notified.
| TABLE 14 ( S-13, GP -4600 , LEVEL - 7 ) | ||||
| 4TH CPC | 5TH CPC | 6TH CPC | 7TH CPC | PENSION |
| 2675 | 8125 | 19720 | 52000 | 26000 |
Bank stated
that revised pension of Rs 9102 was payable but bank calculated it as Rs 9974
and thus paid an excess of Rs 872 per month
from October 2007. It is not the authority of the bank to fix the
entitlement of pension and the action of the bank to reduce the pension is
unauthorised and illegal.
If the bank
had any doubt about the correctness of fixation of pension, it should have
carried correspondence with the employer and got the clarification. An
explanation in respect of proposed deduction with retrospective effect from Oct
2007 should have been called from the pensioner.
The entire
action of the bank is arbitrary, unreasonable, unauthorised and in flagrant violation of the principles of
natural justice and cannot be sustained.
Instead of
showing sensitivity to the problems of senior citizens , the bank has shown
arrogance .
We need to
direct the bank to refund the amount of Rs 326045 with interest at the rate of
18% per annum , restrain the bank to recover the balance, bank to pay costs of
Rs 50000 towards expenses.
Pension payable
upon superannuation is a property ( Article 300 A )and it constitutes a
fundamental right to livelihood (Article 21)
Article 41 of the Constitution of India in the Part IV of Directive Principles of State Policy has created a obligation upon the state to recognise a right of public assistance in the case of old age , sickness and disablement .
OBSERVATIONS
Unfortunately,
the time has come to tell the Bank that the aging is natural process, which leads to weakening of the body and mind. The
productivity, working ability and mobility decreases or paralyzes with growing
age. The traditional norms, values and culture in the Indian Society demand to
treat the senior citizens with respect, dignity and lay
stress on providing
security, care and
assistance to them.
It becomes a part of the human right of the senior citizens. The senior
citizens are the persons who had shouldered the responsibility of building a
nation in general and society or community in particular, while in service.
Utilizing their experience in the life and working, the strong shoulders are
created of young persons to substitute and rest the responsibility upon them,
while demitting the office. The bank officials must realize that tomorrow it
may be their turn, upon superannuation, to fight for the pension or
post-retiral benefits. The thought process, therefore, to be adopted should be
of a person in a situation like the petitioner. The respect, dignity, care,
sensitivity, assistance and security would automatically follow.
We have, however, seen and can take judicial note of the fact that the security of the senior citizens always remain in peril. We have seen the senior citizens anxiously waiting for credit of the pension amount in their account and standing in a queue for withdrawal. Once the amount is withdrawn personally either from the Bank or from the ATM, a serious threat starts posing to the life from the watchdogs roaming around involved in pick-pocketing and stealing. We have actually seen the old aged persons — men and women, counting the currency with cramping hands and trying to secure the amount at some hidden place in the body. It is then after waiting in the premises of the Bank and taking stock of the situation and the atmosphere with scared mind and the feeling of insecurity, the escape route and time is chosen to reach to their destination safely. It is a high time for the Banks to create a separate cell and to device a method to provide personal service through the men of confidence, at the door-step to the old aged, disabled and sick persons who are the senior citizens. They have to be treated with respect and dignity. The sensitivity to the problems of the senior citizens need to be addressed. The mechanism for immediate redressal of grievance needs to be provided. The officers having a degree or master’s degree in Social Work or Psychology, who can be in personal touch with and genuinely understand and redress the grievances or complaints of the senior citizens, can be appointed.
ORDER
In the result, this petition is allowed and the following order is passed : The action of the Bank in deducting an amount of Rs.11,040/- per month with effect from October, 2019 is hereby quashed and set aside.
We direct the Bank to immediately credit an amount of Rs.3,27,045/-, recovered from the pension account of the petitioner, along with interest at the rate of 18% per annum from the date of recovery of each of the installments, till the date of credit of this amount in the pension account of the petitioner. Bank is restrained from recovering any amount from the pension payable to the petitioner on the basis of the action, which we have quashed and set aside. We direct the Bank to pay the compensation of Rs.50,000/- to the petitioner and credit the said amount in the pension account of the petitioner within a period of eight days from today, failing which the additional costs of Rs.1,000/- for each day’s delay will have to be paid.
11 Sept 2020
Timeline for submission of life certificate has been extended .
Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare OM NO No.18/1/2020-P&PW(C)-6681 Dated: 11th September, 2020 On Extension of period for submission of Life Certificate from October 2020 till December 2020.
This year, all Central Government pensioners may submit Life Certificate from 1st November, 2020 onward, till 31st December 2020.
However, the pensioners in the age group of 80 years and above, can submit Life Certificate from 1st October, 2020 onwards, to 31st December, 2020.
During this extended period, the pension will be continued to be paid by the Pension Disbursing Authorities (PDAs) uninterrupted.
7 Sept 2020
Letter to AD CGHS
Issues of shifting of CGHS WELNESS CENTER VIJAYAWADA , strengthening of welness centers at Guntur, Rajahmundry, Visakhapatnam, Nellore, Vijayawada , Posting of AD CGHS Vijayawada, filling of vacant posts , sanction of new posts to commensurate increase of beneficiaries, Opening of new welness centers etc have been brought to the notice of AD CGHS Hyderabad. Letter sent thro mail . Letter to AD CGHS HYDERABAD
In response to above , the following reply is received from AD CGHS today itself :
With reference to your letter it is informed
Tenders for Nellore and Guntur are completed. Re-Tenders done for Vizag I & II & Rajamundry for 3 time on 26.08.2020. Rajamundry shifting is under process.
BSNL buldg if given at a reasonable rate, Vijayawada wc can be shifted. Matter is being negogiated by BSNL pensioners. As regards posting of AD at AP. it is policy matter of Matter.
Further for 06 months retired staff on contract basis are being taken till recruitment is finalised.
6 Sept 2020
LIFE CERTIFICATE
Every Pensioner must submit Life Certificate once in a year. That is the rule. Now, in BSNL we have two categories of Pensioners.
1. Those who retired recently in 2019 or 2020. They are
covered by SAMPANN. VRS pensioners are covered by it. CCA office is calculating
their pension, IDA etc. and credit the amount in the account of pensioners,
either in Post office or in Bank. All their records are with CCAs. Hence the
Life Certificate should be submitted to CCA office, not Bank, not Post office.
a. LC can be
sent electronically. It is called Digital Life Certificate or DLC. Go to any
Akshaya Kendra having biometric facility, take thump impression etc. and then
send the DLC online to CCA office.
b. Or,
download the Form from CCA’s website. Fill it up, get attested by authorities
like Gazetted officer etc. and submit it by post or by hand to CCA.
LC or DLC should be submitted before completion of 12 months
of submission of it last time. If you had submitted the LC in September last
year, it should be submitted before 20-9-2020. The process in CCA office starts
on 20th of the month.
Those who retired in March or April or May 2019 should have submitted
the LC or DLC in March or April or May this year. Due to lockdown, time is
given up to 30-9-2020. It is only for this year.
2. Old pensioners who are not covered by SAMPANN. Gradually
all will be covered by SAMPANN. Work is going on. CCAs will announce once the
work is completed and old pensioners are taken to SAMPANN. Till then, these
pensioners have to follow old system. Their pension/IDA amounts are calculated
by bank or post office as the case may be. So, such pensioners should submit
their LC to the particular Bank or PO. Go to the Bank or PO with your papers,
fill up the Form and give it physically. It is easy. They can submit LC
electronically also, under Jeevanpramaan. Go to some cybercafe or Akshaya
Kendra with biometric facility and prepare the DLC and send to CPPC of the Bank
or to Director, Postal Accounts of the Circle.
WHEN?
Senior pensioners, 80 years or above, can submit it in
October or before 20th November.
Other pensioners, below the age of 80, should submit it only
in November, before 20th.
PSR/6-9-2020
TOTAL NEGLECT OF RETIREES BY BSNL MANAGEMENT
... P
S Ramankutty
In 2000, about 2.93 lakh staff members of DOT/DTS migrated
to BSNL believing that the assurances given by
Government would be honoured by the Management of the new PSE and by the Government. After two decades, most of the BSNL
retirees, who gave their sweat and blood for
improvement of telecommunication infrastructure in India and ensured a sustained impressive growth of telecom services
since Independence, are totally frustrated and feel being
cheated by the present Management of the company.
In February 2003, the BSNL introduced a Medicare System
for its employees and retirees. BSNLMRS was considered to be an ideal scheme
for PSE staff and pensioners in India.
But, in the matter of medical care, present Management
adopts a most condemnable discriminatory attitude against the senior people who
served the Nation and retired.
I understand that leaders of some organizations of serving
staff have objected to paying the quarterly allowance
or reimbursement of medical expenditure incurred by the pensioners, assured under the BSNLMRS. I do not have any
documentary evidence to ascertain the above information. I do not think that
leaders of any organization will stoop to that level forgetting elderly people
in their families. Management and the serving staff
should, however, understand that there is no provision or
scope for discrimination in the BSNLMRS against the
retirees.
Elderly people deserve more
medical care:
The elderly people have
various physical, psychosocial, economic, and spiritual problems - dementia, poor vision,
stroke cases, arthritis, hypertension, diabetes, auditory problems, depression, bowel
disorder, kidney problems, cardiac problems, cancer etc. While the functionally and
cognitively fit can access usual health-care facilities provided by the government, many people need active aging
programme to keep them independent. Health
ministry has created geriatric centers and geriatric clinics in most of the
states; however, these centers cannot handle the burden of geriatric population
to address their multi-morbidity and
several other age-related problems. Government must support the PSEs, nongovernmental organizations and other
agencies which provide day care, home care,
and palliative care so that these services become affordable to all the
elderly. If BSNL cannot afford the
expenditure for ensuring proper medical care to the erstwhile employees of Government worked in Department of Telecom,
the Government should take over the responsibility.
Indian elderly people,
BSNL retirees being no exception, face several social issues such as loneliness, elder abuse,
neglect, lack of income security, and poor access to health care. These elderly need more
of health promotional activities. These include nutrition, physical activity, social contact,
psychological support, and activities for the brain.
1 Sept 2020
Dr Pranab Mukherjee is passed away
WE MOURN THE DEMISE OF DR. PRANAB MUKHERJEE,
FORMER PRESIDENT OF INDIA
India grieves the passing away of Bharat Ratna Shri Pranab Mukherjee 31/08 . He has left an indelible mark on the development trajectory of our nation. A scholar par excellence, a towering statesman, he was admired across the political spectrum and by all sections of society....PM Modiji
CGHS Accommodation issue with CGM
Comrades V Vara Prasad Circle Secretary, M R S
Prakasa Rao Chief Advisor, Y Nagabhushanam State General Secretary All India
Postal & RMS Pensioners Association met CGM AP Vijayawada in his chambers.
Allotment of accommodation to set up CGHS
wellness center Vijayawada : We informed
CGM that formal acceptance to allot accommodation in annex building of BSNL
Bhavan was conveyed by GM Telecom Vijayawada in March 2020. CMO Welness Center Vijayawada
wanted it to allot on rent free basis. We
submitted our proposals in writing to CGM on behalf of two associations. We
suggested CGM to negotiate with CGHS authorities at a rate mutually agreeable
to BSNL and CGHS. CGM told that the
proposal to allot annex building to Department of Sample Survey is under active
consideration at Corporate Office level.
As an alternate proposal, CGM told GM HR to give direction to GM
Vijayawada to consider to allot vacant accommodation at CTO 1 Town Vijayawada and to hold negotiation for agreeable rate
with CGHS in a fixed time frame.
Before meeting CGM, Com V Vara Prasad met GM Krishna Vijayawada
and submitted a letter requesting him to hold discussion on allotment of
accommodation with CGHS in the interest of BSNL Pensioners in the absence of positive
pro-active response from CGHS. GM Vijayawada responded positively.
Click here for our letter to GM
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