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.