Monthly Archives: December 2013

EPFO to decide on New Fund Managers

27 Friday Dec 2013

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It is reported that the EPFO in its meeting on 14th January 2014 may decide the Fund Managers for its 5 lakh crore pension funds. At present there are four Fund Managers of EPFO viz. SBI, HSBC AMC, Reliance Capital and ICICI Securities Primary Dealership. These were appointed for a term of three years beginning September 1, 2011.

Before 2008, there was only one Fund Manager, State Bank of India, a PSU. In 2008, three private Fund Managers were included. Only 35% is now with SBI and the rest of the 5 lakh crore is with private FM. Whether the Private Fund Managers will be increasing this time. The chances are high, since the government’s policy is to favour the private more.
Till a Public Sector or Govt. FM is there, there will be competition and better interest. But once the Govt. FM is not there, others will form a cartel and reduce the interest on the funds drastically which will cause serious loss to the pensioners. In my opinion, only Govt. or PSU Fund Managers should be there so that the pension funds will be safe and market variations will not adversely affect it.

Is the GM crops safe for the country?

27 Friday Dec 2013

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Recently Jayanti Natarajan, Minister, Environment Minister, resigned from the Cabinet citing to take more party activity in the oncoming general elections. But the real reason is understood by all that the delay in clearance of environmental clearance for projects is the real reason.As in the case of Jairam Ramesh, former Environment Minister who took a stiff position on these clearances, Jayanti Natarajan was also following suit.
The new minister for Environment, Veerappa Moily, is acting fast and is understood to give early clearance to the GM (Genetically Motivated) Crops, which are questioned by the farmers and the environmentalists in the country. The new decision will benefit MNCs like Monsanto and others. The UPA II government, in the last leg of their five year rule is determined to support the MNCs and Indian agriculture lobbies, so that it will benefit them mobilising funds for the coming general elections. This process of starting tests on the GM crops is strongly supported by the PMO as also Sharad Pawar, Agricultural Minister, who himself is a part of the Agricultural lobby.

11 Sick PSUs allotted Rs.116 crores towards dues including wages

27 Friday Dec 2013

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The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has allotted Rs.116 crores for payment of wages and other dues for the employees of 11 sick PSUs. These include HMT Machine Tools, Hindustan Cables, HMT Watches, HMT Chinar Watches, Nagaland Pulp and Paper, Triveni Structurals, Tungabhadra Steel Products, Nepa Limited, HMT Bearings, Hindustan Photo Films and Tyre Corporation of India.
All these PSUs were profit making and had given dividend to the government. It was only due to the neo-liberal policy and pro-private decisions of the government that they started posting loss. Hence it is the full responsibility of the Central Government to ensure that the workers engaged in these PSUs are paid their wages and dues in time. This is not happening. It is only after three or six months that the payments are made now. Other benefits are curtailed or completely stopped.
In the hurry to maximise the profit of the private sector, the public sector is completely ignored and the workers made the scapegoats.

The Pension Contribution from BSNL to DOT should be on the actual salary

26 Thursday Dec 2013

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It has been the continuous demand of the BSNL employees that the pension contribution being paid by the BSNL to DOT in lieu of the Pension being paid by DOT to BSNL absorbed employees should be based on the actual pay and not the maximum of the pay scale which BSNL is compelled to pay now. The Forum of BSNL Unions/Associations has represented to the DOT, CommunicationS Minister, Finance Minister, Group of Ministers for Revival of BSNL and also to the Prime Minister on this matter, but so far the issue was not settled.
Now the Cabinet has decided that the pension of the MTNL employees will be paid by the Government as in the case of BSNL employees. Along with that it is also reported that the pension contribution to be paid by MTNL to DOT will be on the actual pay of the employee. This is good news.
Now the BSNL Management as also the Forum of BSNL Unions/Associations should immediately take with the DOT to change the pension contribution to be paid by BSNL to DOT in the same way. This will save a good amount to BSNL and it is also the correct way.

MTNL Pension – News report

26 Thursday Dec 2013

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NEW DELHI: The Cabinet on Thursday approved a pension proposal for 43,000 MTNL employees, who joined the public sector company from Department of Telecom, that would cost the government an estimated Rs 500 crore annually.

The decision is likely to bring additional amount of about Rs 1,500 crore (including interest) in the books of MTNL as refund from government for the pension that the PSU paid to its employees. “The Union Cabinet today approved that the erstwhile all categories of employees of the government absorbed in MTNL and who have opted for combined service may be given similar treatment in the matter of payment of pensionary benefits as available to the absorbed employees of BSNL,” an official statement said.

This would means pension benefits would be available for their service term at DoT as well as their rest of the period at MTNL. The total number of such employees is estimated to be 43,000 which including 16,000 retired and about 27,000 existing employees of the PSU. “The proposal entails an estimated recurring expenditure of approximately Rs 500 crore per annum besides adjustments in respect of Government pension liability previously discharged by MTNL,” the statement said.

The pay scale at MTNL is comparatively higher to that of BSNL and the government will bear the cost of pension similar to the amount paid to the latter.

The difference in the pension amount will be borne by MTNL till the time of next pay revision when salaries at both the PSU will come at par. The next pay revision is expected to take place in 2017.(Courtesy: TOI)

RED STAR OVER CHINA – CHINA CELEBRATES MAO’S BIRTHDAY

26 Thursday Dec 2013

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BEIJING,December 26(Xinhua) – Tens of thousands of Chinese flocked to Shaoshan and Tian’anmen Square, two major shrines for Mao Zedong, as well as other public venues on Monday, burning incense, eating noodles and singing “red songs” to mark the late leader’s 118th birthday.

Normally, the mausoleum of Mao on the Tian’anmen Square in Beijing is closed on Mondays for maintenance, but today tens of thousands swarmed to the mausoleum to pay their respects.

In front of the mausoleum’s south gate, about 20 people, who wore red-star caps and pinned Mao badges, faced the shrine and sang “The East Is Red,” which extols the deeds of Chairman Mao and was a well known anthem for every city and village’s public address system during Mao’s reign.

After bowing three times, the group punched their fists in the air while hailing “Long Live Chairman Mao.”

“Chairman Mao is our great savior. Chairman Mao genuinely loved the underprivileged and hard-working people,” said a tearful Nie Yeping, a 57-year-old woman from the southwestern city of Chongqing. (Courtesy: Ganashakti)

VII CPC for Central Govt. Employees

26 Thursday Dec 2013

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A report in Hindu dated 19th December 2013 is reproduced below:

Cabinet proposal soon to constitute 7th Pay Commission

The central government is likely to constitute the 7th Pay Commission for revising the salaries of its over 50 lakh employees before the start of process of next general elections due in May, 2014.
“The Finance Ministry is working out a Cabinet proposal for constitution of the 7th Pay Commission which could be taken up for consideration in the next couple of weeks,” a source said.
According to information available, the government’s intention to constitute 7th Pay Commission before going for polls is clear as it has made provision of Rs. 3.5 crore in the second supplementary demands for grants in this regard which was approved by Parliament in the just concluded Winter Session.
Earlier in September this year, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram had announced that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has approved setting up of the 7th Pay Commission.
According to the announcement, the Commission will be mandated to submit its report in two years time and its recommendations would be implemented from January 1, 2016.
However, after that announcement, no formal proposal was put up before the Union Cabinet for constitution of the Commission.
As per the practice, the Commission is headed by a former Supreme Court Judge and its other members would include experts and officials.
Meanwhile, the government is also believed to have approved fixing minimum pension of Rs 1,000 per month under the Employees’ Pension Scheme 1995 (EPS-95) run by retirement fund body Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO).
The government is also understood to have cleared maximum basic wage ceiling of Rs. 15,000 per month for deduction of Provident Fund from existing Rs. 6,500 per month for private sector workers, in general, covered under schemes run by EPFO.(HINDU – 19 Dec. 2013)

2014 will be the year of sustained struggle for the cause of the Casual/Contract workers in BSNL

26 Thursday Dec 2013

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The Central Executive Committee Meeting of the BSNL Casual and Contract Workers Federation is going to be held at Bhubaneswar on 18-19 January 2014. The Reception Committee is making all out efforts to make the CEC Meeting a big success.
During the last few years, BSNLEU and BSNLCCWF has been on the campaign all over India for strengthening the union as also making maximum efforts for settling the issues of casual and contract workers. While there is improvement in the payment of minimum wage etc. in many places, the condition is not at all satisfactory in may centres. While the Corporate office of BSNL issued clear cut circulars and many reminders for the implementation of minimum wage and social security measures like EPF/ESI at the field level there is stiff opposition from the part of contractors and some times management for implementing them. Struggles are taking place in many places even at this moment.
The Regularisation of the Casual workers who are toiling for the BSNL for the last so many years still are pending due to the adamant attitude of the BSNL Management that regularisation can not be given in view of the Supreme Court judgement. The fact that as per the instructions of DOPT many departments have already regularised many casual workers despite the SC judgement is well known to the BSNL management. The fact is that the management does not want to regularise. The payscale of casual labours are still based on the minimum scale of the DOT Group D employees. It has not been brought on par with the minimum pay of the BSNL employees.
Many of the leaders, circle secretaries and District Secretaries are retrenched for union activities. The Management is taking a negative attitude in this matter.
These and other crucial issues are still pending causing innumerable loss to the casual and contract workers.
This issue will be foremost in the discussions at Bhubaneswar CEC meeting. Certain agitational programmes like Corporate Office March, Strike etc will have to be organised.
For the above, the BSNLCCWF has to be strengthened and expanded. The organisation has not been formed in some circles till now. BSNLEU Circle Secretaries and District Secretaries are requested to take special interest in the matter. The CEC meeting of BSNLEU had already decided that BSNLCCWF should be formed in all circles, where it has not been formed, before the next CEC. THIS HAS GOT TO BE DONE. THIS IS THE IMMEDIATE TARGET.

Good News! Cabinet approves MTNL Pension

26 Thursday Dec 2013

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Good News are there for the MTNL Employees! The Cabinet has approved government pension for the MTNL absorbed DOT employees as in the case of BSNL employees.
The case was taken by the MTNL Unions/ Associations as also the Joint Forum of the BSNL/MTNL Unions/Associations with the DOT and the Government. The Group of Ministers appointed for the Revival of BSNL and MTNL had recommended that MTNL employees be granted government pension as in the case of BSNL absorbed employees by the government, but with the condition that the pension will be limited to the corresponding pay scales of BSNL. (The pay scales of MTNL are higher than that of BSNL). The GoM also recommended that the pay scales of BSNL should be brought on par with that of MTNL in the 2017 wage revision.
We congratulate the MTNL employees and their unions/associations in this great achievement.

Tripura – The Best Governed State in India

26 Thursday Dec 2013

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I am attaching below an assessment of the Communist Government of Tripura as reported by PTI. It can be seen that not only the Communists for a fifth term but also have implemented many social welfare measures which benefitted the people.

Agartala, Dec 25 : The ruling Left Front won a fifth consecutive term in Tripura in 2013 which also saw the northeastern state making considerable progress in areas like power generation and connectivity.

Inflicting a crushing blow on Congress and other opponents, the Left Front led by 64-year-old Chief Minister Manik Sarkar bagged 50 seats in the March Assembly elections.

The state also provided 86.27 days of work on an average to a rural household under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.

According to State Rural Development Minister Jitendra Chowdhury, “When the national average is 39, the state could provide 86.27 days of work to the job card holders. Tripura secured first position in implementation of the Act.”

The state also introduced for the first time in the country PVC Electoral Photo Identity Cards (PVC EPICs) in November as mandated by the Election Commission.

News magazine ‘India Today’ adjudged Tripura as the best governed state in the country for undertaking developmental works for the common masses and felicitated Sarkar.

Though insurgency was on the wane, the Tripura government decided to extend the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in 34 police station areas for another six months from January 1 to wipe it out completely.

For the first time, the central committee meeting of the CPI-M was held in the state from December 15-17 which decided to maintain equal distance from Congress and BJP and form an electoral alliance with the other secular forces for the coming parliamentary elections.

It also decided to project Tripura as a model state of development.

Northeast’s biggest gas-fired thermal project at Palatana in Gomati district was dedicated to the nation by President Pranab Mukherjee on June 21 to cater to seven of the eight states in the region facing power shortage.

The 726 MW project combined with linked transmission project and upstream gas supply network have attracted investments of around Rs 10,000 crore in the region. The National Highway Authority of India approved a proposal of the state government for conversion of the Agartala-Sabroom national highway into four-lane.

However, in a setback, the Agartala-Dhaka bus service was temporarily suspended due to continuous strike called by Opposition parties in Bangladesh since November. Trade between
the two countries through the Integrated Check Post at Akhaura, near here was also disrupted.

The governments of India and Bangladesh, however, made considerable progress on the proposed rail network from Agartala to Akhaura in in the neighbouring country. Work for laying tracks would begin soon after the survey is completed.Of the 15.054 km track, only five km will fall on the Indian side.

According to Tripura Transport Minister Manik Dey,extension of the railway line from Agartala to Sabroom, about 110 km from here, would be completed by March 2015. Sabroom is about 70 km from Chittagong Port.

Vice President Hamid Ansari inaugurated northeast’s biggest museum housed in Ujjayanta Palace of the erstwhile Manikya dynasty. The two-storeyed palace spread over about one sq km area served as the State Legislative Assembly till 2011.

The government also announced that Agartala airport would be upgraded to international standards by 2016 at a cost of Rs
300 crore.

The state government has long been demanding that the airport be declared an international one for connectivity to Dhaka and Chittagong.

Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde inaugurated an Integrated Check Post on November 17 near Indo-Bangla international border at Akhaura here. The Akhaura ICP is the second biggest between the two countries after Benapole-Petrapole in West Bengal.