Monthly Archives: November 2016

International Trade Fair at New Delhi

22 Tuesday Nov 2016

Posted by in General

≈ Leave a comment

Today I, along with my wife, visited the International Trade Fair being held at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. In addition to the Pavilions of the States, there are stalls of certain government departments and PSUs. The Trade Fair is arranged on the central theme of Digital India. I met Com.C.P. Narayanan M.P. and Com.A.Sampath M.P. who were going through the stalls in Kerala pavilion and appreciated the exhibits there.

The Trade Fair was worth seeing. We spent about three hours, but still could not see all the important stalls. But one thing has to be mentioned; Most of the pavilions are two or three stories high and it is very difficult for the aged and disabled to climb the stairs. This need to be remedied.

AIBDPA Circular dated 22-11-2016

22 Tuesday Nov 2016

Posted by in AIBDPA - BSNL DOT Pensioners

≈ Leave a comment

CIRCULAR No.4/2016                                                                          November 22, 2016

To

CHQ office bearers, Circle Secretaries,

District Secretaries and Affiliates.

Dear Comrade,

ALTERNATE ARRANGEMENT FOR PENSION PAYMENT IN CASH DEMANDED.

CHQ has demanded DOT to make alternate arrangements for payment of pension in cash to DoT and BSNL pensioners in the wake of riotous situations in banks and post offices consequent on demonetization of Rs.1,000 and Rs.500 currencies. A detailed letter written in this regard to the Secretary, DoT and Member (Finance) were delivered personally by Com.K.G.Jayaraj, General Secretary on 18-11-2016. In the absence of Secretary, DoT the issue was discussed with Shri.Prahlad Singh, Member (Finance) who agreed to examine and do whatever is possible.

PENSIONARY BENEFITS TO BSNL PENSIONERS ON IMPLEMENTATION OF 7TH PAY COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS.

General Secretary had a discussion with Member (Finance) and Director (Establishment), DoT on 18-11-2016 regarding extension of pensionary benefits to BSNL pensioners based on the amendments made in the CCA (Pension) Rules, 1972 consequent on implementation of the 7th Pay Commission recommendations. General Secretary pointed out that BSNL pensioners are covered under the CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972 amended from time to time and accordingly pensionary benefits were extended to BSNL pensioners after implementation of 6th Pay Commission Recommendations. Therefore action has to be initiated for early issue of orders for extension of DCRG, Commutation, Leave encashment, additional pension etc at the new rates to BSNL pensioners. The Director (Establishment) agreed to process the issue.

ODISHA AND BIHAR CIRCLE BRANCHES FORMED.

AIBDPA Circle branches have been formed in  two more important circles, Odisha and Bihar. Now, we have 26 circle branches and cover almost all the major circles.

ODISHA CIRCLE.

The Circle Branch was formed in a well attended meeting of pensioners at Bhubaneswar on 14-10-2016. Veteran leader and Circle President of BSNLEU, Com. P.R.Das presided over the meeting. Com.V.A.N.Namboodiri, Advisor, inaugurated the convention with an elaborate speech covering the important issues of the pensioners in general and DoT-BSNL pensioners in particular. He also stressed the necessity of formation of AIBDPA and appealed all to strengthen it to safeguard the interests of the pensioners. A host of leaders including Com.S.R.Das, Circle Secretary, BSNLEU, addressed the meeting . Office bearers were elected unanimously with Com.P.R.Das (Patron), Com. A.C.Mohanty                            ( President) and Com.Sahdeb Biswal (Circle Secretary)

BIHAR CIRCLE.

The meeting for  formation of circle branch witnessed large delegation of pensioners from all the SSAs in Bihar at the Telecom Recreation Club Hall, Patna on 19-11-2016. Com.V.A.N.Namboodiri, Advisor inaugurated and narrated the issues confronting the pensioners. He also explained how 78.2% IDA merger and annulment of 60:40 condition were achieved through sustained struggles. The meeting was addressed by Com.B.P.Singh, Circle Secretary, BSNLEU, Com.Suniti Chauhan, All India Organising Secretary, BSNLEU etc.  A team of office bearers with Com.B.P.Singh (Patron), Com.R.N.Singh (President) and Com.N.K.Shrivatava (Circle Secretary) have been elected unanimously.

MADHYA PRADESH, KEARALA and NORTH EAST II CIRCLE CONFERENCES HELD.

MP Circle had its conference held on 23-10-2016 at Jabalpur under the presidentship of Com.S.C.Shrivastava, Circle President. Com.V.A.N.Namboodiri, Advisor, inaugurated the conference and a host of leaders including Com.Prakssh Sharma, Circle Secretary, BSNLEU, addressed. Com. S.C.Shrivastava and Com.H.S.Thakur  were reelected as Circle Secretary and President, respectively.

Com.M.B.Rajesh M.P inaugurated the open session of the4th Biennial Kerala Circle Conference at Thrissur held on 1,2 November, 2016. Com.R.Aravindakshan Nair, Circle President controlled the proceedings. Com.V.A.N.Namboodiri, Advisor delivered the keynote address. Prominent leaders of sister organizations including Com.K.Mohanan, Circle Secretary, BSNLEU addressed the open session. The subject Committee session was inaugurated by Com.K.G.Jayaraj, General Secretary. A seminar on ‘Globalisation and the Pension Community’ was inaugurated by Com.K.K.N.Kutty, Secretary General, NCCPA. Coms.R.Aravindakshan Nair and N.Guruprasad were reelected as President and Circle Secretary.

North East II Circle Conference was held successfully at Imphal on 09-11-2016. Com.M.B.Singh, Circle President was in the chair. An open session also was held in which Com.           Shanta, General Secretary, CITU, Manipur was the Chief Guest. Coms.K.G.Jayaraj, General Secretary, Prabir Dutta, CHQ Vice President and other leaders spoke. Com.M.B.Singh and Com.M.Kulla Singh were reelected as Circle President and Circle Secretary respectively.

West Bengal Circle conference is scheduled to be held on 11,12 February, 2017 at Midnapore and Karnataka on 25,26 February, 2017 at Mysuru. Tamil Nadu also has decided to hold the conference in March, 2017 at Tirunelveli.

CENTRAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING AT MYSURU ON 23, 24 FEBRUARY, 2017.

Karnataka Circle has agreed to host the next  Central Executive Committee meeting at RTTC, Mysuru on 23 & 24 February, 2017. The meeting will start at 10AM on 23-02-2017 and conclude in the afternoon of 24-02-2017. Circle Secretaries and CHQ office bearers are requested to reserve their to and fro tickets in advance to ensure the participation of all. The official notice will be issued in due course.

PARLIAMENT MARCH OF CONFEDERATION ON 15-12-2016.

Confederation of Central Government Employees & Workers is conducting a phased programme of struggle culminating in a strike against refusal of modifications sought in the unilateral implementation of 7th Pay Commission recommendations by the government. The demands also include implementation of Option 1, ie parity in pension, the only positive recommendation of the pay commission for the pensioners. CHQ has decided to support the agitation of the Confederation demanding genuine issues. The third phase of agitation is the Parliament March on 15-12-2016 at Jantar Mantar at 10AM. So Circle Branches of NTR, UP (E), UP (W), Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab are requested to arrange participation of maximum pensioners from their circles in the Parliament March.

SUPPORT THE AGITATION AGAINST FORMATION OF SUBSIDIARY TOWER COMPANY.

All the unions and associations, both executive and non-executive, have decided to unitedly fight against the move of the central government to form a separate tower company with the ulterior motive of weakening the BSNL and subvert the revival efforts. The meeting of all unions held on 16-11-2016 at New Delhi has decided to conduct Mass Dharna on 25-11-2016 at SSA,Circle and Corporate office level and one day STRIKE on 15-12-2016. AIBDPA is committed to support the struggle and calls upon all its units to participate en masse in the Dharna on 25-11-2016 and extend solidarity to the strike on 15-12-2016.

BSNLEU ALL INDIA CONFERENCE AT CHENNAI FROM  31st DECEMBER 2016 TO 3rd JANUARY, 2017.

The 7th All India Conference will be held at Chennai from 31st December, 2016  to 3rd January, 2017. AIBDPA circle branches of Tamil Nadu and Chennai Telephones are closely associating with the Reception Committee to make the conference a grand success.

ASIA PACIFIC REGIONAL CONFERENCE OF TUI (P&R) AT KATHMANDU.

The Asia Pacific Regional Conference of Trade Unions International (Pensioners & Retirees) is being held at Kathmandu, Nepal on 03-12-2016. Com.V.A.N.Namboodiri, Advisor, will participate representing AIBDPA.

GENERAL SECRETARY AT CHQ

Com.K.G.Jayaraj, General Secretary, has joined CHQ on 12-11-2016 and will be available in New Delhi up to 16-12-2016.

78.2% IDA MERGER- CIRCLE ASSOCIATIONS SHOULD INTERVENE FOR EARLY PAYMENT OF ARREARS.

As per directive contained in the order issued by DoT on 18-07-2016, the arrears are to be paid latest by 31-12-2016. CHQ had directed all circle branches to effectively intervene to ensure that arrears are paid to the eligible pensioners well before the last date. According to reports received so far while good progress is visible in a few circles, most of the circles are very slow making it doubtful to pay before the target date. So Circle Secretaries and CHQ office bearers are again requested to take it seriously and exert pressure wherever required for early payment of the arrears.

DONATION OF Rs.1000 TO BE COLLECTED.

As already intimated in the last circular, earnest efforts be made to collect  donation from all members at a minimum Rs.1,000 and distributed at the same rate of quota, viz District 40%, Circle and CHQ-30% each.

E MAIL ADDRESS AND BANK BRANCH CHANGED.

The email address of CHQ is changed to “ mail.aibdpa@gmail.com.”

So also the bank branch is transferred to State Bank of India, Chanderlok Building Branch, New Delhi-110001. There is no change in our SB Account No.31211446886 but IFSC changed as SBIN0001639.

Comrades, please ensure that the above decisions are implemented successfully and let us strengthen our beloved organization, AIBDPA in all respects.

Yours fraternally,

K.G.Jayaraj

General Secretary.

 

NFPTE Day on 24th November 2016

21 Monday Nov 2016

Posted by in CG Employees

≈ 2 Comments

24th November 2016 is the 62nd Anniversary of formation of National Federation of P&T Employees (NFPTE). It was on 24th November 1954 that NFPTE was formed in the meeting of all the P&T Unions held at New Delhi. It was the unified organisation of the P&T Employees, merging all the unions existing then. This was as per the realignment Scheme agreed between the unions and the Government. Coms. V.G.Dalvi and Dada Ghosh (B.N.Ghosh) were the first President and Secretary General respectively.

Three great and historic strikes were organised under the leadership of NFPTE ( and other central employees organisations) in 1960,1968 and 1974 on the demands of Minimum Wage, DA, Bonus etc. It survived the brutal victimisation and attacks from the government and strengthened. In 1985, NFPTE was bifurcated in to NFPE and NFTE consequent to the bifurcation of the P&T Department.

BSNLEU is the true inheritor of the Revolutionary tradition of NFPTE. BSNLEU will continue to tread the path shown by the great leaders Babu Tarapada, Henry Barton, V.G.Dalvi, Dada Ghosh, K.G.Bose, N.J.Iyer, K.Adinarayana, Moni Bose and other leaders who led the movement in the past.

NFPTE Zindabad!

Massive Dharna against Demonetisation Miseries in Kerala

21 Monday Nov 2016

Posted by in General

≈ Leave a comment

BSNL, Postal workers and Pensioners as per call of BSNLEU, NFPE, AIBDPA and AIPRPA will organise massive dharnas on 24th November 2016 against the demonetisation, demanding removal of the hardships of the people to get cash and also protesting against the denial of cash transactions to the co-operative banks in Kerala. The NDA government is purposely putting the Keral Co-Operative societies in to great difficulty by denial of the cash transaction facility.

Our full support to the fully justified agitation!

Railway Accidents – Government should appoint a Juducial Inuiry Committee

20 Sunday Nov 2016

Posted by in General

≈ Leave a comment

The latest Indore – Patna train accident yesterday night has taken away about 90 valuable lives. Hundreds have been seriously injured. It is a shocking incident. My heartfelt condolences to the families, relatives and friends of the deceased.

This is not a lone accident. Almost every month one or two major or minor accidents are taking place. Incidentally, I was a passenger in another train in the same route, the same night.

I am a regular train traveller for the last five decades or so. Never have been the train movement so jittery and shaking. Whenever the train takes speed, it seems that not only the train is moving forward, but it is also shaking abnormally. Passengers moving inside the train or sitting in the toilets etc. have to be very careful that they do not fall down.

Most of the railway tracks have passed their life-period and are to be replaced. By reducing the number of gang men and other workers who check up the tracks are reduced and no mentionable modernisation takes place. The continued governments at the centre, whether UPA or NDA, completely failed to look after the security of the Railway passengers. After every accident, an official inquiry is set up. Neither the report is published nor any remedial action is taken. Everything is forgotten till another accident takes place.

The government and the Railway Ministry are playing with the valuable lives of the passengers. A High Level Judicial inquiry under the chairmanship of a judge of the Supreme Court should be ordered and the culprits who are responsible should be punished. Strict guidelines should be issued for ensuring the safety of the passengers.

15 crore of Indians have no facility of toilets

20 Sunday Nov 2016

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Even after seven decades of Independence more 15,71,91,476 people in India have no toilet facilities and are compelled for open defecation. India has the dubious distinction of being number one in this respect. While the governments coming one after another speaks volumes about this, no mentionable advance has been made. It is a shame for the whole country,

It is commendable that Kerala is almost on the verge of putting an end to open defecation with the large number of toilets being built. Further, the clean habits of the Keralite and the increased literacy has helped.

The Central Government should not only advertise “Swatch Bharat”, but should implement its promises of providing toilets to all those who have not the facility.

AIBDPA formation Conference in Bihar

19 Saturday Nov 2016

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

It was a great occasion. The Telegraph Recreation Club Patna was overflowing with BSNL DOT Pensioners with many of them standing even outside. This was the formation meeting of AIBDPA in Bihar Circle. Com. S.N.Singh presided. Coms.B.P.Singh Circle Secretary BSNLEU, Sunita Choudhary, Org. Secretary BSNLEU, D.P.Shrivastava, N.K.Shrivastava and other leaders were present in the dias.
Com.N.K.Shrivastava welcomed the more than 200 pensioners and explained the need for formation of AIBDPA in Bihar Circle. Com.B.P.Singh spoke about the issues of pensioners. Com.V.A.N.Namboodiri Advisor AIBDPA inaugurated the Conference. He briefed
The house about the struggles organised by AIBDPA for settling the issues of pensioners. He spoke about the urgent need to form and strengthen AIBDPA. The doubts raised by the participants were cleared.
The AIBDPA Circle Union was formed with office bearers unanimously elected with Com.B.P.Singh as Patron,
R.N.Singh as President, Com.N.K.Shrivastava as Circle Secretary and Com.V.K.Pandey as Treasurer.
The Conference also took decision to urgently form Union in All districts early.
Our Hearty Congratulations to the Bihar Comrades for the excellent meeting and the formation of AIBDPA!

Com.V.Sivaraman Nair passed away

19 Saturday Nov 2016

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Com.V.Sivaraman Nair, senior leader of the Kerala telecom movement passed away on 18th November 2016 at Thiruvananthapuram. He had functioned  as Circle Treasurer, Dist. Secretary and in various other posts in E.III Union as also BSNLEU.

During my period as Kerala Circle Secretary of E.III Union at TVM, as District Secretary he was very helpful.

His death is a great loss to the P&T  movement. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family,  Comrades and friends!

Why don’t allot spectrum free to BSNL?

17 Thursday Nov 2016

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

The CMD BSNL has requested DOT for allotment of 700 M Hz spectrum free to BSNL. He has suggested that additional equity for DOT in BSNL be added for the same.

This is a good suggestion and the DOT will be better for accepting the same. Our suggestion was and is that  spectrum should be allotted free to BSNL as it is a fully government owned company, it is as per assurance of the government at the time of corporatisation and it will also create demand for this spectrum which the private telecom cartel has ignored to compel the government to reduce its base price.

Communications Ministers, one after another, assured help to BSNL. These assurances need to be implemented with sincerity. Let allotment of free spectrum to BSNL be the first such decision.

No Toleration to Corruption

17 Thursday Nov 2016

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

BSNL Employees under the leadership of unions/ associations of executives and non-executives are continuously and dedicatedly working for a better service and revival of the company.

For complete success, one more important task is to be undertaken. Root out corruption! Though comparatively reduced, this cancer still exists, which has to be mercilessly operated and weeded out. Of course, this requires extra ordinary determination, commitment and cooperation. Are we not capable of the same? OF COURSE, WE ARE!