Monthly Archives: April 2020

Sustained Struggles to save BSNL -6 Protest Demonstration on 01-03-2006 on ADC and Revenue Sharing

29 Wednesday Apr 2020

Posted by in BSNL, BSNL - Better Service to the Nation, History

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Protest Demonstration on 01-03-2006 on ADC and Revenue Sharing

Despite assurance by the government, the ADC to be paid by the private operators was reduced as per the decision of the TRAI, which was always partial to the private operators. The ADC being paid by the private telecoms is to be paid to the PSUs to compensate for their loss in providing universal connectivity. As per the decision of the TRAI, the net result was that the due payment to be made by the private telcos to the tune of Rs. 5,300 crores was reduced to Rs. 2,000 crore. Amount from the revenue sharing was also reduced causing loss to the government.
As per the decision of the Joint Forum, Protest Demonstrations were organized in all SSAs which were addressed by the leaders of various unions who are part of Joint Forum.
Meeting with the Secretary DOT on 7th June 2006
Com. V.A.N.Namboodiri, Convener JF, along with other members met Shri J.S Sharma, Secretary DOT and had detailed discussions on the major issues confronting BSNL. The following were the issues discussed:
1. Navaratna status to BSNL: The Secretary DOT assured that the Navaratna status will be conferred to BSNL next year after fulfillment of the obligatory provisions.
2. Unbundling of local loop: The apprehension of the workers on the formation of a sub-committee headed by the Secretary DOT on the issue was discussed and the JF strongly opposed the same. Secretary assured that the commitment given earlier continued and no unbundling will take place.
3. Merger of BSNL and MTNL: Secretary DOT assured that the talk of merger is only speculation of the media and there is no decision for the same.
The Joint Forum addressed a letter to Shri Dayanidhi Maran, Communications Minister, on 26th June 2006, strongly opposing the proposal for unbundling the last minute copper and sought for a meeting.
The JF in its meeting on 5th and 10th July 2006 decided to organize agitational programmes on the following issues:
1. No disinvestment of BSNL / MTNL.
2. No unbundling of local loop.
3. No sharing BSNL / MTNL infrastructure with private operators.
4. No increase in FDI
5. No reduction in Revenue Sharing and ADC
6. Immediate grant of Navaratna status to BSNL
7. Grant of autonomy to BSNL and MTNL
8. Expand mobile and broadband services
9. Early and amicable settlement of ITS absorption.
The following are the programmes:
1. Joint lunch hour demonstrations to be organized on 27 July 2006 at Circle/SSA levels and also send telegrams to the Prime Minister demanding “NO DISINVESTMENT, NO UNBUNDLING OF LOCAL LOOP OF BSNL MTNL”.
2. March to Parliament on 3rd August 2006.
3. Strike in September 2006, the date of which will be decided later. (to be continued)

CONFEDERATION CALLS FOR OBSERVING MAY DAY 2020.

29 Wednesday Apr 2020

Posted by in AIBDPA - BSNL DOT Pensioners, CG Employees, CITU

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OBSERVE MAY DAY
HOLDING PROTEST DEMONSTRATIONS
IN FRONT OF OFFICES
AGAINST DA & DR FREEZING
———————————————-
Confederation National Secretariat calls upon the entirety of Central Government Employees including Gramin Dak Sevaks and also Central Govt. Pensioners to observe MAY DAY (01.05.2020) holding protest demonstrations in front of offices with placards against the unilateral decision of the Central Government to freeze DA & DR due from 01.01.2020 to 30.06.2021.

While conducting protest demonstrations , it should be ensured that all instructions of Central and State Governments during lock down period such as social distancing , wearing of masks , limiting the number of participants to permissible minimum (not more than the number permitted by District Collector or local police authorities) should be strictly observed . Don’t violate any COVID – 19 related precautionary measures and instructions of the District Collectors and Police.(Confederation website)

Press Statement by AIBDPA on freezing of Dearness Relief by Central Government.

25 Saturday Apr 2020

Posted by in AIBDPA - BSNL DOT Pensioners, BSNL, Pension

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Press Statement dated 25-04-2020 by AIBDPA

AIBDPA oppose unjustified Dearness Relief cut by Central Government

All India BSNL – DOT Pensioners Association representing more than one lakh of pensioners retired from Department of Telecom and BSNL strongly opposes the drastic decision of the Central Government freezing Dearness Allowance / Dearness Relief due from 1st January 2020, 1st July 2020 and 1st January 2021 to the central and BSNL pensioners, in the name of financing Covid 19 situation.
The BSNL – DOT Pensioners as per the call of the Association has already donated to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund or the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund according to their ability and about Rs. 50 lakh has already been paid through the Association or directly. In Kerala alone, Rs. 20 lakh has been paid to Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.
The Pensioners and family pensioners are dependent upon their meagre pension and they are completely at the mercy of others having been restricted at home during lock down period. Many of these pensioners draw minimum pension which is insufficient even for day to day expenses, leave alone for purchase of medicines etc. BSNL Management has stopped medical allowance and reimbursement of medical treatment expenses for the last two years on the plea of lack of funds. It is at this crucial time that the decision to freeze DR for 18 months has been issued. The DR cut will be about Rs. 17,000 or more for a pensioner getting about Rs. 10,000 monthly pension, ie. about double of his monthly pension. This amount will increase according to the increase in pension which will put the pensioners to extreme difficulty.
It is to be noted that the same government, which wants to freeze the DA and DR of the low paid employees and pensioners, has been giving unjustified reduction in tax, relaxation in payment of dues to the government, writing off of NPAs etc. to the big corporates, amounting to lakhs of crores of rupees.
Under these circumstances, AIBDPA expresses its strong protest and demand the government to withdraw the order and continue to grant eligible DA /DR in due time. The Association has appealed to the Honourable Prime Minister to concede our demand and withdraw the unjustified order.

K.G.Jayaraj,
Secretary General, AIBDPA

AIBDPA writes to Prime Minister on Freezing of DA to CG Employees and DR to CG Pensioners at current rates till July, 2021.

25 Saturday Apr 2020

Posted by in AIBDPA - BSNL DOT Pensioners, CG Employees, NCCPA

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AIBDPA/DA-PM/2020 April 25th, 2020

To,

Shri Narendra Modi Ji

Hon’ble Prime Minister,

Government of India

South Block, Raisina Hill

New Delhi – 110 001

Respected Sir,

Sub: – Freezing of Dearness Allowance to Central Government Employees and Dearness Relief to Central Government Pensioners at current rates till July, 2021 – reg.

Please refer to the O.M. No. 1/1/2020-EII (B) dated 23rd April, 2020 issued by the Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance in view of the crisis arising out of the pandemic Covid -19, ordering that the Dearness Relief to Central Government Pensioners will be frozen at the current rates till July, 2021.

In this connection, we on behalf of the All India BSNL – DOT Pensioners Association submit the following for your kind consideration and early necessary action.

Immediately on your appeal for donation to combat the spread of the pandemic Covid-19, the BSNL – DOT pensioners of more than two lakhs had voluntarily contributed to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund or the respective Chief Minister’s Relief Fund to the best of their ability. About Rs. Fifty lakh have been donated by pensioners belonging to our association, through the association or directly, to these relief funds, including about Rs. Twenty lakhs to Kerala Chief Minister’s Relief Fund alone. Pensioners, as you are aware, are senior Citizens mostly inflicted with several diseases and physical debilities and are presently directed by the authorities to be confined to their homes. They are prohibited to go out and are depended upon others for their daily needs. Pension being only 50% of the last drawn salary or even less, they are seldom able to make both ends meet. The condition of the family pensioners are worse.

The above cited order of the Government of India has been a bolt from the blue for many pensioners. Since they are depended upon others for all their needs, the procurement of medicines, visiting hospitals, collecting groceries etc, they have to spend more. The expenditure has become more than what it was a few months back. In fact, presently they are in dire need of extra allowances to pull on. They, along with the millions of people all over the world, want the pandemic to end and therefore, support every decision of the Government especially the restrictions imposed on their movement and donation to PM CARES Fund etc.

The decision of the Government to freeze the Dearness Relief which had become due on 1st January, 2020 is unprecedented. We earnestly feel that the country’s economy has not reached such a situation that the Government needs to curtail the meagre pension of the old people. Never in the history of the country, even when it’s very existence was threatened by external aggression or during the worst financial crisis of 1990s, had the Government resorted to confiscate the pension income of senior citizens. No doubt, our country like many other Nations of the world is fighting to wipe out the pandemic, and the Lock Down has halted all economic activities. We feel that our country’s economy is comparatively robust and is capable of facing the challenges without resort to pauperizing the pensioners. While benefit packages are extended to considerably well to-do segments in the society, the denial of the due entitlements to the pensioners is extremely painful.

From the order it is seen that the Government has not only decided to freeze the DR entitlements but would also not release the arrears even after the normalcy in the economic activities is restored.

It would, therefore, be appropriate that the pensioners are excluded from the purview of the O.M.cited above. The decision to impound the arrears of Dearness Relief till July,2021 is extremely harsh on low income pensioners and family pensioners. Impounding the Dearness Relief, in our opinion, is not legally tenable without the consent of the concerned pensioner. The Finance Ministry is well aware of the rule that the entitled pension cannot be curtailed. Whoever has advised the Government that the Dearness Relief on pension should not be construed as pension is wrong and their interpretation is not at all tenable.

The Prime Minister himself has several times mentioned about the vulnerability of the senior citizens and the need to protect them and help them by the society, which has been completely ignored by the Finance ministry, while issuing the order.

We, therefore, appeal to your kind self that, for the reasons stated by us in the preceding paragraphs, the order issued by the Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure cited, may be directed to be withdrawn forthwith.

Thanking you,

Yours sincerely,

K G Jayaraj

General Secretary.

(from AIBDPA website)

BSNLEU issues press statement against the freezing of DA of Central government employees and pensioners

24 Friday Apr 2020

Posted by in AIBDPA - BSNL DOT Pensioners, BSNLEU, NCCPA

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.
BSNLEU has issued the following press statement today, against the freezing of the DA of the Central Government employees and pensioners, for the period from 01.01.2020 to 01.07.2020. BSNLEU has stated categorically in the press statement that, when the government can make available lakhs of crores of rupees to pamper the big corporates of the country, there is absolutely no justification to freeze the DA of the Central Government employees and pensioners. BSNLEU has demanded the government to immediately withdraw it’s decision to freeze the DA.(BSNLEU Website)

Confederation letter to Cabinet Secretary protesting DA / DR freeze

24 Friday Apr 2020

Posted by in AIBDPA - BSNL DOT Pensioners, NCCPA

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To
The Cabinet Secretary,
Government of India,
Cabinet Secretariat
Rashtrapati Bhawan,
New Delhi

Sub: Freezing of dearness allowance to Central Government employees and
Dearness relief to Central Government pensioners at current rates till
July, 2021.

Dear Sir,

We solicit your kind reference to the O.M. No. 1/12020-E.I (B) dated 23rd April, 2020issued by the Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance on the above subject in view of the crisis arising out of the pandemic Covid-19.

The Central Government employees throughout the country noted the contents of the above cited O.M. with surprise and anguish. As you are aware, the Central Government employees responded admirably the call of the Honourable Prime Minister to donate one day’s salary to the Prime Minister’s Relief fund to enable the Government to meet out the financial exigencies arising out of the pandemic. This apart, both the employees and pensioners have contributed immensely to the Prime Minister’s and respective Chief Minister’s public relief funds voluntarily.

It was unfortunate that the Government did not cause any consultation with the standing committee of the JCM, the negotiating forum of the Central Government employees and took an arbitrary and unilateral decision on a vital matter like freezing the wages.

The Government are aware that quite a number of employees are deployed and consequently are involved in various governmental activities and services meant to combat the spread of the pandemic Covid-19 especially of those departments declared as emergency services viz, health, postal, defence, railways etc. endangering even their life. Not taking into confidence the employees’ representatives before taking decision to impose a mandatory freeze of dearness allowance is in utter disregard to the norms and procedure followed by the previous Governments when such situation had arisen. Besides at no previous occasion, the Government of India had resorted to impounding the dues arbitrarily. We, therefore, oppose the arbitrary decision of the Government to impound the DA .

Further, we are to inform you that the decision to deny the payment of the freezed amount even after overcoming the crisis is totally unacceptable to the employees. We are pained to note that the Government has been shifting the financial burden of the crisis on to the employees and workers, when in fact they require the financial assistance from the Government to face the crisis caused by the pandemic.

In the circumstance, we request you to direct the Ministry of Finance to rescind the decision to impound the DA and withdraw the O.M., as the Government has no legal or moral authority to take such a decision. The refusal to accede to this demand will only pave the way for an avoidable confrontation and agitation.

Thanking you,
Yours Sincerely,

(R N Parashar)
Secretary General
Copy to:
The Secretary, Personnel,
Department of personnel and Training,
Government of India,
North Block, New Delhi. 110 001

NCCPA letter to Prime Minister demanding withdrawal of freezing of DA / DR arbitrarily issued by government

24 Friday Apr 2020

Posted by in AIBDPA - BSNL DOT Pensioners, General, NCCPA

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National Coordination Committee of Pensioners Association
13C, FEroze Shah Road, New Delhi 110001

Shiv Gopal Mishra K.K.N.Kutty
President Secretary General

To
The Honourable Prime Minister,
Government of India,
South Block,
New Delhi. 110 001

Dear Sir,

Sub: Freezing of dearness allowance to Central Government Employees and dearness relief to Central Government Pensioners at current rates till July, 2021.

Please refer to the O.M. No. 1/1/2020-EII (B) dated 23rd April, 2020 issued by the Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance in view of the crisis arising out of the pandemic Covid -19. ordering that the dearness relief to Central Government Pensioners will be freezed at the current rates till July, 2021. In this connection, we on behalf of the Central Government pensioners submit the following for your kind consideration.

The Central Government pensioners, immediately after your appeal for donation to combat the spread of the pandemic Covid-19 had voluntarily contributed to the Prime Minister Relief Fund or the respective Chief Minister’s Relief fund to the best of their capacity. Pensioners, as you are aware Sir, being senior Citizens are mostly inflicted with several diseases and physical debilities and are presently directed by the authorities to be confined to their homes. They are prohibited to go out and are depended upon others for their dire needs. Pension being 50% of the last drawn salary or even less, they are seldom able to make the both ends meet.

The above cited order of the Government of India has been a bolt from the blue for many pensioners. Since they are depended upon others for every of their needs, the procurement of medicines, visiting hospitals, collecting groceries et all, have become costlier than what it was a few months back. In fact presently they are in dire need of extra allowances to pull on. They along with the millions of people all over the world wanted the pandemic to end and therefore, support every decision of the Government especially the restrictions imposed on their movement.

The decision of the Government to freeze the Dearness allowance which had become due on 1st January, 2020 is an unprecedented one. We earnestly feel that the country’s economy has not reached such a situation that the Government needs to curtail the meager pension income of the old people. Never in the political history of the country, even when its very existence was threatened by external aggression or during the worst financial crisis of 1990s the Government has resorted to confiscate the pension income of senior citizens. No doubt our country like many other Nations of the world is fighting to wipe out the pandemic and the lock down has halted all economic activities. We are certain that you will be able to note that no other country has decided to confiscate the income of pensioners. We feel that our country’s economy is robust and is capable of facing the challenges without resort to pauperizing the pensioners. While benefit packages are extended to considerably well to-do segments in the society, the denial of the due entitlements to the pensioners is extremely painful.

From the order it is seen that the Government has not only decided to freeze the DR entitlements but would not also release the arrears even after the normalcy in the economic activities is brought about. We can only characterize it as the unkindest cut. We also would like to point out that an appeal from your good-self for donation would have elicited greater response and the pensioners who are comparatively well off would have responded admirably and the Government might have collected more than what it would receive by the operation of the above cited order. That would have helped immensely the comparatively low income pensioners, especially the family pensioners.

It would, therefore, be appropriate that the pensioners are excluded from the purview of the O.M.cited . The decision to impound the arrears of Dearness relief in July,2021 is extremely harsh on low income pensioners and family pensioners especially. Impounding the Dearness relief, in our opinion is not legally tenable without the consent of the concerned pensioner. The Finance Ministry is well aware of the rule that the entitled pension cannot be curtailed. Whoever has advised the Government that the Dearness Relief on pension should not be construed as pension are wrong and their interpretation is not at all tenable.

We, therefore, appeal to you that for the reasons stated by us in the preceding paragraphs, the order issued by the Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure cited, may be directed to be withdrawn forthwith.

Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,
Sd/-
K.K.N.Kutty
Secretary General.