All India BSNL-DOT Pensioners Associations (AIBDPA), the biggest and militant Pensioners Association in BSNL, is completing 12 years of its fruitful existence on 21st October 2021.

It was formed on 21st October 2009 in a largely attended National Convention of BSNL-DOT Pensioners held at Garhwal Bhawan, New Delhi, which was inaugurated by Com.M.K.Pandhe, veteran trade union leader and then President of CITU. Com.S.K.Vyas, the legendary leader of the central government employees and Secretary General of both Confederation of Central Government Employees and Workers as also that of National Co-Ordination Committee of Pensioners Associations (NCCPA), guided and gave valuable suggestions. After hearing all the opinions and suggestions of leaders and delegates, the new Pensioners Association, AIBDPA, was formed with Coms. V.A.N.Namboodiri (Advisor), P.V.Chandrasekharan (Patron), A.K.Bhattacharjee (President) and K.G.Jayaraj (General Secretary) and other office-bearers from various circles. BSNLEU, the sole recognised and militant union in BSNL, took all initiative in forming the union as per its decision in its Central Working Committee.

Since its inception, AIBDPA has been taking up the issues of the pensioners in right earnest. There were large number of problems connected with Pension Revision from 2007, grant of 78.@% IDA, payment of 100% pension by Government and other issues. Many agitational programmes were organised including Parliament March and several dharnas etc. Within no time the Association was supported by large number of pensioners and its units were formed all over India in all circles and divisions. V.A.N.Namboodiri was in the delegation along with S.K.Vyas and other leaders which discussed the issues of the Pensioners with the VII Central Pay Commission.

AIBDPA is not working in isolation. It is affiliated to NCCPA, the biggest co-ordination committee of the pensioners. V.A.N.Namboodiri, Advisor, AIBDPA is the Patron and K.G.Jayaraj General Secretary AIBDPA is the Asst. Secretary General of NCCPA. All programmes called for by NCCPA are effectively organised by AIBDPA.

AIBDPA is affiliated with Trade Union International (Pensioners and Retirees), which is the forum for the world pensioners and retirees and is affiliated to World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU). We are proud to mention that K.G.Jayaraj is an Executive Committee Member of TUI(P and R). AIBDPA fully participates and organises the agitational programmes called by the world organisation.

AIBDPA never has forgotten its connection with the workers’ unions/associations of BSNL. It has extended support and solidarity to all the programmes being organised by BSNLEU and All Unions and Associations of BSNL (AUAB). Recently a Co-ordination Committee is formed by BSNLEU-AIBDPA- BSNLCCWF with K.G.Jayaraj, GS AIBDPA as Chairman, P.Abhimanyu, GS BSNLEU as Convener and Animesh Mitra, GS, BSNLCCWF as Joint Convener, which has already organised many agitational rogrammes for the revival of BSNL and on demands of workers and pensioners. Its units are formed in circles and SSAs.

AIBDPA has progressive outlook and is part and parcel of the trade union movement. It functions democratically and takes up issues of the pensioners effectively. It always remembers the glorious past of the P and T Trade Union movement built up by legendary leaders like Babu Tarapada, Henry Barton, Dada Ghosh, K.G.Bose, N.J.Iyer, K.Adinarayana, Moni Bose and others.

The BSNL-DOT Pensioners are facing many problems which have got to be settled including Pension Revision w.e.f. 01-01-2007, reimbursement of medical bills, medical allowance, problems of the VRS pensioners and so on. AIBDPA will continue to fight for settlement of these and other demands.