New Year Greetings and Best Wishes to all !

Merry Xmas to all comrades, friends and well-wishers

The central government had withdrawn during the Covid period in 2020 the various concessions given to certain sections of people in the train fare as part of its social commitment. This includes the 40% concession in train fare to men aged 60 and above and 50% to women aged 58 and above. Though the trains have started running, the concessions are not restored despite continuous demand by the organisations like SCFWA and pensioners’ organisations.

Senior Citizens Friends Welfare Association (SCFWA), Kerala organised massive dharnas in front of Railway stations on 23rd December which was given wide publicity by the press also.

Wage Revision for BSNL employees and Pension Revision for BSNL retirees are due from 01-01-2017. Now almost five years have passed from the due date. Neither BSNL Management nor the Government are serious about the same. Many officials have retired without getting wage revision and pensioners without getting Pension Revision due to them. This stand of the BSNL management and government is condemnable.

At least at this late stage both of them have to awaken from their ‘willful slumber’ and implement wage and pension revision.

Parliament Standing Committee recommends 5% increase in Pension after every five years.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee has recommended 5% increase in pension after every five years ie. After completion of 65, 70, 75 & 80 age. At present 20% is granted after 80. A court decision is there that 20% increase is to be given at the beginning of 80^th year, instead of on completetion of 80 years, which is yet to be implemented.  

NCCPA and AIBDPA had while presenting memorandum to the VII Pay Commission had demanded that the pension should be fixed at 66% instead of 50% and that 5% increase should be given after every five years. Coms. S.K.Vyas, V.A.N.Namboodiri and other members of the delegation stated tht many countries are granting pension at 70 %, 80% etc. The special issues of BSNL pensioners were also presented for favourable recommendations. Though the CPC showed keen interest and was appreciative of our demands, these demands were not favourably considered and recommended, except ‘One Rank, One Pension’. That was not accepted by the government.

AIBDPA and NCCPA welcome the recommendation of the  Parliamentary Standing Committee for 5% increase after every five years and demand the central government to implement the same without delay.

V A N Namboodiri, Advisor NCCPA & Patron AIBDPA

Senior Citizens Friends Welfare Association, Kerala will be organizing protest dharna in front of Railway Stations on 23rd December 2021 demanding restoration of the Railway ticket concessions, withdrawn during the Covid period. Women aged 58 and above were getting 50% concession in Railway tickets and men aged 60 and above were getting 40% concession. These were withdrawn by the government wef 20th February 2020. The demand is to restore them.

The Parliament, both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha is being witness to unusual and complete undemocratic situations. Bills are being passed without discussion, despite demand from the opposition. Bills are not being sent to Select Committees, although demanded by opposition. The brute majority is misused by the Modi government to enact anti-people, anti-worker, anti-minority bills.

Election Commission is called by the Ministers to give certain directions, it is stated. Opposition has strongly criticised this unconstitutional incident.

Democracy under attack by Modi Government?

AIBDPA has addressed a detailed letter to Smt. Nirmala Sitaraman, Finance Minister, requesting to issue directions to the concerned officers in the Income Tax department not to harass the VRS pensioners with the demand of Income Tax for the period concerning their service in DOT, as it is already exempted. Copy of the letter is in the AIBDPA website.

Kerala Circle Executive Committee meeting has been held online on 19-12-2021. Com. K R R Varma, Vice President presided over the meeting. Com.N Guruprasad, Circle Secretary welcomed all and presented the report. Com. V A N Namboodiri, Advisor inaugurated the CEC with a brief speech focusing on important issues. Com. K G Jayaraj, General Secretary in his address dealt on main issues of pension revision, denial of medical benefits, struggles of CoC and organisational matters. Com. P V Chandrasekharan, Patron spoke elaborately on our functioning and stressed the importance of strengthening the organisation with effective campaign. All the District Secretaries and most of the office bearers participated in the discussion. General Secretary and Circle Secretary replied to the issues raised in the discussion. The CEC decided to hold the 6th biennial Circle Conference at Palakkad on 12,13 February, 2022. With vote of thanks by Com. P R Mohanan, ACS the meeting came to an end.

20th December 2021 is the fifth death anniversary of Com.P.T.Rajan, militant trade union leader of CITU, Kozhikode. He passed away while attending CITU General Council meeting at Ranchi in 2016 due to severe heart attack.
Com.Rajan was in the lead for all trade union activities at Kozhikode for a long period. He was very active and dedicated to the cause. My relations with him goes many years. He was always addicted to the work entrusted.

Red Salute to Comrade P.T.Rajan!