Author Archives: VAN NAMBOODIRI

Welcome to AAP Government in Delhi, Let there be a new governance culture.

27 Friday Dec 2013

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The AAP is going to take the Delhi Government after the swearing in ceremony on 28th December 2013. There is no doubt that this will make a big difference from the corrupt administration during the BJP and Congress rules. My Best Wishes for the new government!
The new AAP government should steadfastly work to mitigate the sufferings of the toiling workers of Delhi who are inhumanly being exploited by the bureaucracy and contractors. Pro-people policy and decisions should be implemented at the earliest. The support given by the voters should be utilised for the improvement of the conditions of the people.

Govt. should decree Rs. 10,000 as Minimum Wages to unorganised workers.

27 Friday Dec 2013

Posted by in BSNLCCWF - Casual and Contract workers

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The demand of the Central Trade Unions that ‘Minimum Wages of not less than Rs.10,000 -per month with provisions of indexation’ is the correct and fully justified demand. This was raised in the 10 Point Charter of Demands by the Central Trade unions two years back on which sustained agitational programmes have been organised. The 48 hours strike on 20-21 February 2013, the National Convention of Workers on 6th August and the latest Parliament March on 12th December 2013 are all part of these struggles.
The Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh in the 45th Session of Indian Labour Conference held on 17th May 2013 had stated that the demands raised by the Central Trade Unions are mostly undisputed and unexceptionable and are the in the advanced stage of consideration by the Government. The Committee headed by Defence Minister A.K.Antony, which again met the leaders of the Central Trade Unions on 22nd May 2013 assured quick decisions, but nothing happened so far.
The Memorandum submitted by the CTUs after the massively participated Parliament March on 12th December has urged the Government to act upon the commitment made by the Prime Minister. It also stated that ‘ The Trade Union movement can not accept the present state of inaction and indifference on the pressing demands of the workers and people lying down and will heighten their united struggle in the face of continuing unresponsiveness’.
The minimum wages of not less than Rs. 10,000 for the workers is one of the major demands in the Charter. The Casual/Contract workers in BSNL will fully participate in these united struggles under the leadership of the BSNL Casual and Contract Workers Federation which is part of this great movement for the rights of the workers and people.
Strengthen BSNLCCWF by all the casual/contract workers joining the Federation and becoming active members.

File Burning in Delhi Secretariat to destroy evidences of corruption

27 Friday Dec 2013

Posted by in Corruption

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In the wake of the taking charge of Delhi by the AAP, it is exposed through a sting operation that many files in the Delhi Secretariat are being torn and burnt to avoid evidences of large scale corruption by the former Congress Government. The AAP will take charge after the swearing in ceremony tomorrow, 28th December.
Strong action should be taken in such criminal offences. There will be many such skeletons in the cupboard of the 15 year rule by Congress.

TRAI recommendation on Spectrum charges will cause loss of Rs.3,738 crore to Govt.

27 Friday Dec 2013

Posted by in Telecom

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NEW DELHI: The Department of Telecom has estimated that lowering annual spectrum fee as recommended by Trai will cause the national exchequer a minimum loss of Rs 3,738 crore on renewal of the three licences that are due to expire in 2014.

Airtel’s licences in Delhi and Kolkata, Vodafone’s in Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata and Loop Mobile’s in Mumbai are to expire in 2014.The TRAI has recommended 3% flat rate for the licences which is below the present rate. (Courtesy: ET)

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

Posted by in PSU

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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

Posted by in BSNL News

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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

Posted by in PSU, Telecom

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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)