01 Sunday Jul 2012
Posted in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation
The next National Council was to be held by 24th June 2012 as decided by the last National council meeting. But despite the continued demand by the unions, the date for the next meeting has not been fixed. The delay is unwarranted and inexcusable.
The BSNL management should immediately fix the date and hold the same at the earliest.
01 Sunday Jul 2012
It is reported that the government is once again making efforts to increase the FDI in the insurance sector on the demands of the MNCs and Indian big business. At present the FDI in insurance is 26%. Though the government wanted to increase it to 49%, the Parliamentary Standing Committee has recommended that there is no need for the same. For effecting the increase, the government had moved Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill 2008, but could not pass it so far due to strong opposition including from the trade unions.
It is necessary that another strong movement is to be organised to defeat the nefarious game of the government to appease the MNCs and big business which is against the best ineterests of the nation.
01 Sunday Jul 2012
Posted in History
China today paid rich tributes to wife of legendary physician Dwarkanath Kotnis, Guo Qinglan, saying she spent her life promoting Sino-India ties. 96-year-old Guo, a Chinese woman who married Kotnis in November 1941, died yesterday in Dalian, a coastal city in northeast China’s Liaoning province. Expressing condolences, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Hong Lei, told media briefing here that Guo spent her whole life promoting exchanges and cooperation between China and India. Dr. Kotnis, came to China in 1938 along with an Indian medical team to render medical assistance when China fought against the Japanese invasion. He joined the Communist Party of China (CPC) in 1942 and died the same year, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. Kotnis sacrificed his youth and life for China’s national salvation, Hong said, adding “we will always remember their (Guo and Kotnis’s) important contributions”. His medical assistance during the difficult days of Chinese revolution were deeply praised by Chinese leader Mao Zedong. Dr. Kotnis, who hailed from Sholapur in Maharashtra died of epilepsy in China at the age of 32 years. His statues were also unveiled in some of the Chinese cities in recognition to his services. Guo, herself a nurse, hailing from China’s Shanxi province married Dr. Kotnis in 1941 a year before his death in China. She has been an honoured guest at many high-level diplomatic functions between China and India. She was a regular invitee at the Indian Embassy functions in China. Though she got married again later, she retained her name as Guo Qinglan Kotnis. India and China have instituted a joint medical mission in his honour. Recently eight Indian doctors visited China under special bilateral programme to study rural medicare here (Courtsey: Ganashakti)
The great sacrifice and service by Dr. Kotnis and his wife will be remembered ever, which had strengthened the Indo-China relations also.
01 Sunday Jul 2012
Posted in PSU
The strike by the Air India Pilots is continuing for the last 56 days. There is no end in sight to the strike. About 100 pilots have been dismissed, the Air India is losing about Rs.22 crores a day, passengers are suffering and the PSU is going down. The striking pilots are on hunger strike for the last eight days and two of them have already been hospitalised. The Government, the Aviation Minister and the Air india Management are taking the stand that whatever happens, they are not prepared to talk with the striking pilots, unless they join duty. They also say that the dismissed pilots case will be settled case by case meaning that all will not be taken back, especially 11 of the union committee members. Pilots are prepared to join duty if everybody is taken back and the union is recognised again.
The people of the country want the strike to end and the Air India starts its operations as earlier. It is the duty of the government to find a solution to the matter.It is not a question of right and wrong, but a mediation through which the issue is to be resolved. The issue has come in connection with the merger of Air India and Indian Airlines and the management and the government have to sort out the matter. The government should act and resolve the matter urgently by discussing with the pilots association without sticking to its adamant stand.
01 Sunday Jul 2012
Posted in BSNLEU
Comrade Sahdev Biswal, Vice-President of BSNLEU, has retired from service today, 30th June 2012. Com. Biswal is a senior leader of the BSNLEU and has functioned as the President of the Odisha Circle Union and Vice-President of All India Union for a long period.
Com. Biswal was the President of the All India Civil Wing Employees Association, which merged with the BSNL Employees Union at the time of its formation in 2001. In organising the BSNL Casual and Contract Workers Federation in Odisha he has contributed much.
Com.Biswal was given a warm send off by the Odisha Circle Union on 29th June.
My Best wishes to Com. Sahdev Biswal at the time of retirement from service. I wish him to continue his services to the union and the people at large in future.
30 Saturday Jun 2012
Posted in History
During my stay in UK I found that the British are very much eager and anxious to keep their traditions and historical monuments safely and with respect. They also have a methodical way of maintaining written documents about these.Whether it is about a place, a building, a village church or anything like that. Even constructing a building in the village has to be according to the tradition of that area. The large number of museums and memorials are also in the same line. A lot of tourists are also coming from all countries to visit these places.
But what about our own country, India? Take the instance of Delhi alone. It was the capital of 7 or 8 dynasties and each had their separate capitals with forts and other connected buildings etc. During the growth and expansion of Delhi, many of these have been demolished, vandalised, occupied and also constructions made on these. It is the same with many historical things.
We, Indians, have to change our attitude and keep things for the future generations.
27 Wednesday Jun 2012
Posted in Corruption
London has been in preparation for the Olympic Games for the last four years or more, though the same is to be held in July 2012. Almost every arrangement is finalised months back, before the games. Wherever you go, you can see the publicity for the same. The newspapers and media are full of reports about the coming event and the chance for UK in the various events. The opportunity is being used as a platform for improving the image of the country amongst the world nations.
Compare what happened in India in connection with the preparation for the Common Wealth Games two years back? Of course, there was wide publicity, but publicity for the worst. Despite money lavishly spent, the arrangements were not ready till the last-minute. Thousands of crore of rupees were pocketed by unscrupulous persons in the State Government, the Organising Committee and all committees connected with the games. The country was shamed before the entire world.
It is high time that India and the its people should act and act decisively against corruption and the culprits involved.
IT I
27 Wednesday Jun 2012
Posted in General
State Bank of Indiat will recruit about 10,500 employees during the current financial year to manage the growing business of the bank.
“This year, the bank would make 9,500 clerical level appointments and nearly 1,000 probationary officers to be inducted,” SBI Chairman Pratip Chaudhuri stated.
The process would be completed by Dussehra, he added. According to the annual report of SBI, overall staff strength declined by 7,452 employees during the last fiscal.
As on March 31, 2012, the bank had a total permanent staff strength of 2,15,481, which included 80,404 officers, 95,715 clerical staff and the remaining 39,362 were sub-staff.
As stated in my blog earlier, a situation has arisen in all PSUs the need for new recruitment. Instead of engaging contract workers, new recruitment should be done. The unions have to pressure strongly for the same.
27 Wednesday Jun 2012
Posted in General
47 years have passed since the publication of ‘Peoples Democracy’, the weekly organ of the CPI(M) has started. The first issued was issued on 27th June 1965, about one year after its break with CPI.
‘Peoples Democracy’ during these last five decades have helped to educate a lot of comrades about the policy of the party, the latest developments and also the strategy and tactics of the party. It has been a guide to the party workers and progressive section of people.
My Greetings and best Wishes to the journal and the comrades behind it! I hope it will continue its ideal role in the future also.
26 Tuesday Jun 2012
Posted in General
Though 37 years have passed since the ‘National Emergency’ was declared by the Indira Gandhi government on 25th June 1975, the grim memory of the same haunts even now. Civil liberties were denied, democracy & democratic values given a go by and political and trade union leaders were put in jail without any reason only to continue the regime. The true dark face of the government was exposed.
Yes, the people reacted and within two years, the government was compelled to order general election and the Indira Government faced utter failure at the polls. For the first time India saw a non-congress government, the Janata Government composed of many political parties merged in to one.
35 years have passed after the fall of the emergency. Everybody who cherishes democracy has to be on guard that such excess never happen again.
