Category Archives: AIBDPA – BSNL DOT Pensioners

AIBDPA (All India BSNL-DOT Pensioners Association ) is the organisation of the Pensioners retired from DOT and BSNL. The posting in this category are connected with their issues as also that of other pensioners. It is affiliated to NCCPA and BCPC, umbrella organisations of pensioners.

AIBDPA writes to CMD BSNL on Revalidation of Medical Card – Extension of date and other issues.

23 Tuesday Jun 2020

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Following is the letter written by AIBDPA to CMD BSNL on Revalidation of Medical Card etc.

AIBDPA/BSNL RS/2020 dated 23rd June,2020

To,

Shri P.K. Purwar

CMD BSNL, Bharat Sanchar Bhawan

Janpath, New Delhi – 110 001

Sir,

Sub: – Revalidation of Medical card – extension of date and other issues – reg.

Ref: – (1) BSNL CO letter No.BSNL/Admin/2020/Medical dated 04-05-2020

(2) This Association letter No. AIBDPA/ BSNL MRS dated 13-06-2020

(3) BSNL CO Letter No BSNL/Admn-1/15/12/ dated 19-06-2020

First of all, we express our sincere gratitude to your goodself for issuing the clarification order mentioned (2) above in response to our letter dated 13-06-2020. This has addressed most of the issues. However, it is really heart breaking that the most burning issue of the Pensioners, Non-payment of medical bills both indoor and outdoor, one-time payment paid to CGHS and the medical allowance, continues to be neglected. A humanely approach is overdue on this vital issue and request you to kindly cause necessary action to allot sufficient funds for the same.

BSNL CO vide letter dated 04-05-2020 (referred 1 above) have extended the date of revalidation of Medical card upto 30-06-2020 or till further orders. But it has created some confusion at the lower level as some of the Circles insisting BSNL retirees to submit it before 30-06-2020 and some other Circles like Kerala and Chennai Telephones extending the date upto 30-09-2020 and 31-08-2020, respectively. Hence, we request your kind intervention so that a Pan India extension order upto 30-09-2020 is issued by the Corporate Office at the earliest as in the case of Option for outdoor medical facilities. This will have the advantage of fulfilling both by one go by the pensioners.

We also wish to bring to your kind notice the following genuine issues for your kind consideration and early favourable action.

Discrimination against Family Pensioners.

As per the existing rules, family pensioners are not eligible to submit option for outdoor medical facilities. The option submitted by his/ her spouse is absolute and final. This is a gross injustice and discrimination meted out to the family pensioners. So, a review is very much required in the changed situation.

In cases where both husband and wife are BSNL retirees, only one is eligible for medical allowance. This rule also is discriminatory as in some cases the couple are separated and in some other cases staying in different places. Therefore, a review on the issue is necessary so that both the couple are granted the medical allowance.

Awaiting your early positive response and

Thanking you,

Yours sincerely,

K G Jayaraj

General Secretary.

Copy to: (1) Shri Aravind Vadnerkar, Director ( HR), BSNL.

(2) Shri Gupta, Director (Finance), BSNL.

(3) Shri Ashutosh Gupta, GM(Admin), BSNL CO.

Revival package for BSNL – Is it retrenchment through VRS only?

22 Monday Jun 2020

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The Revival package for BSNL was announced about 9 months back. One of the items, Voluntary Retirement, rather Compulsory retirement of about 80,000 employees was fully implemented by 31st January 2010. But no other item of the package ie. Allotment of 4G Spectrum, Loan from Banks, Monetisation of BSNL assets etc. have not been implemented. Are 9 months insufficient for a government to implement its own assurances, widely publicised?

In fact, the government and Communications Minister Shri Ravi Shanakr Prasad, who declared that he is firm on the revival of BSNL, is silent now. The government is cheating the workers and the public.

GOVERNMENT SHOULD HONOUR ITS COMMITMENT TO THE WORKERS AND THE PEOPLE!

Grant Pension Revision for BSNL pensioners wef 01-01-2017 –

22 Monday Jun 2020

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BSNL pensioners are eligible for pension revision w.e.f. 01-01-2017. The last revision was made in 2007, 13 years earlier. DOT is stating that pension revision can be granted only after the pay revision of the BSNL employees. This is great injustice. III Pay Revision Committee has recommended pay revision @ 15 %. BSNL management has sought approval of DOT for grant of 15% pay revision for executives. Non-executives unions have discussed wage revision with management. The matter is pending for years. But pensioners, who are aged and require the pension revision can not wait till pay revision orders are issued. They are aged and is in dire need of the increase in pension to manage things. Their medical allowance is also reduced. It is a crime to delay pension revision to these pensioners, who have served the nation for three – four decades, on the plea that pay revision is not granted. Pensioners are not responsible for the same.

AIBDPA leaders have met more than 100 Members of Parliament and many of them have raised the issue with the government, but no action. Email was sent in hundreds to the Prime Minister, but no action.

We demand that the BSNL, DOT and Central Government to take immediate action so that the BSNL pensioners are granted pension revision wef 01-01-2017 without further delay.

JUSTICE DELAYED IS JUSTICE DENIED.

BSNL issues orders extending date of option for BSNLMRS etc.

22 Monday Jun 2020

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AIBDPA has been pressing foe extending the date of submitting option for BSNLMRS to 30-09-2020 as also to exempt the persons from submitting options, who have already submitted option earlier, if they do not want to change the option. AIBDPA sent its letter to CMD on 13-06-2020. Now the BSNL management has issued clarifications on all the matters mentioned in the letter, extending the date as also exempting those who have given option earlier. It is also stated that the option for CGHS can be given at any time. The order is published in the AIBDPA website aibdpa.com

BSNLEU CALL FOR DHARNA ON 26-06-2020- AIBDPA EXTENDS SOLIDARITY AND SUPPORT.

20 Saturday Jun 2020

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BSNLEU has given a call to hold Dharna on 26-06-2020. The important demands put forward are;

Immediate implmentation of BSNL Revival Package declared by the government .Though VRS was implemented in a time bound maner, no sincere effors are seen in launching 4G, issuing sovreign bonds and monetisation of BSNL assets.
Timely payment of salary to BSNL employees
Payment of wage arrears to BSNL Contract workers
Resumption of negotiation for pay revision of BSNL Employees
Withdraw the order reducing the ceiling of outdoor treatment from 23 days pay to 15 days pay.

.AIBDPA extends solidarity and calls upon all its units to support the Dharna according to local condition in the wake of alarming spread of Covid-19 and the elders being most vulnerable. (Courtesy: AIBDPA website)

Out door medical claims with latest prescription which are not older than 6 months allowed – BSNL Order

09 Tuesday Jun 2020

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BSNL has issued orders on 2nd June 2020 allowing out door medical claims with the latest prescription available which are not older than 6 months, due to Covid 17 lock down. Concerned employees / pensioners can utilise the concession.

DOT should ensure payment to VRS retirees in time.

08 Monday Jun 2020

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The VRS in BSNL was implemented with so many promises by DOT and BSNL. But what is the condition. All payments, including Ex-gratia are delayed. It is requested that Communications minister should intervene and ensure that the payments to VRS retirees are made without further delay.

AIBDPA writes to Secretary, Telecom on delay in payment of the of ex-gratia to the VRS retirees.

08 Monday Jun 2020

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AIBDPA/ DOT-VRS/2020 8th June,2020

To,

Shri Anshu Prakash

Secretary,

Department of Telecommunications

Sanchar Bhawan

New Delhi-110001

Sir,

Sub: – Delay in payment of the of ex-gratia to the VRS retirees- reg.

We wish to bring the following issue for your kind intervention and necessary favourable action.

When VRS was implemented in BSNL, a large number of BSNL employees (78,569) opted it, attracted by financial benefits, mainly the ex-gratia. They hoped to settle the debit and do something with the balance. It was assured by the government that ex-gratia will be paid in two equal instalments; first in March,2020 and the second in June,2020.

But contrary to the assurance only 33.33% was paid in March,2020 instead of 50 per cent. And all the amounts of future instalments towards HBA, bank loans, society loan, car loan etc were recovered from 33.3 per cent of ex-gratia paid. Most of the VRS retirees got very meagre amount after the recoveries. There is still uncertainty as to when the balance will be paid though the second instalment also has become due. This situation has put the VRS retirees into much disappointment and distress.

Therefore, we request your intervention to cause necessary action for the payment of 66.67 per cent of ex-gratia at the earliest but before 30-06-2020.

Delay in issuing the PPOs to the VRS retirees.

While we appreciate the commendable job by some of the CCAs like Assam, Gujarat, NE, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala for having already issued the PPOs and sure to complete by 30-06-2020, we give below the CCAs lagging far behind.

Tamil Nadu & Chennai Telephones.
Tamil Nadu out of 8761 only 2750 PPOs issued.

Chennai Telephones- out of 2671,1300 issued.

Maharashtra – Only 4466 PPOs issued out of 9997.
UP (West) – Only 550 PPOs issued against 2227.
These figures warrant immediate intervention of the higher authorities with constant monitoring. As far as the retirees are concerned, PPO is the most important document and they will be worried until they get the PPO.

We sincerely hope that you will do the needful at the earliest.

Thanking you,

Yours sincerely,

K G Jayaraj

General Secretary.

CC: Shri P.K.Sinha, Member (Finance), Department of Telecommunications Sanchar Bhawan, New Delhi-110001.

Old Pension for those recruited before 01-01-2004 but appointed after the date – Union Minister(S) for Pension

05 Friday Jun 2020

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Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Dr. Jitendra Singh has issued a press statement in which he has stated that old Pension Scheme will be extended to those employees who joined on or after 01.01.2004 but whose result for recruitment had been declared before 01.01.2004. He also stated that this was a long standing demand of employees covered under the National Pension System (NPS) and was the cause of several court cases and anxiety among such employees.

(copy of press statement enclosed)

UNION MINISTER DR. JITENDRA SINGH ON ONE YEAR ACHIEVEMENTS ON PENSION

05 Friday Jun 2020

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PRESS NEWS

Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions
UNION MINISTER DR. JITENDRA SINGH LAUNCHES E-BOOKLET ON ONE YEAR ACHIEVEMENTS OF DOPPW UNDER MODI GOVERNMENT 2.0

PENSION REFORMS HUGELY BENEFITTED THE LIVES OF THE PENSIONERS: DR JITENDRA SINGH

Posted On: 04 JUN 2020 7:18PM by PIB Delhi

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh today launched an e-Booklet on one year achievements of the Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare (DoPPW)” through Video Conferencing (VC).
Dr. Jitendra Singh, while addressing all the officers of the Department congratulated the team for carrying out a series of reforms which not only high-lighted the sensitivity of the Modi Government but also the dedication of the team during the trying times of the Pandemic. He stated that the department went outside its call of duty to organize a webinar on Covid by bringing in leading doctors to address the anxiety and fears of the Pensioners. He stated that the Department is blessed with the unique opportunity of being able to serve the elderly and retired which no other department has
Among a series of reforms in Pension policy, the most notable was the Amendment of Rule 54 of CCS Pension Rules, 1972 to provide enhanced Family Pension in the event of unfortunate death of Government servant even before completion of 7 years of service.
Earlier only those families were eligible for enhanced family Pension (@50% of last pay drawn) wherein the deceased government servant had completed 7 years of service.
Another landmark OM in the recent year was extending the Old Pension scheme to those employees who joined on or after 01.01.2004 but whose result for recruitment had been declared before 01.01.2004. This was a long standing demand of employees covered under the National Pension System (NPS) and was the cause of several court cases and anxiety among such employees.
Soon after the formation of the new government a series of welfare measures for the Pensioners were also carried out such as opening of an “Integrated Grievance Cell & Call Centre with Toll free number 1800-11-1960 ” to facilitate elderly pensioners in registering their grievances and get information of pending grievances, holding of “All India Pension Adalat” wherein more than 50 locations were connected through live interactive video conferencing which resulted in resolution of more than 4000 grievances by a single event.
The other welfare activities carried out in the last one year include facilitating doorstep service for submission of life certificate with the help of Pension Disbursing Banks, DLC from home campaign by involving Pensioners’ Associations in 24 cities, organizing the First Regional Adalat at Jammu, and issuance of consolidated instructions to banks in order to ensure ease of living for pensioners.
The Department also organized a tele-consultation for pensioners on Covid 19 with renowned Pulmonologist & Director AIIMS, Dr Randeep Guleria & Dr Prasun Chatterjee, Associate Professor AIIMS.
Dr Kshatrapati Shivaji, Secretary (P&PW), thanked the Union Minister for consistently guiding DoPPW to make Pension reforms which hugely affected the lives of the Pensioners. He stated that this is one of the few Departments which even prior to Covid pandemic was 100% on e-office and therefore the transition to work from home at the height of the pandemic was easy to implement. All officials have been provided with a VPN which enables them to work from wherever they are and therefore the working of this Department remained unaffected during the pandemic.
Joint Secretary, Shri Sanjiv Narain Mathur conducted the proceedings which were completely online with all senior officers of the Department present through VC. Shri Ruchir Mittal, DS gave the vote of thanks. (Press Release)