The continued efforts of the BSNLEU and AIBDPA is having some results. In the National Council and Standing Commitee meetings, we have been continuously raising the delay in settlement of pension cases after retirement. Though there is clear orders to settle all the retirement claims on the last working day itself, in many places the cases are sorted out after two-to-three months and some time more. This is causing much heart-burning and difficulty for the pensioners who have been serving for 30-40 years for the government and the people.

Now the BSNL Corporate office has issued an order today, 1st March 2012, asking the CGMs/Field officers to prepare everything ready before the retirement so that the claims could be settled without any delay.

However, issuing orders is not sufficient. Our comrades at field level should ensure that these instructions are implemented so that the officials retiring will be getting benefits/claims without delay

The Annual General Body Meeting of the National Co-Ordination Committee of  Pensioners Association, the umbrella organisation of the Central Government Pensioners, will be held at Ratlam (M.P.) on 12-13 April 2012. Working Committee will meet on 11th April.

It is expected that important decisions to settle the issues of the Central Government Pensioners will be taken in the meeting.

The CBT failed to take decision on the minimum pension which the employees representatives wanted to be Rs. 1,000. The employers representatives did not agree to the proposal and hence no decision. While the full details could not be collected from the union participants, a report from Hindu is reproduced below:

Differences among representatives of employers and employees at the EPFO (Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation) board meeting on Wednesday forced the retirement fund body to defer decision on fixing the minimum monthly pension of Rs.1,000 for PF subscribers. The Central Board of Trustees (CBT), the apex decision-making body of the EPFO, could not approve the proposal to benefit its 4.72 crore subscribers, as neither the employers’ representatives nor the union leaders were willing to share any extra load, sources said. “We have decided to form a committee to suggest modalities for implementing the proposal. The committee will give its report within a month,” Labour Minister Mallikarjun Kharge, who is also Chairman of the CBT said, after the meeting. However, this committee would be an informal arrangement among the trade unionists, he said. Of the 35 lakh EPFO pensionDifferences among representatives of employers and employees at the EPFO (Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation) board meeting on Wednesday forced the retirement fund body to defer decision on fixing the minimum monthly pension of Rs.1,000 for PF subscribers. The Central Board of Trustees (CBT), the apex decision-making body of the EPFO, could not approve the proposal to benefit its 4.72 crore subscribers, as neither the employers’ representatives nor the union leaders were willing to share any extra load, sources said. “We have decided to form a committee to suggest modalities for implementing the proposal. The committee will give its report within a month,” Labour Minister Mallikarjun Kharge, who is also Chairman of the CBT said, after the meeting. However, this committee would be an informal arrangement among the trade unionists, he said. Of the 35 lakh EPFO pensioners, 14 lakh get a monthly payment of less than Rs.500. Only seven lakh of them get above Rs.1,000 or more as monthly pension and there are cases where pensioners are getting as low as Rs.12-38 a month. At present, both an employer and his employee contribute 12 per cent of the basic pay plus dearness allowance (BPDA), each towards the PF fund ers, 14 lakh get a monthly payment of less than Rs.500. Only seven lakh of them get above Rs.1,000 or more as monthly pension and there are cases where pensioners are getting as low as Rs.12-38 a month. At present, both an employer and his employee contribute 12 per cent of the basic pay plus dearness allowance (BPDA), each towards the PF fund.

In the Standing Committee meeting of the National Council held today, the staff side members expressed their happiness that orders have been issued allowing vacant staff quarters to be allotted to Pensioners, which was a long pending demand of BSNLEU. But at the same time, the union pointed out that unnecessary conditions have been put in the order. The pensioners will have to pay the usual rent as also a serving employees should stand guarantee. The union demanded that these unnecessary conditions be removed. It was agreed by the management side to re-examine the same after prolonged discussion. Both BSNLEU and AIBDPA had written with details on the matter to the corporate office earlier.

The union pointed out undue delay in settling pension cases. Management side stated that if the particulars of the pension cases with the name of the circle are furnished to the Corporate office, necessary action to speed up the process can be taken.

The Pension Fund Regulator and Development Authority (PFRDA), has called for bids from financial institutions as Fund Managers  to manage the funds of the New Pension Scheme (NPS) for the next three years, from April 2012.

A small background – The New Pension Scheme was introduced for the Central and State Government employees w.e.f. January 2004. NPS has been introduced in all states except W.Bengal, Kerala and Tripura which were under the Left at that time. NPS, which is a contributory pension scheme replaces the earlier defined pension scheme, which was more beneficial. In the defined pension scheme, a retiree gets pension from the government, which is half amount of his last salary and will be increased through pension revision whenever there is pay revision for the regular employees. In the NPS, the employee has to contribute 10% of the salary to the Provident Fund, a similar amount will be remitted by the government and at the time of retirement, he/she will get 60% back as PF and the rest 40% will be used to pay pension. As per this scheme, there is not even an assured minimum pension of Rs, 1,000 for an employee. In a similar scheme for the Public/ private  Sector employees, introduced in 1995, Employees Pension Scheme (EPS), most of the employees are getting pension about Rs.300 or so. Very few get pension more than Rs. 1,000. The Central/State Government employees have strongly opposed the NPS and want the earlier defined pension scheme. BSNL employees, who are getting pension as per government rules are also against introduction of NPS to the new recruitees from 01-10-2000.

At present there are three Fund managers for the NPS – LIC Pension Fund, SBI Pension Fund and UTI Retirement Solutions Ltd. They are together handling a pension corpus of thousands of crores. In one month alone the subscription comes to more than Rs. 500 crore.

The National Executive of the National Co-ordination Committee of Pensioners Association (NCCPA) met today, 9th February 2012, at D-7, Telegraph Place, New Delhi  under the presidentship of Com. R.L.Bhattacharjee. Com.S.K.Vyas, Secretary General presented the report since the last National Council meeting. Com. Raghavendra, Vice-Chairman, Confederation inaugurated. Comrades V.A.N.Namboodiri( Patron NCCPA) and K.G.Jayaraj, General Secretary, AIBDPA and other leaders participated.

The Executive reviewed the Parliament March organised on 25th November and the signature Campaign. It was decided to conduct demonstrations in all places in April 2012 in support of the Charter of Demands. Post Card Campaign by members posting letters to Prime Minister etc. demanding acceptance of the demands also to be organised. State/ District level conventions also should  be organised.  It was also decided to hold the next All India Conference at Ratlam on 12-13 April 2012.

The NCCPA is preparing for a sustained struggle on the demands of the Pensioners.

At present, the majority of the workers under the Employees Pension Scheme (EPS) are getting pension of less than Rs. 500. Some are even getting only a pittance of Rs. 10 to Rs. 50. The Central Trade Unions have been long demanding that at least Rs.1,000 should be given as minimum pension.

As per Employees Provident Fund authorities, there are 35 lakh pensioners who have subscribed under EPS Scheme out of whom about 14 lakh pensioners are getting pension less than Rs. 500/. Only about one lakh pensioners are getting more than Rs.1,000 as pension. It is to be noted here that Kerala government pays pension of Rs. 500  to all persons above 60  ie. those who are not having any other income or job.

The government and employers are trying to increase the contribution of the employee to the Provident Fund in an effort create bottlenecks in the demand for the minimum pension. The workers demand is that without increasing the PF contribution, the minimum pension of Rs. 1,000 should be given.