Category Archives: General

CABINET APPROVES INTRODUCTION OF THE PAYMENT OF GRATUITY (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2017 – Gratuity increased to Rs.20 Lakh for all workers.

13 Wednesday Sep 2017

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CABINET APPROVES INTRODUCTION OF THE PAYMENT OF GRATUITY (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2017

IN THE PARLIAMENT 

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its approval for introduction of the Payment of Gratuity (Amendment) Bill, 2017 in the Parliament.

The Amendment will increase the maximum limit of gratuity of employees, in the private sector and in Public Sector Undertakings/ Autonomous Organizations under Government who are not covered under CCS (Pension) Rules, at par with Central Government employees.

Background:

The Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 applies to establishments employing 10 or more persons. The main purpose for enacting this Act is to provide social security to workmen after retirement, whether retirement is a result of the rules of superannuation, or physical disablement or impairment of vital part of the body. Therefore, the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 is an important social security legislation to wage earning population in industries, factories and establishments.

The present upper ceiling on gratuity amount under the Act is Rs. 10 Lakh. The provisions for Central Government employees under Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1972 with regard to gratuity are also similar. Before implementation of 7th Central Pay Commission, the ceiling under CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972 was Rs. 10 Lakh. However, with implementation of 7th Central Pay Commission, in case of Government servants, the ceiling now is Rs. 20 Lakhs effective from 1.1.2016.

Therefore, considering the inflation and wage increase even in case of employees engaged in private sector, the Government is of the view that the entitlement of gratuity should be revised for employees who are covered under the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972. Accordingly, the Government initiated the process for amendment to Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972. (Courtesy: Government Press Statement)

 

Despite severe price hike, only 1% DA for government employees and pensioners.

12 Tuesday Sep 2017

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The implementation of Demonetisation and GST had raised the prices of essential commodities severely and the cost of living has increased. But despite all these huge increase in all services and prices, only 1% increase is given from 1st July 2017 for the Central Government employees and pensioners. This is nothing, but cheating the workers. An inquiry is to be conducted in the calculation of the cost of commodities and fixing of the DA by an expert committee, which will expose the fraud. The Press Report on the decision of DA is given below:

“New Delhi, Sep 12 : The Centre today increased dearness allowance and dearness relief by 1 per cent to 5 per cent, benefiting 50 lakh employees and 61 lakh pensioners.
This decision was taken at the Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi here.
“Release of additional installment of DA is an increase of 1 per cent over the existing rate of 4 per cent of the basic pay/pension, to compensate for price rise,” according to an official statement.
The new rate will be applicable from July 1.
The combined impact on the exchequer on account of both DA and DR would be Rs 3,068.26 crore per annum and Rs 2,045.50 crore in the financial year 2017-18 (for a period of 8 months from July 2017 to February 2018).
This move will benefit about 49.26 lakh central government employees and 61.17 lakh pensioners, it said.”

Twin Tower Terrorist Attack in US in 2001

11 Monday Sep 2017

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It is 16 years now after the terrorist attack on US cities, including the Twin Towers, which accommodated the World Trade Centre Complex in New York, and killed 2,997 people and injured over 6,000 others and caused property damage of more than $ 10 billion.

It was on 11th September 2001, that Al-Queda terrorists hijacked 4 air passenger flights and hit the twin tower buildings, pentagon complex etc. causing the painful deaths and damage. The attacks were condemned by the entire world.

Twin Tower with 110 story completely collapsed. Osama Bin Laden, the plotter of the attack was killed in Afghanistan in a US SEAL Team attack. The US government had constructed a Memorial in the Twin Tower site.

Terrorism has increased during these years and is becoming a threat to almost all countries. A united and joint effort is required in the fight against it.

Assam BJP government makes major amendment to Labour Law – empowers employers to retrench up to 300 workers without government approval.

09 Saturday Sep 2017

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The Assam’s BJP government has made a major amendment to the Labour Law. Last Thursday, the Assam assembly passed a bill, called “Industrial Disputes(Assam Amendment) Bill, 2017”. According to this, in industries engaging upto 300 workers, the employers can retrench workers without any approval of the government. It is important to note that this is one of the important demands of the corporates. According to this amendment, in 70% of the industrial units, the employers will be in a position to retrench workers, without any restrictions of the government. It means, the employers can implement “Hire & Fire” policy in 90% of the industries. When the Central Trade Unions are offering stiff resistance for the Modi government to legislate any such act at the Centre, the BJP ruled states, one after another, are fulfilling the demand of the corporates. On one side, the Modi government refuses to accept Central Trade Unions’ demand of implementing Rs.18,000 as the minimum wage to the workers. But, on the other side, it is trying it’s best to implement the demands of the corporates. This is why we call it an “anti-worker and pro-corporate government”.(Courtesy: BSNLEU website)

‘Health never a political priority in UP’ – In India also.

09 Saturday Sep 2017

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Soumitra Ghosh, Asst. Professor, Centre for Health Policy, Institute of Social Sciences Mumbay, in his article published in Hindu dated 9th September, has stated that health was never a priority in U.P. He has examined the issue in detail and furnished statistics and other particulars. According to him, there has been scant consideration for improving the health system or the hospitals. The per capita public expenditure was only a meagre Rs.452, much less than many other states. During the period from 2002 to 2015 the primary health centres were reduced from 3,808 to 3,497. It is to be noted that the population has increased much during the same period.

It is not the case with UP alone. The central government has also reduced its expenditure on health year after year. At present it is only just above 1% of GDP. In most of the countries, it is around 5% or more. The rich and affluent can get treatment from high level private and specialty hospitals. What about the poor and ordinary people? During elections, all kinds of promises are given to people, but after getting elected, the people and their issues are forgotten. According to latest report of the Global Burden of Disease Study, India is at No. 154 far below China and even Sri Lanka and Bangla Desh.

Central Govt. should take up Rohingya issue with Myanmar Govt.

09 Saturday Sep 2017

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Reports have been published that hundreds of Rohingya Muslim refugees are killed in Myanmar and thousands are leaving leaving the country as refugees to nearby countries including Bangla Desh and India. This is a big humanitarian issue. It is necessary that as a neighboring country, India should take up the matter with Myanmar. Government should also treat those came to India as refugees and they should not be pushed back or deported.

Similarity between the murder of M.M.Kalburgi and Gauri Lankesh

09 Saturday Sep 2017

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The forensic examination of the bullets found on the body of Gauri Lankesh has confirmed the similarity with the bullets found from the body of the murdered University Professor M.M.Kalburgi, who was murdered allegedly by the Sanatan Sanstan, part of the Sangh Parivar. The bullets found in the bodies of murdered Narendra Dhabolkar and Govinda Pansare in Maharashtra was of the same type. This was confirmed by the Scotland Yard also.

The entire nation has condemned these murders, except hard core Hindutwa Right extremists and certain BJP leaders, which clearly indicate the thinking of the RSS, Sangh Parivar and BJP. The large scale protests all over the country condemning the murder of Gauri Lankesh and demanding immediate action to arrest the culprits has to be taken seriously by the Karnataka Government. This is pointed out especially due to the unpardonable delay in catching the culprits in the Kalburgi murder.

8th September – International Literacy Day

08 Friday Sep 2017

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Today, 8th September 2017 is the International Literacy Day. UNESCO and countries over the world are observing the day with the theme of ‘Literacy in a Digital World’. The world is changing rapidly to digital and no country can keep away from this process.

The literacy in India is even below than some African countries. The rulers of the country are not serious about the issue. The central government and majority of the state governments are reducing budget provisions for primary education, while favouring higher education. However, the states ruled by the Left are far above the country’s average in Literacy. Tripura stands first with Kerala following closely.

Literacy is power. People have to be empowered with learning and knowledge. This should be the priority of the government.

Demonetisation, an utter failure and and torturer of common people.

08 Friday Sep 2017

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Now it has been completely exposed that the demonetisation ordered by the Modi Government is an utter failure on all the goal posts mentioned by the Prime Minister. Neither black-money could be unearthed, black-marketeers caught, nor any terrorist group captured. Neither it could digitalise the entire nation.

What demonetisation achieved is something else. It put the entire country and especially the common people to great miseries due to shortage of cash for day to day expenses, arranging functions, marriage ceremonies, studies of children, treatment of sick people and so on. It resulted in closure of so many small business and small traders. It took about 30 lives, people who died standing on the long queue for hours together to get a few thousands of cash. The GDP has gone down drastically. Of course, it benefitted the BJP in putting black money in to banks in the last moment with prior knowledge , helped the corporate house to increase their business by destroying the small groups etc. The multinational corporates like Master Card and Visa also profitted due to the increase of ATM use, since a portion of the using charges go to them.

After demonetisation, we are where we were. One comparison can be with the capital shifting of Mohammed-Bin Tuglak from Delhi and return to Delhi itself. It is told that he was foolish and realised his mistake later. But not so Modi. The Prime Minister continues to praise and defend the demonetisation, despite it being an utter failure.

Massive protests against the murder of Ms. Gauri Lankesh

07 Thursday Sep 2017

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Massive protests erupted all over the country against the brutal murder of activist and journalist Ms. Gauri Lankesh. In all the metros including Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai etc. big protest rallies were organised. In Bengaluru, there were continuous and massive demonstrations. In Kerala, demonstrations and rallies were held in hundreds of places with massive participation by several organisations and political parties.

It is now further revealed that the Sangh Parivar and its goondas have several times threatened her with dire consequences for exposing the Parivar and also strongly criticising its brazen activities.The murder has similarities with the murders of social activists and free thinkers like Narendra Dhabolkar, Govind Pansare and Kalburgi. Even the bullets are stated to be the same type.

But these murderers forget one thing. By murder they can kill the person, but not the fire of ideas and thinking that has been started. Fascism will not be allowed in this secular democratic Republic.