During his election speech US President Donald Trump insulted India stating that India, China etc are responsible for the present environment problems. Earlier he had denigrated India about lack of cleanliness.

But India PM Narendra Modi is silent. Unfortunate. Has India become a subordinate ally of US?

.

This time , the Foundation Day of our mighty organisation , AIBDPA was to be celebrated amid  discontentment and strong protest against denial of pension revision and medical facilities to BSNL pensioners and Covid-19 pandemic challenge. All these adverse conditions did not deter our Comrades all over the country from celebrating the Foundation Day befittingly.

Sweets were distributed in many places. In some Districts like Vellore in Tamil Nadu 5 kg rice each was distributed to 65 BSNL contract workers whose wages are not being paid for months, incurring an expenditure of Rs.11,930 to the district Branch. They also utilized the occasion to enroll 16 new members, mostly AGMs and DEs to AIBDPA. All the 8 branches under Vellore District Branch have celebrated the Foundation Day as reported by Com.Jothisudanthiranathan, District Secretary. Kolkata Telecom Factory & Stores along with BSNLEU Kolkata Telephones Circle distributed relief to BSNL Casual Contract workers and the Tea Vendors near the Telecom FActory.

CHQ heartily congratulates all our comrades for celebrating the Foundation Day of our great oragnisation in a fantastic manner. (AIBDPA WEBSITE)

BSNL DOT Pensioners all over the country celebrated the 12th Foundation Day of AIBDPA on 21st October 2020, by hoisting union flag, holding meetings through video conference, WhatsApp meetings etc, maintaining covid protocol. Speeches on the activities, achievements and issues were made by leaders in these meetings. Details will be published in the AIBDPA website.

Congratulations to AIBDPA Comrades!

Very sad news – Com. M. Bhaskaran, former Mayor Kozhikode and State Vice- President, SCFWA and senior leader of CPI(M) has passed away today noon. He was under treatment at Kozhikode Co-op. Hospital. He was 80.Com. Bhaskaran as Mayor had through his excellent leadership done wonderful improvement for Kozhikode Corporation and its people. He was also President of Kozhikode Co-operative Hospital and received Best Hospital award from President of India a few years back.In strengthening the SCFWA Com.M.Bhaskaran’ s valuable contribution is noteworthy. The last state conference of SCFWA at Kozhikode was held under his guidance.He was was always pleasant and helpful to all. He was one of the best administratior. My friendship with him goes back to many decades.His death is a great loss to all of us. Heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family, friends & Comrades. Red Salute!

V.A.N.Namboodiri State President SCFWA.

CABINET APPROVES PRODUCTIVITY LINKED BONUS AND NON-PRODUCTIVITY LINKED BONUS FOR 2019-2020

Ministry of Finance

Posted On: 21 OCT 2020 3:25PM by PIB Delhi

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has given its approval to pay Productivity Linked Bonus (PLB)for the year 2019-2020 to 16.97 lakh non-gazetted employees of commercial establishments like Railways, Posts, Defence, EPFO,ESIC,etc.will be benefitted and the financial implication would be Rs.2,791 crore.

Non-PLB or ad-hoc Bonus is given to Non-Gazetted Central Government employees. 13.70 lakh employees would be benefited and Rs.946 crore will be the financial implication for the same.

A total of 30.67 lakh employees would be benefited by the Bonus announcement and total financial implication will be Rs 3,737 crore.

Payment of Bonus to non-gazetted employees for their performance in the preceding year is usually made before Durga Puja/Dussehra season. The Government is announcing the Productivity Linked Bonus (PLB) and ad hoc bonus for its non-gazetted employees to be disbursed immediately. VRRK(Release ID: 1666381)

Modi government often claims that India is marching ahead as the most emerging economy in the world. Yes, it is a fact that Indian Corporates have amassed assets even beyond their imagination, thanks to Modi government’s all out patronage. Ambani and Adani got a steep hike in their assets in a single year with increase of 73% and 61% respectively.

But what about the common people ? The widening gap between the poor and the richest have put their lives to poverty and miseries. This fact is being vindicated through the study of global agencies. Now, according to the Global Hunger Index, released on 16-10-2020, India ranks 94 with Sudan and behind African countries, Kenya (84) Tanzania (89), Angola (93), among the 107 countries.

Our neigbhours are far ahead of India, China (5), Sri Lanka (64), Nepal (73), Bangladesh (75) and Pakistan (88).

India has the higest prevalance of wasted children under five years in the world, which reflects acute undernutrition. The report says that the situation has worsened during 2015-19 period, when the prevalance of child wasting was 17.3%, in comparison to 2010-14, when it was 15.1% .

The report is a clear indictment against Modi government’s pro-corporate and pro-rich policies. (Courtesy: AIBDPA Website)

NON-PAYMENT OF MEDICAL BILLS- DISCUSSION WITH CMD, BSNL.

Com. V A N Namboodiri, Advisor had a discussion with CMD, BSNL over telephone on 16-10-2020 on non-payment of medical bills, allowance and one time payment made to CGHS. Com. V A N reminded the CMD about his assurance last time that fund will be alloted after two months for payment to the retirees. But CMD replied that though it is correct that he had made such an assurance last time, the financial position of BSNL has not improved as expected and it may take another two, three months for payment of pending medical bills to the retirees. Com. VAN pointed out that BSNL is making payments to all others except the medical benefits of retirees to which CMD remained non-committal.

So it reveals the negative stand of the CMD towards the genuine issue of BSNL retirees even exposing the very credibility of the position he is holding. Now, we have no other alternative other than launching another phased programme of agitation. (Courtesy: AIBDPA website)

CELEBRATE THE 12TH FOUNDATION DAY BEFITTINGLY.

12^th FOUNDATION DAY OF AIBDPA ON 21^ST OCTOBER 2020.

The 11^th Anniversary and 12^th Foundation Day of All India BSNL DOT Pensioners Association (AIBDPA) falls on 21^st October 2020. The mighty organisation of the BSNL DOT Pensioners was formed on 21^st October 2009 in a largely attended All India Convention of the BSNL and DOT Pensioners at New Delhi. BSNL Employees Union, the recognised union of the BSNL employees, took initiative in holding the convention. Veteran leaders Comrades A.K.Bhattacharjee, P.V.Chandrasekharan and J.N.Mishra presided.  Com.M.K.Pandhe, one of the tallest leaders of the world trade union movement and President, CITU inaugurated the convention. The main speaker was Com.S K Vyas, Secretary General, NCCPA. Com.V.A.N.Namboodiri, then General Secretary, BSNLEU, presented the back ground paper for the convention. After thorough discussion by the delegates, resolution forming AIBDPA was unanimously adopted in an enthusiastic atmosphere. Thus the AIBDPA was formed which was committed to safeguard the interests of the BSNL as well as DOT Pensioners.The resolution adopted on policy and programme highlighted the importance of supporting the struggles of the BSNL employees and the workers at large called by the Central Trade Unions. It was also declared that AIBDPA, unlike from other pensioners organisations, is committed to organise struggles for the settlement of the genuine issues of the pensioners.  A well-knit team of office-bearers with Comrades V.A.N.Namboodiri (Advisor), P.V.Chandrasekharan (Patron), A.K.Bhattacharjee (President), K.G.Jayaraj (General Secretary) and M.L.Tiwari (Treasurer) was elected to lead the organisation.

Within months, circle and district unions were formed all over the country. The Association started functioning in right earnest. All the issues of the BSNL DOT Pensioners were taken with the government. Pension Revision w.e.f. 01-01-2007, 78.2% IDA fixation, Scrapping of 60:40 condition, Medical issues, Quarters to BSNL and DoT retirees, Broadband concession to BSNL retirees etc. were taken and numerous struggles were launched for favourable settlement. It is pertinent to mention here that the struggles of BSNLEU and Joint Forum/AUAB was crucial in the settlement of important issues. In addition, many individual cases were also taken up and most of these were settled favourably.

AIBDPA has always functioned in co-ordination with BSNLEU, the biggest organisation of the BSNL employees and Joint Forum/ AUAB and gave full support and solidarity to the struggle of the employees. It is an affiliate of the National Co-ordination Committee of Pensioners Association (NCCPA), which is the umbrella organisation of the pensioners all over the country. It is also an affiliate of the Trade Union International (Pensioners and Retirees) (WFTU) and participated in its formation Congress as well as subsequent Congress last year. Com. K.G.Jayaraj, GS, AIBDPA is an Executive Board Member of TUI(P and R).

AIBDPA activities are not only limited to the pensioners’ issues. It has taken keen interest in the problems of the senior citizens and connected matters. It collected donation from its   members and supported the struggles of the BSNL Casual and Contract Workers. Whenever natural calamities hit the country,  donations were collected and sent to the  Prime Minister’s Relief Fund / Chief Minister’s Relief Fund etc. in a good way. AIBDPA leaders and members are very active in social activities.

After its formation Conference, three All India Conferences have been held at Kannur, Tirupati and Kolkata respectively with massive participation and taken important decisions including agitational programmes. On the issue of Pension revision w.e.f. 01-01-2017, the office bearers at the Circle/ district level met about 200 Members of Parliament  and submitted memorandums requesting the matter to be taken up with the government. Some of them raised the issue in the Parliament.

We have many important problems to be settled including Pension Revision, Medical reimbursement, special problems of the VRS Pensioners etc. These problems have arisen mainly due to the negative anti-pensioner policy of the Central government as also violation of the assurances given at the time of the formation of BSNL. United Struggle is the way to settle these issues.

Our mighty and beloved organization, All India BSNL DOT Pensioners Association, is completing 11 years and the 12th Foundation Day on 21-10-2020 deserves to be celebrated in a befitting manner. Let us celebrate it with hoisting the AIBDPA flag, holding General Body meetings, distributing sweets, distributing food/clothes to the needy etc. In the meeting, the mounting attacks by the present Modi government against the farmers, workers, pensioners and the people at large even under the cover of Covid-19 pandemic, the achievements and the onward march of AIBDPA through the path of struggles, cordial relationship with the serving employees organizations and joining their struggles, our affiliation with NCCPA, the umbrella organization of pensioners organizations in India and TUI(P&R), the international pensioners organization and constituent of WFTU and the tasks ahead for pension revision and payment of medical benefits, revival of BSNL etc.are to be explained.

AIBDPA ZINDABAD!

• Our mighty and beloved organization, All India BSNL DOT Pensioners Association, is completing 11 years and the 12th Foundation Day on 21-10-2020 deserves to be celebrated in a befitting manner. Let us celebrate with hoisting the AIBDPA flag, holding General Body meetings, distributing sweets, distributing food/clothes to the needy etc. In the meeting, the achievements and the onward march of AIBDPA through the path of struggles , Cordial relationship with the serving employees organizations and joining their struggles, our affiliation with NCCPA, the umbrella organization of pensioners organizations in India and TUI(P&R), the international pensioners organization and constituent of WFTU and the tasks ahead for pension revision and payment of medical benefits, revival of BSNL etc.  are to be explained. (AIBDPA Website)

The Central Executive Committee meeting of BSNLEU, held on 10th & 11th September, 2020, has decided to organise massive campaigns in the months of September and October, which should culminate into a strike in November, 2020. The All India Centre meeting held online yesterday, finalised that the campaign and strike would be organised on the following demands.

1. Immediately launch BSNL’s 4G service. No discrimination vis-a-vis the private operators in procurement of equipments. 
2. Settle 3rd Wage Revision.
3. Stop retrenchment of contract workers through indiscriminate outsourcing of works. Take back the retrenched contract workers. Immediately pay their wage arrears.
4. Settle pension revision from 01.01.2017.
5. Implement a New Promotion Policy for the Non-Executives.
6. Immediately hold the JTO LICE, JAO LICE, JE LICE and TT LICE.
7. Provide Rs.10 lakh cash compensation to the employees who die due to COVID-19.  Ensure cashless treatment in the empanelled hospitals. 
8. Implement Group Term Insurance (GTI) for the Non-Executives.
9. Implement 30% superannuation benefits to the Directly Recruited employees.
10. Implement revision of casual labourers’ wages. (BSNLEU website)

Support and Solidarity to the strike and struggles!