Davos, January 21 : The wealth of Indian billionaires rose by Rs 2,200 crore a day last year, with the top 1% of the country’s richest getting richer by 39% as against a 3% increase in wealth for the bottom-half of the population, according to a study released by Oxfam on Monday.

The document, released before the start of the five-day World Economic Forum in Switzerland’s Davos, said 13.6 crore Indians, who make up the poorest 10% of the country, have remained in debt since 2004.

Oxfam International Executive Director Winnie Byanyima said it is “morally outrageous” that a few wealthy individuals are collecting a growing share of India’s wealth, while the poor are struggling to find their next meal or pay for medicines, PTI reported.

“If this obscene inequality between the top 1% and the rest of India continues, it will lead to a complete collapse of the social and democratic structure of this country,” said Byanyima.

The study showed that India’s top 10% holds 77.4% of the total national wealth, while the top 1% holds 51.53% of the wealth. A massive chunk of the population – the bottom 60% – holds only 4.8% of the national wealth. “The wealth of the top nine billionaires is equivalent to the wealth of the bottom 50% of the population,” it said.

India now has a total of 119 billionaires, having added 18 new ones last year. Their total wealth crossed the $400 billion, around Rs 28 lakh crore, mark for the first time. The country is also expected to produce 70 new dollar millionaires every day between 2018 and 2022, the study added.

The study said the total revenue and expenditure of the Centre and states for medical, public health, sanitation and water supply is Rs 2,08,166 crore, less than the Rs 2.8 lakh crore wealth of Mukesh Ambani, India’s richest individual.

The global figures

Oxfam said that the world’s 26 richest people own the same wealth as the poorest half of the population, and the combined fortunes of billionaires rose by $2.5 billion, around Rs 1.78 lakh crore, each day in 2018. Meanwhile, the wealth of 3.8 billion people at the bottom of the scale declined by 11% last year.

Amazon Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bezos, the world’s richest man, saw his wealth increase to $112 billion, around Rs 8 lakh crore, last year. According to the study, just 1% of his wealth was the equivalent of Ethiopia’s total health budget.

Oxfam said that governments were only helping increase inequality by underfunding public services like healthcare and education while undertaxing the rich. “The super-rich and corporations are paying lower rates of tax than they have in decades,” it said. “The human costs – children without teachers, clinics without medicines – are huge.”

A meeting between the CMD BSNL and the AUAB will be taking place at 9:45 am tomorrow. The issue of 3rd Pay Revision to BSNL employees is expected to figure importantly in this meeting.
(Courtesy: bsnleu.in)

The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) extends its warm greetings and congratulations to the women of Kerala and to all the 176 social and mass organisations for the historic `Women’s Wall’ on January 1.

The women’s wall with over 55 lakh women participants cutting across caste/community divide and from all walks of life, gave a strong message of unity to uphold the values of the Kerala renaissance for women’s rights and social reform.

At a time when the communal rightwing forces led by the RSS seek to impose retrograde `manuvadi’ ideologies throughout the country, this women’s wall has a wider significance and will encourage a wider resistance to all such efforts.

IDA increase w.e.f 01-01-2019.
It is learnt that IDA increase from 1st January 2019 will be 3.2%. Together with this, the total IDA will be 138.8% (135.6%+3.2%), w.e.f.01.01.2019.

[Date : 31 – Dec – 2018](BSNLEU.IN)

It is reliably understood from the letter of DOT to BSNL dated 06-11-2018, that the BSNL has proposed to reduce the retirement age of BSNL employees from 60 to 58 to in order to finance the wage revision of BSNL executives/employees. This is atrocious.

When the government increased the retirement age from 58 to 60, the CG employees (BSNL was not formed) strongly protested the extension stating that it will affect the new recruitment. However, the government increased and the workers are adjusted to it. A person arranges his family settlements, taking loans, investments etc. considering the period in service. Reducing the service by two years will be an attack on the lives of the existing workers. The government or the BSNL has no right to take arbitrary decisions. It is understood that BSNL has not even consulted any of the unions in this matter.

The government and the BSNL should immediately drop the proposal of reducing retirement age. There is no justification for the same.

Kerala will witness a ‘Women’s Wall’ from the north to the south end of Kerala, on the national high  way, spanning about 600 kilometers, on the New Year day, 1st January 2019, for the cause of equal status, equal rights for women and end of discrimination against women. It is part of the  renaissance movement that helped create a new social order in Kerala. More than 50 lakhs of women are expected to participate.

In the background of the criminal activities of the Hindu fundamentalist forces led by RSS and BJP in Shabarimala against the judgment of the Supreme Court allowing entry of women to the shrine, the ‘Women’s Wall’ is a relevant popular response.

It is also against the conspiracy of the fundamentalist forces to take the society back to the position when the women had no freedom to go to school, can not properly dress and untouchability was practiced.

The LDF government has extended its support to the programme.Many political leaders, social activists, cultural activists, poets,women organisations, trade unions, students – they all support this action by women in their forward march for an equal status and right in the society.

BSNLEU, AIBDPA and BSNLCCWF  Kerala units also have given call to participate in the ‘Vanitha Mathil’ (Womens’ Wall).

Let us make it a great success!

New Year 2019 is only two days ahead! The wage revision of executives and non-executives, which is due from 01-01-2017 is yet to be decided. Two years have already elapsed without any decision, despite continued pressure and agitation by the BSNL Unions and Associations under the united banner of AUAB.

The delay is mainly due to the affordability clause in the DPE guidelines and recommendations of the III Pay Revision Committee. If BSNL has gone down from its high profits to loss making, the major responsibility is on the government itself, which through its anti-Policy and decisions have made it to the present position. Further it is a fully government owned company and the responsibility for payment of wages is its responsibility. The government can not evade that solemn responsibility.

The cut throat competition and consequent lowest telecom rates has made all the companies in the telecom sector, including the corporates, in to loss. These corporates continue their existence only due to the huge loans taken by them from the banks and not paying them back. BSNL has no such loans.

The AUAB deferred the indefinite strike to start from 3rd December 2018 only the assurance of the Communications Minister to attend to the issues seriously. But the government and the DOT  is lethargic and even after almost one month, the decision on wage revision is not taken.

Patience has got a limit. The workers are impatient and is demanding for early wage revision. The government, DOT and BSNL should act and act immediately in this matter.

Kolkata, December 24: The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) expresses deep grief at the passing away of Comrade Nirupam Sen, former member of the Polit Bureau and an outstanding leader of the Party. He died on December 24 after a prolonged illness at the age of 72.

Nirupam Sen began his political life as a student activist and became a prominent leader of the Bengal Provincial Student Federation and later the Students Federation of India. He joined the Party in 1964 and played an active role in various struggles of the peasantry and the working class in Burdwan district. In the early seventies, he had to go underground after false cases were foisted on him.

Sen became a wholetimer of the Party in 1968. He played a key role in expanding the Party in Burdwan district where he served as the secretary of the district committee from 1989 to 1995.

Nirupam Sen was elected to the West Bengal state committee in 1985 and he became a member of the state secretariat in 1995. He was elected to the Central Committee at the 16th Congress in 1998. He became a member of the Polit Bureau in 2008. After his ill health, he became a Special Invitee to the Central Committee between 2015 and 2018.

Comrade Sen was elected to the West Bengal State Assembly thrice. In 2001 he became the Industry and Commerce Minister in the Left Front government for two terms. As a Minister, he played a leading role in mapping out the industrial development of West Bengal and in formulating policies concerning human resources development, rural education, primary health infrastructure and Self Help Groups.

Nirupam Sen was an articulate exponent of Marxism and wrote extensively for Party papers. He was a popular speaker who could effectively put forth the Party’s views on various subjects. In 2013, he suffered a brain hemorrhage and was partially paralysed. Despite this disability, he continue to attend meetings and keep contact with comrades.

Nirupam Sen was a dedicated Marxist who endeared himself to all with his gentle and modest behavior.

In his death, the Party and the Left movement have lost a valuable leader. The Polit Bureau pays respectful tribute to the memory of Nirupam Sen and conveys its heartfelt condolences to his wife Chandrabali, his daughter, son and other members of the family. (Courtesy: Ganashakti)