Concessions in Railway tickets were granted to senior citizens as a welfare measure for the last so many years. Women of age 58 and above were getting 50% concession, while men with 60 and above were getting 40% concession. The Senior Citizens Friends Welfare Association, Kerala, had demanded that men also should be granted 50% concession removing the discrimination.

Instead of removing the discrimination, the Railway authorities have withdrawn the concessions in February 2020 without any justification. This is a complete attack on the rights of the senior citizens. It seems that the concessions are withdrawn, in view of the proposed privatisation of Railways.

The senior citizens strongly protests against the Railway orders withdrawing the concession and demand that it should immediately be restored.

In preparation for the All India Conference of the AIBDPA, the conferences at the lower level ie. Area and District Conferences have started. Despite Covid situation, good number of pensioners are attending and participating in the discussions actively, maintaining covid protocol. Welcome reports are reaching AIBDPA CHQ from various states.

BSNL has issued the order for payment of IDA instalments of 01-10-2020, 01-01-2021 and 01-04-2021 which were frozen by the Modi government for a period from 01-10-2020 to 30-06-2021. BSNL Employees Union had filed a writ petition in the High Court of Kerala against the freezing of IDA instalments and got a favourable order. However , BSNL management was delaying its implementation on flimsy grounds. After much pressure exerted and struggle by BSNLEU has finally yielded the result. Hearty Congratulations to CHQ BSNLEU and all the beneficiaries.

AIBDPA had taken a clear stand that the freezing of IDA instalments is not applicable to BSNL absorbed pensioners and took up the issue with the Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, DPE and DOT. When there was no positive action from the authorities, CHQ filed a writ petition in the Kerala High Court and the Hon’ble High Court was pleased to issue an interim order in our favour on the same day of filing the case. However, both the DPE and DOT have not cared to implement the order. So , we are continuing our efforts to get a definite and final order from the High Court. (AIBDPA Website)

Petrol and Diesel prices are increased almost daily and the same has reached to more than Rs. 100. BJP has assured that if it comes to power, petrol prices will be reduced to Rs. 40/.. But during the last 5-6 years the BJP government has increased it up to more than Rs. 100. This is being done, while the price of the world crude oil has not been increased. Shame Modi government.

The three programmes, including the CGM Office March on 22nd October called for by the co-ordination committee of BSNLEU-AIBDPA-BSNLCCWF have been organised with massive participation keeping the Covid protocol. The issues raised are very important ones, including the revival of BSNL.

Committee will meet on 26th October 2021, since no issue is settled by the BSNL Management and the government.

DA for Central govt employees increased from the present 28% to 31% wef July 2021.What about the Dearness Relief to Pensioners wef July 2021?Also what about the DA due to BSNL employees and Dearness Relief to BSNL retirees from July and October 2021?During Covid period employees and pensioners were denied their DA and DR increases for long 18 months. Sustained struggle is the only way against this injustice.

The March to CGM Offices organised as per the call of the Co-Ordination Committee of BSNLEU-AIBDPA-BSNLCCWF organised on 22nd October 2021 on the major demands of the workers, pensioners and casual-contract workers have been a big success as per the reports from the various circles. The workers are very unhappy and restive that the government and BSNL management are not responsive to their reasonable demands including on revival of BSNL.

Co-Ordination Committee will have to meet and take suitable decisions for further programmes.

Workers in PSUs, including BSNL are eligible for increase of 3.3% increase in IDA from July and 5.5% from October 2021. But the government has not issued the orders so far. Usually it is issued by the first of July and October, but this time it is being delayed causing much hardship and anxiety to the workers. Already the workers have lost the arrears of DA for 18 months from January 2020 to  June 2021.  The negative attitude of the government is unpardonable. 

It is demanded that the orders for increased IDA are issued without further delay.

21st October 2021 is the 13th Foundation Day of AIBDPA, the militant organisation of the BSNL-DOT Pensioners. Formed on 21st October 2009, in an All India convention at New Delhi, it has completed 12 fruitful years in the service of the pensioners.

The day was observed all over India, by hoisting the Association Flag, holding meetings/ webinars, honouring senior comrades etc. A largely attended webinar was organised by the CHQ AIBDPA, which was inaugurated by Com. A.K.Padmanabhan, Vice-President, CITU and addressed by many leades of the Pensioners organisations.

All India BSNL-DOT Pensioners Associations (AIBDPA), the biggest and militant Pensioners Association in BSNL, is completing 12 years of its fruitful existence on 21st October 2021.

It was formed on 21st October 2009 in a largely attended National Convention of BSNL-DOT Pensioners held at Garhwal Bhawan, New Delhi, which was inaugurated by Com.M.K.Pandhe, veteran trade union leader and then President of CITU. Com.S.K.Vyas, the legendary leader of the central government employees and Secretary General of both Confederation of Central Government Employees and Workers as also that of National Co-Ordination Committee of Pensioners Associations (NCCPA), guided and gave valuable suggestions. After hearing all the opinions and suggestions of leaders and delegates, the new Pensioners Association, AIBDPA, was formed with Coms. V.A.N.Namboodiri (Advisor), P.V.Chandrasekharan (Patron), A.K.Bhattacharjee (President) and K.G.Jayaraj (General Secretary) and other office-bearers from various circles. BSNLEU, the sole recognised and militant union in BSNL, took all initiative in forming the union as per its decision in its Central Working Committee.

Since its inception, AIBDPA has been taking up the issues of the pensioners in right earnest. There were large number of problems connected with Pension Revision from 2007, grant of 78.@% IDA, payment of 100% pension by Government and other issues. Many agitational programmes were organised including Parliament March and several dharnas etc. Within no time the Association was supported by large number of pensioners and its units were formed all over India in all circles and divisions. V.A.N.Namboodiri was in the delegation along with S.K.Vyas and other leaders which discussed the issues of the Pensioners with the VII Central Pay Commission.

AIBDPA is not working in isolation. It is affiliated to NCCPA, the biggest co-ordination committee of the pensioners. V.A.N.Namboodiri, Advisor, AIBDPA is the Patron and K.G.Jayaraj General Secretary AIBDPA is the Asst. Secretary General of NCCPA. All programmes called for by NCCPA are effectively organised by AIBDPA.

AIBDPA is affiliated with Trade Union International (Pensioners and Retirees), which is the forum for the world pensioners and retirees and is affiliated to World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU). We are proud to mention that K.G.Jayaraj is an Executive Committee Member of TUI(P and R). AIBDPA fully participates and organises the agitational programmes called by the world organisation.

AIBDPA never has forgotten its connection with the workers’ unions/associations of BSNL. It has extended support and solidarity to all the programmes being organised by BSNLEU and All Unions and Associations of BSNL (AUAB). Recently a Co-ordination Committee is formed by BSNLEU-AIBDPA- BSNLCCWF with K.G.Jayaraj, GS AIBDPA as Chairman, P.Abhimanyu, GS BSNLEU as Convener and Animesh Mitra, GS, BSNLCCWF as Joint Convener, which has already organised many agitational rogrammes for the revival of BSNL and on demands of workers and pensioners. Its units are formed in circles and SSAs.

AIBDPA has progressive outlook and is part and parcel of the trade union movement. It functions democratically and takes up issues of the pensioners effectively. It always remembers the glorious past of the P and T Trade Union movement built up by legendary leaders like Babu Tarapada, Henry Barton, Dada Ghosh, K.G.Bose, N.J.Iyer, K.Adinarayana, Moni Bose and others.

The BSNL-DOT Pensioners are facing many problems which have got to be settled including Pension Revision w.e.f. 01-01-2007, reimbursement of medical bills, medical allowance, problems of the VRS pensioners and so on. AIBDPA will continue to fight for settlement of these and other demands.