Senior Citizens Friends Welfare Association (SCFWA), Kerala was formed on 9th July 2006 and is completing 15 years of glorious service on 9th July 2021. It is the biggest organisation of senior citizens in Kerala. It deals with the the lot of problems of the aged people including health, security, social justice and against intimidation, harassment etc. of old people.

I got the opportunity to get connected with the SCFWA since my return from Delhi in 2017 and was elected as the President of the Association in the State Conference held in 2017 itself. Re-elected in the Thrissur Conference held in 2020.

The office-bearers are a dedicated team with may stalwarts in the trade union and social activities fields. There is good representation of SCFWA in the Vayojana Council constituted by the government.

Important issues of the aged people are brought to the notice of the government for getting redressal. There is good response from the government. Old aged persons are being paid a monthly Vayojana Pension of Rs. 1,600. This is being increased every year and is expected to reach Rs.2500 by the end of the present term of the Pinarayi Government.

The 15th Anniversary of SCWFA is being celebrated in a big way by the organisation.

A letter issued by the BSNL Corporate office shows that there are only 32,027 non-executive employees at present in the four cadres of JE, TT, ATT and Sr.TOA. During the last 21 years of BSNL, the staff strength has been reduced from about three lakhs to the present position. Further, they want to make many of the existing posts as supernumerary. After the ‘great’ VRS of about 80,000 employees, the management wants further restructure. The unions have been asked for their suggestions.

The ten Central trade Unions jointly have strongly condemned the Essential Defence Services Ordinance 2021 issued by the Central government and demanded that it be withdrawn. According to the Ordinance those who goes on strike in Essential Defence services will be punished with imprisonment for one year and those who instigate will be punished by jail term for two years. The Ordinance is issued on the eve of the strike notice issued by the unions of the defence workers.

The government should withdraw the black ordinance.

MODI GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN INCREASING THE PRICE OF PETROL AND DIESEL ALMOST DAILY. NOW IT HAS INCREASED THE PRICE OF COOKING GAS ALSO WITH A BIG INCREASE OF RS. 25 PER CYLINDER. IT IS HIGH TIME THAT THE PEOPLE RISE AGAINST THIS PRICE RISE AND ORGANISE MIGHTY STRUGGLES.

BSNL is in its most difficult situation now. Despite 80,000 retrenchment through VRS, the company has not become profitable as assured by the government at the time of announcement of Revival Plan. Except VRS, no other point in the Revival plan is being implemented. All kinds of objections and hurdles are created by the government for starting of 4G services by BSNL. By not giving salary in time, medical allowance being denied, lack of required staff at various levels, withdrawal of all concessions assured by the government, not reimbursing the expenditure incurred by BSNL on behalf of the government – all are clever tactics of the government to weaken and close BSNL to favour Reliance.

But the workers are not sitting idle. Under the leadership of All Unions and Associations of BSNL (AUAB), agitational programmes are being organised to resist the onslaught and for defending the rights of the workers.

The public had to be made aware of what is happening in BSNL and how the government is choking this prime PSU to help the Reliance and other private players. The public have also to be told what will happen if BSNL is not in existence, how the mobile charges will increase when only private players are there, what will happen at the time of natural calamities etc.

SAVE BSNL – SAVE NATION

As per the Consumer Price Index released by Laour Bureau of India, the IDA will increase by 3.2% from 1st July, 2021. So the total IDA as on 01–07-2021 will be 173.6%. ( 170.4% on 01-04-2021 + 3.2% = 173.6%).

But we are not getting IDA due from 01-10-2020 ,01-01-2021 and 01-04-2021based on the so called freezing of IDA by the government vide DPE OM dated 19-11-2020. AIBDPA has rightly taken a stand that the IDA freezing is not applicable to BSNL pensioners as the OM does not cover non-executives and pensioners of CPSEs. CHQ took up the issue with the Hon’ble Minister for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises for intervention for payment of the IDA installments. Kerala High Court in a writ petition filed by FACT Employees Association, after hearing the Assistant Solicitor General that DPE OM is applicable only to Executives and Non-Unionised Supervisors of CPSEs, gave a positive order directing the FACT management for payment of IDA to the workmen. This has clearly vindicated our stand and we again wrote to the Minister for necessary action by DPE. However, DPE forwarded the letter to DoT, being the administrative Ministry for further action. But nothing happened and therefore we filed a writ petition in the High Court of Kerala and got an interim order on 26-02-2021. The order was duly sent to both DPE and DoT but of to no avail. We again moved the High Court for the final judgment and the court ordered on 30-04-2021 that no further order is required at this juncture.

Due to the pandemic situation and the resultant lockdown, the High Court has limited its functioning by hearing only important cases of urgency. Still our Advocate is trying to get the case posted for final judgment.

Meanwhile, the DPE as stated in the OM dated 19-11-2020, has to resume the IDA from 01-07-2021, without arrears. We may have to wait for sometime for the order of DPE in this regard.

Regarding the Dearness Relief of Central government pensioners which has to be subsumed from 01-07-2021, the government has not yet taken a decision. The reply given by the official side in the National JCM meeting held on 26-0602021 is that the Expenditure Department will try to get the approval of the Cabinet for resumption of DR. (Courtesy: AIBDPA)

As per call of the Left Front, protest dharna with the demand to reduce the price of petroleum products being increased almost every day was organised through out the state, of course, maintaining covid protocol. In every ward, the demonstration was conducted d with 4 persons with posters in their hands with the demands printed/written. The protest was demonstration was from 04.00 to 05.00 PM.

The physical meeting of the leaders of the All Unions Associations of BSNL (AUAB) with the CMD BSNL Sri Purwar on the issue of non-payment of monthly salary in time etc. had its immediate result. The funds for payment of the salary for May 2021 has been released immediately. Delaying the payment of salary has been completely unjustified. Congratulations to the AUAB for its strong stand. The revival of BSNL is the most important issue now, without which even the claims of the employees and pensioners may be delayed further. The AUAB is well aware of the same.

In the name of Covid situation, the central government has frozen the increased DA of CG employees and pensioners for the period from January 2020 to July 2021 for long 18 months. This will come to more than Rs. 40,000 crore .Now that the period is over, the Government should order for payment of increased DA along with the arrears due to them. The pensioners, especially, are in dire straits as their meagre allowances are cut. Government should act without further delay. While concessions are given to all sections, the DA of the CG employees and pensioners were frozen.

Almost Rs. 20,000 crore are due from DOT/Govt to BSNL for the various expenses met by BSNL , which are actually to be met by DOT. These include the expenditure on salaries and pension contribution of officers who have been deputed to DOT from BSNL, Reimbursement of leave encashment of BSNL retirees, who were originally DOT employees and pertain to the period of their service in DOT, the price of the surrendered CDMA Spectrum, extra pension contribution paid, charges for BSNL services to the DOT /Government etc. All these will come to much more than Rs. 20,000 crores.

At a time when the financial condition of BSNL is critical, the government should ensure that these due to the BSNL are paid with out delay. This is very much necessary for the revival of BSNL