കേരളത്തിലെ ഏറ്റവും വലിയ വയോജനസംഘടനായ സീനിയർ സിറ്റിസൺസ് ഫ്രണ്ട്സ് വെൽഫേർ അസോസിയേഷന്റെ സ്ഥാപന ദിനമാണ് ജൂലൈ 9. 2006 ൽ രൂപീകരിക്കപ്പെട്ട അസോസിയേഷൻ വിജയകരമായ 15 വർഷങ്ങൾ പിന്നിട്ടിരിക്കുന്നു.
ഈ കാലഘട്ടത്തിൽ മുതിർന്ന പൗരന്മാരുടെ വിവിധ പ്രശ്നങ്ങൾ കൈകാര്യം ചെയ്യുകയും അവ പരിഹരിക്കുവാൻ എല്ലാ ശ്രമങ്ങളും നടത്തുകയുണ്ടായി. ആരോഗ്യ പ്രശ്നങ്ങൾ, ഫലപ്രദമായ ചികിത്സ സംവിധാനങ്ങൾ, സംരക്ഷണവും സുരക്ഷയും, പീഡന വിരുദ്ധ നടപടികൾ, സർക്കാരിൽ നിന്നും ലഭിക്കേണ്ട ആനുകൂല്യങ്ങൾ, വയോജന സദനങ്ങൾ തുടങ്ങിയ കാര്യങ്ങളിലെല്ലാം വിവിധ തലങ്ങളിൽ അസോസിയേഷന്റെ പ്രവർത്തകർ ഇടപെടുകയും പരിഹാരങ്ങൾ കാണാൻ ശ്രമിക്കുകയുണ്ടായി.
ജനാധിപത്യപരമായ പ്രവർത്തനം അസോസിയേഷൻ എപ്പോഴും ഉറപ്പാക്കി. വയോജന കൗൺസിലുകളിൽ വയോജന സൗഹൃദ നടപടികൾ തീരുമാനിക്കുന്നതിലും നടപ്പാക്കുന്നതിലും ക്രിയാത്മയമായ പങ്കു വഹിച്ചു.
അസോസിയേഷന്റെ മാസിക ‘ വയോജന വാർത്ത’, കൃത്യമായും ഫലപ്രദമായും ഇറക്കുവാൻ കഴിഞ്ഞു.
അസോസിയേഷൻ പതിനാറാം വർഷത്തിലേക്ക് പ്രവേശിക്കുന്ന ഇപ്പോൾ എല്ലാ വയോജനങ്ങൾക്കും അസോസിഷൻ അംഗങ്ങൾക്കും പ്രവർത്തകർക്കും നേതാക്കൾക്കും
അഭിനന്ദനങ്ങൾ, AAsamsakal!
വയോജന താല്പര്യങ്ങൾ സംരക്ഷിക്കുന്ന പരിപാടികളുമായി നമുക്ക് മുന്നേറാം.
വി എ എൻ നമ്പൂതിരി, സംസ്ഥാന പ്രസിഡന്റ്, സീനിയർ സിറ്റിസൺസ് ഫ്രണ്ട്സ് വെൽഫേർ അസോസിയേഷൻ.
Com.Jyoti Basu was one of the giants of the political scenery of India. He was the Chief Minister of W.Bengal for long 33 years. His contribution as Chief Minister as well as the charismatic top leader of the CPI(M) and its PBM since its formation in 1964 is legendary.
I had been fortunate to meet him during union conference as also Party Congresses. My request that the W.Bengal government may kindly ensure that all the government telecom services be made through BSNL was well received. The same reply was also given by Com. Manik Sarkar, Chief Minister, Tripura, who was also present.
Red Salute to Com. Jyoti Basu on his 108th Birth Day !
When BSNL was formed, there were about 3.5 lakhs employees including both executives and non-executives, out of which about 3 lakhs were non-executives. Now, after 20 years, the non-executives have been reduced to 32,027 out of about the 60,000 odd employees. 80,000 employees were forced to take VRS through several compulsions in the year 2000 , reducing the staff to almost half. Now further staff are reduced since no new recruitment.
There were about 50 – 60 cadres when BSNL was formed in the non-executive. Now, it is reduced to four viz. JE, TT, ATT and Sr.TOA. The last two cadres are being treated as cadres in which rarely there will be recruitment. Posts are being treated as supernumerary, meaning that on retirement of an official that post will be abolished.
These are part of the govt policy of either closure, privatisation or demolition of this prime institution.
The agitational programme chalked out by the All Unions, Association of BSNL (AUAB) are fully justified. Not only the associations/unions of working employees but pensioners organisation , AIBDPA, has fully supported the programme and will participate in them.
7th July 2021 is the 100th Birth Anniversary of Comrade K.G.Bose, the legendary revolutionary leader of Central and P&T employees, who passed away at a comparatively young age of 54 on 11th December 1974.
Comrade Krishna Gopal Basu entered P&T Department as clerk in the office of the Divisional Engineer Telegraphs, Calcutta in 1941. He became an active worker of the union from the day he joined the service.
Com.K.G. along with Com.Dada Ghosh ( B.N.Ghosh) took lead in organising the P & T Strike of 1946 in Bengal and made it completely successful. He was also an active participant in the formation of UPTW in 1946. KG was arrested and dismissed from service in connection with the proposed P&T strike of 1949 and was never reinstated. He became a full time trade union worker.
KG was one of the comrades who took initiative for formation of NFPTE in 1954, merging all the different existing unions in P& T. He also took leading part in the historic strikes of 1960 and 1968.
He was Circle Secretary, West Bengal of both Postal Class III & Engg. Class III Union. He was also All India President of P.III Union. He was elected as President of NFPTE in 1970 defeating the revisionist leadership and led the movement till his death in 1974.
KG was close to the workers and understood their feelings and pulse. Since 1964 All India Conference at Trivandrum, I had been fortunate to be in close contact with him and get his advice and guidance. He visited Calicut twice on our ivitation, the second time in April 1973. In the All India Conference we woked under his guidance. He inspired the workers with his sincerity and progressive ideas. He was an inspiration to the entire trade union movement.
He was elected as an MLA and also functioned as a Member of the Pay Commission for state employees in W.Bengal.
Com.KG Bose passed away on 11th December 1974 at a London Hospital, where he was under treatment for dreaded cancer. His death was a big blow to the P&T and Central employees movement.
His younger brother Com.Moni Bose was an important leader of P&T movement and General Secretary of E.III Union. His wife, Com Jyotsna Bose, was also a respected leader of P&T. Both have passed away.
K.G.Bose Mandiram at Calicut was the first memorial building opened in memory of Com.KG, which was inaugurated by Com.Parul Bose, his wife and leader of Teachers’ Union. BSNLEU building in Delhi is named ‘KG BOSE BHAWAN’ and was inaugurated by Com. A.K.Padmanabhan, President, CITU. The road in front of the family of KG and Moni Bose is named as ‘K G BOSE SARANI’in memory of the legendary leader.
It is understood that W.Bengal comrades have decided to organise various memorial programmes in connection with the birth century of Com.K.G.Bose. Good decision.
Revolutionary Greetings on the 100th Birth Anniversary of the legendary leader Com K.G.Bose! Red Salute!
The negative attitude of the BSNL management and the DOT in delaying pension revision to BSNL retirees wef 01-01-2017 is fully unjustified and anti-pensioner. We demand the authorities to implement the pay revision with 15% fitment at the earliest.
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.
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