BSNLEU has won with more than 50%, will win again

02 Saturday Mar 2013

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BSNLEU Extended CEC meeting held at Warangal has called upon the BSNL workers to vote for it in large numbers so that the union gets more than 50% votes of the total voters. A perusal of the earlier verifications will show that it had won with more than 50% votes in both second and third verifications. In almost all verifications, BSNLEU has got more than 50% of the polled votes.
So it is not an impossible thing for BSNLEU to get more than 50% in this verification, especially with the achievements like a very beneficial wage revision, Promotion Policy and so on.
But the leaders at all levels have to meet the workers and enthuse them to vote and vote for BSNLEU. More than 50% is certain.
Towards the VI Membership Verification.

Protest against Anti-people Budget – CPI(M)

02 Saturday Mar 2013

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The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement:

On the Union Budget

The 2013-14 budget fails to address the major concerns of the people and economy in the current context. The Economic Survey underlines the fact of rising prices especially food inflation, widening current account deficit, low investment and savings and increasing dependence on foreign funds. The potential workforce in the waiting should be provided gainful employment that demands public investment in sectors such as in agriculture, small scale sector and rural development. The budget however lacks imagination to think beyond the neoliberal prescriptions and relied exclusively on reducing fiscal deficits by curbing expenditures and on unrealistic projections on revenue mobilization in the context of lower growth.

The finance minister has expressed concern about the fiscal deficit whose revised estimate is Rs. 5,20,925 crore. But this is lower than the revenue forgone figure of Rs 5,73,630 crore. This implies that the fiscal deficit is primarily caused by the sops given to the rich in terms of revenue foregone and the burden of meeting this deficit is passed on to the poor by means of cutting expenditures. The revised estimates for 2012-13 shows a 4 per cent decline in total expenditure compared to budget estimates of 2012-13 which is indicative of a severe expenditure contraction. Given the overriding obsession expressed by the finance minister on keeping fiscal deficit at 4.8 per cent of GDP the proposed rise in expenditure in the current year is not likely to materialize in actual terms.

It is also a matter of grave concern that the consumption expenditure which grew on an average of about 8 per cent in the last three years has only grown by 4 per cent this year as recorded in the economic survey. Despite such a contraction in consumption expenditure there has not been any check on inflation. Total subsidies declined compared to last year’s revised estimate by about Rs. 26,571 crore. The rise in the subsidies in food in the context of much touted food security is only miniscule. The Finance Minister announced an additional allocation of Rs. 10,000 crore. Last year food subsidy was Rs. 5,000 crore less as reflected in revised estimates of 2012-13. Therefore the budget actually proposes an increase of a mere Rs. 5,000 crore. There has been a sharp decline in petroleum subsidy by more than Rs 30,000 crore compared to last year’s revised estimate which would hugely burden people and cause further inflationary pressures. There has not been any additional allocation on MNERGA compared to the previous year despite the fact of rising unemployment in the backdrop of an economic slowdown. The government on the other hand proposes disinvestment of the Public Sector to the tune of Rs. 50,000 crore.

In social sectors such as health and education the budget proposals are far from what was needed. As proportion to GDP the budgetary allocation this year in health is less than the allocation as proportion to GDP last year. Similarly in the case of education the allocation as proportion to GDP, budget estimate has declined compared to last year’s budget estimates. As far as rural development is concerned figures show similar decline as proportion to GDP. In the tribal sub-plan the allocation is roughly short of Rs. 20,900 crore compared to that mandated in the constitution as proportion to planned expenditure. The special component plan for SCs has more than 50 per cent (Rs. 47,000 crores) short fall from the amount mandated by the Constitution.

Therefore the budget does not adequately respond to the urgent needs of the people. Instead it has provided sops to corporates and criminally neglected increasing public expenditures. The CPI(M) sees this Budget as patently anti-poor and unable to address what was urgently required to get out of the situation of low growth, high inflation and higher unemployment.

The CPI (M) calls upon the people to protest against the anti-people aspects of the Budget.

CITU congratulates Left Front Tripura success

01 Friday Mar 2013

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The Central Secretariat of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) greets the people of Tripura for electing the CPI(M) led left front government for a fourth term. We also congratulate the working class for reelecting a government which has the notable achievements of controlling the extremist/separatist forces and implementing development policies which benefit the mass of the people.
This victory also reflects the people’s support for the innovative schemes and programmes for the welfare of the people adopted by the incumbent government which constitute an alternative to the neoliberal policies of the regime at the centre.
We are confident that the new government will continue to strengthen this alternative policy frame work

EXTENDED CEC AT WARANGAL – A LAND MARK.

01 Friday Mar 2013

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The three days meeting of the Extended CEC of BSNL Employees Union held at Warangal (AP) from 26 to 28 February 2013 is a landmark session, which in detail discussed about the strategy to face the VI Membership Verification and win with a wide margin, to become the sole representative union.
The National Flag was hoisted by Com. V.A.N.Namboodiri, All India President of the Union and the red flag of the union was hoisted by Com. P.Abhimanyu, General Secretary. All the comrades paid homage to the martyrs.
The Inaugural Session started at 1100 hours on 26 February 2013 in the spacious P.V.R.Gardens in the centre of the town. The hall was fully decorated and the stage was set with large banners with the drawings of the pioneers of P and T Trade Union movement viz. Babu Tarapada, Henry Barton, Dada Ghosh and also veteran leaders Coms. K.G.Bose, N.J.Iyer, Adinarayana and Moni Bose. Com. V.A.N.Namboodiri, President, BSNLEU presided. Com. Vijaya Bhaskar, MLA and Chairman of the Reception Committee and Com.J.Sampath Rao, Convener, Reception Committee, welcomed all present.
Com. A.K.Padmanabhan, President, CITU, inaugurated the meeting who touched upon the successful two days strike on 20-21 February 2013 and the resultant developments. He also spoke about the anti-worker policies being implemented by the central government and the need to fight against the same.
Com. V.A.N.Namboodiri in his Presidential Address spoke about the main issues of the CEC meeting like facing the VI Membership verification, providing better service to the people, joint struggles and on other important demands.
General Secretary BSNLEU, Com.P.Abhimanyu in his keynote address presented the report on activities since the last AIC held at Ludhiana in September 2012 and spoke extensively covering all the issues. Com. P.Asokababu, Vice President as also Com. Animesh Mitra, DY GS addressed. The campaign materials published by the CHQ was released by the President handing over a copy to Com. Sampath Rao, Secretary, Reception Committee.
After vote of thanks by the Reception Committee, the Inaugural session came to an end at 1330 hours.
Extended CEC
The business session started by 15.00 hours with Com.V.A.N.Namboodiri, All India President in the chair. The house stood for one minute in silence paying homage and condolence to the workers and leaders passed away after the AIC. The Agenda notified was read and adopted by the house. After a few words from the President, the General Secretary presented the report on activities since the last AIC at Ludhiana. In his speech Com.P.Abhimanyu, General Secretary, BSNLEU briefed the house about all the latest developments, the organisational matters and the problems taken up and settled etc. The main focus was on the coming verification scheduled to be held on 16th April 2013. The achievements of the union since it got recognition in 2004 and the propaganda material required for campaigning was elaborately explained by the GS.
184 comrades including the Circle and District Secretaries participated in the discussion. They submitted the report on the 20-21 February strike, the membership position and the preparation for the strike etc. Certain pending issues of the workers were also pointed out with the demand that agitational programmes should be organised. The CHQ office-bearers also spoke.
The General secretary Com.P.Abhimanyu, Vice-President Com. P.Asokababu and Dy.General Secretary Com. Animesh Ch. Mitra spoke and clarified the issues raised by the Circle/District Secretaries.
Resolutions were adopted on 1) VI Membership Verification, 2) Demands of the Workers 3) On casual and contract workers demands 4) On pensioners demands, 5)Congratulating the workers for participation in the 20-21 February Strike 6) Congratulation to the Reception Committee for the excellent arrangements 7) demanding immediate arrest and action against GM Ghasiabad in the murder of Com. Surender pal, Dist. Secretary, Ghasiabad, wages of the employees recruited after 01-01-2007 etc.
The President in his concluding remarks called upon the workers to propagate the achievements of BSNLEU amongst the workers and to ensure complete success in the membership verification. He also called upon the telecom workers, irrespective of the union affiliation to jointly work for the revival of BSNL and a better service to the people. He concluded his speech with the slogan “ Unity for Struggle, Struggle for Unity and Unity and Struggle for Progress”!
All the CEC members and guests were given mementos by the Reception Committee.
Open session
The Open Session in connection with the CEC meeting was held in the afternoon of the last day of the Conference. Com.V.A.N.Namboodii,President presided. Coms. P.Abhimanyuu, GS BSNLEU, P.Asokababu, Vice-President, Animesh Mitra, Dy. GS, M.N.Reddy, General Secretary, All Pensioners Association, Viswanath, Circle secretary, SNEA, V.Sambasiva Rao, President, AIBDPA, Kabirdas, Convener, Offg. JTOs, Suresh, Circle secretary, SNATTA , D.Nagamanyam, Circle Secretary, BSNL and other leaders addressed the session.
The Extended CEC ended with vote of thanks by District Secretary, Warangal.
The Extended CEC Meeting has given the call to the BSNLEU workers to enthusiastically mobilise for the verification and come with more than 50% support from the workers.
The Reception Committee of Warangal deserves all congratulatiosn for the excellent arrangements and comradely reception given to all the comrades.
…..

T

Red Flag continues to flutter in Tripura

01 Friday Mar 2013

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The red star continues its shining over Tripura. In the results declared of the Tripura Assembly elections, Left Front has won in 50 seats out of 60. CPI(M) alone got 49 seats. The Congress and other parties had to be satisfied with 10 seats only. The Left has increased its tally from the earlier elections with astounding success.
The people of Tripura despite all mal-prpaganda and money power by the Congress, has won in shining colours.
My hearty congratulations to the Left Front and Com.Manik Sarkar who have once again got the full confidence of the common people. My congratulations to the people of Tripura who have voted the Left Front once again to the ruling position.

.EXTENDED CEC STARTS AT WARANGAL

28 Thursday Feb 2013

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The three days meeting of the Extended CEC of BSNL Employees Union held at Warangal (AP) from 26 to 28 February 2013 is a landmark session, which in detail discussed about the strategy to face the VI Membership Verification and win with a wide margin, to become the sole representative union.
The National Flag was hoisted by Com. V.A.N.Namboodiri, All India President of the Union and the red flag of the union was hoisted by Com. P.Abhimanyu, General Secretary. All the comrades paid homage to the martyrs column.
The Inaugural Session started at 1100 hours in the spacious K.R.V. Gardens in the centre of the town. The hall was fully decorated and the stage was set with large banners with the drawings of the pioneers of P and T Trade Union movement viz. Babu Tarapada, Henry Barton, Dada Ghosh , K.G.Bose, N.J.Iyer, Adinarayana and Moni Bose. Com. V.A.N.Namboodiri, President, BSNLEU presided. Com. Vijaya Bhaskar, MLA and Chairman of the Reception Committee and Com.J.Sampath Rao, Convener, Reception Committee, welcomed all present.
Com. A.K.Padmanabhan, President, CITU, inaugurated the meeting who touched upon the successful two days strike on 20-21 February 2013 and the resultant developments. He also spoke about the anti-worker policies being implemented by the central government and the need to fight the same.
Com. V.A.N.Namboodiri in his Presidential Speech spoke about the main issues of the CEC meeting like facing the VI Membership verification, providing better service to the people, joint struggles and on other important demands.
General Secretary BSNLEU, Com.P.Abhimanyu in his keynote address presented the report on activities since the last AIC held at Ludhiana in September 2012nd spoke extensively covering all the issues. Coms. P.Asokababu, Vice President as also Com. Animesh Mitra, DY GS.
After vote of thanks by the Reception Committee, the session came to an end at 1330 hours.

Railway Budget – More Burden on people – CPI(M)

26 Tuesday Feb 2013

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New Delhi, February 26: The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement:

More burdens on the people

The railway budget has added more burdens on the people traveling in trains. The railway minister has made the false claim that railway fares are not being increased. After increasing passenger fares by 20 per cent just two months before the railway budget, the present budget provisions will definitely increase the fares further. A fuel surcharge has been imposed which will result in raising the fares twice a year. There has been an increase in the reservation, cancellation and tatkal charges and fares of superfast trains.
The five per cent increase in freight charges across the board will have a cascading effect on inflation.

The budget has proposed to have an independent Rail Tariff Authority (RTA) which will decide on freight and tariff structure in the future. This will open the way for continuous increase in freight and passenger fares.

The railway budget has made no serious effort to overcome the financial crisis affecting the Indian railways. The criss was deliberately created in the past three years by enhancing the number of projects, spending on advertisements, foundation laying ceremonies and other activities. The railway minister has scaled down targets for the new lines, gauge conversion, allocation and acquisition of railway stock in order to reduce the operating ratio. The annual plan target was not achievable as the Public Private Partnership (PPP) has been a failure. Not a single investment has been there from the PPP model in the railways. The target for freight has been increased but the target for acquisition of wagons has been reduced by 2000, making it difficult to achieve the freight target. This has been clearly done to reduce the operating ratio.

Though there has been a serious increase in the train accidents, there are no proposals to make rail travel accident free and safe in the future.

The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) demands that the increase in fares through various means and the rise in freight charges be dropped.

Warangal CEC inaugurated

26 Tuesday Feb 2013

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The Extended Central Executive Committee of BSNLEU started today, 26th February, at Warangal(A.P) with the hoisting of the National and union flags at about 10.00 AM in the lawns of the Gardens, where the meeting is taking place. The Conference was inaugurated by Com.A.K.Padmanabahan, All India President, CITU.Com. V.A.N.Namboodiri presided. The welcome address was given by Com.Bhaskar, MLA and Chairman of Reception Committee and Com. J.Sampath Rao, General Secretary of the RC. Coms. P.Abhimanyu, General Secretary, BSNLEU Animesh Mitra, Dy.GS, P.Asokababu, Vice-President as also Com. Sudha Bhaskar, General Secretary, CITU, A.P. also addressed/Greeted the meeting.
The report was presented by GS along with other issues. The delegates started discussion in the afternoon. Themeeting will continue for the next two days. In the Inaugural session, more than 800 comrades participated.

We fight for ideas we consider fair – Fidel Castro

25 Monday Feb 2013

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Despite his failing health, Fidel Castro addressed the newly formed National Assembly of People’s Power of cuba which was greeted warmly by the people. A brief report published in the media is given below:
HAVANA, Cuba, Feb 25 (ACN) “We do not struggle for our own glory or or honors; we fight for ideas we consider fair and to which millions of Cubans have dedicated their youth and their lives,” said Fidel Castro in his address to the Eight Legislature of the National Assembly of People’s Power, which was set up on Sunday.
Fidel said he deeply appreciated the noble gesture by the people to have elected him a Parliament deputy. He said he never thought he would live that long and that his enemies would be that clumsy in their hateful practice of eliminating their adversaries, who are determined to fight.
“In such an unequal battle, our people proved their astonishing capacity to resist and overcome,” he pointed out, and stressed that some eight hundred thousand Cubans have met internationalist missions.

The Cuban Revolution leader recalled important moments of recent Cuban history, like the 1962 missile crisis, where the island was about to turn into a nuclear battlefield; the 1961 Bay of Pigs mercenary invasion backed by Washington; the participation of Cuban internationalist troops in the victory of Cuito Cuanavale, which led to the end of the former Apartheid System.
Fidel Castro said that after the 1959 Revolution triumph, the domestic battle targeted political ignorance and anti-socialist ideas instilled by the bourgeoisie and US imperialism. The fight of social classes unleashed just few miles from the United States was the most efficient political school for the country.

However, he said, the big battle now focuses the need to deal with bad habits and mistakes that are being committed by many citizens, including Communist Party members in different social areas.
Fidel said that humanity is now experiencing a unique stage, which is quite different from centuries ago. The world population increased to 7 billion people, an alarming figure expressing a demand for vitalfoodstuffs that science, technology and the natural resources of the planet are quite far from meeting.

Fidel also referred to current natural threats on humanity, such as During his speech to legislators, the statesman recalled the pro tempore presidency recently assumed by Cuba at the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), something he described as having “particular relevance for its vindication of the Cuban people’s struggle for sovereignty and self-determination.”

Raul Castro also congratulated the President of Ecuador, Rafael Correa, for his February 17 election victory, and wished a speedy recovery to Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez.

In statements to Prensa Latina, several parliamentarians confirmed in their posts considered the contribution to the socio-economic updating of the country to be among the greatest challenges before them, through a process where the Government aims to achieve greater efficiency and
productivity within socialism ( Courtsey: Ganashakti)

8.5% interest for PF deposits in 2012 – 13

25 Monday Feb 2013

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The Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has decided in its meeting today, 25th February 2013, to pay 8.5 per cent interest rate to its over 5 crore subscribers on their PF deposits for 2012-13, higher than 8.25 per cent provided in the last financial year 2011-12. But this is far below the demand placed by the Unions that it should be 9.5% interest.
The decision was taken at the meeting of the Central Board of Trustees (CBT), the highest decision making body of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO).