NATIONAL CO-ORDINATION COMMITTEE
OF PENSIONERS ASSOCIATIONS
(Registered undder the T.U. Act.No. RTU01/2021.Dated.7.01.2021
PAN NO AAEAN8586F
13.c Feroze Shah Road,
New
Delhi. 110 001
Website:
nccpahq.blogspot.in. E mail: nccpahq@gmail.com.
PRESIDENT:
COM.SHIV GOPAL MISHRA.(97176
47594)
SECRETARY
GENERAL: COM.K.K.N.KUTTY.
(98110 483030)
Dated: 15th
January, 2022.
Dear comrades,
The National Secretariat of
NCCPA met on 9th January 2022 over virtual platform under the
chairmanship of Com S.G. Misra, President.
While welcoming the participants at the meeting and greeting them for a
very prosperous year ahead, he detailed the efforts of staff-side in getting
the 18 months DA/DR arrears. The
Government did not either commit the payment or rejected it. The official side had however, promised to
work for a positive outcome but did not indicate any time schedule. To a
specific query raised by some members, he clarified that the Government has not
appropriated the arrears and the rumour that it had been transferred to the PM
care fund or any other fund has no substance.
He wanted the house to discuss the issue and take appropriate decision. He also wanted the members to take serious
note of the decision of the Central Trade Unions to go on yet another strike
action for two days in Feb. 2022 and decide upon the manner and method the
Pensioners Association could support the action.
Initiating the discussion on
the agenda viz. the support action for the workers strike on 23rd
and 24th Feb. 2022, Com.
Kutty indicated the difficulties in organising
physical support action in view of the third phase of the pandemic. He wanted the NCCPA to undertake an
intensive campaign to reach out to the members to make them realise the
seriousness of the strike demands and the need for extensive support
action. He said that the pernicious
impact of the neo-liberal policies pursued by the Government , which have
become visible in all walks of common man’s life and living must be brought to the notice of the
members. In the discussions that were
held thereafter, almost all Sectt. members took part. The conclusions and consensus arrived at the
meeting are as under:
1. A
National Webinar will be held to explain the general demands and pensioner
specific issues in which all NE member of NCCPA, NE members of all the
affiliates and office bearers of COCs or CGPA would be requested to take part.
2. All
affiliates will organise such webinars to highlight some of the issues specific
to those organisations;
3. The
CGPA or COCs will take initiative to organise webinars with the assistance and
participation of the members of the State Units of NCCPA in the respective
vernacular.
4. Dharna
programme will be organised at all State capitals eliciting physical
participation of members if situation permits on 22nd Feb.
2022. If physical participation become
difficult due to continuing covid situation, a virtual meeting of the
pensioners of the concerned state will be organised and pass a resolution
supporting the strike and the same would be sent to the Cabinet Secretary,
Government of India.
5. On
the day of the commencement of the strike and the following day, the pensioners
all over the country will wear badges stating the support to the striking
workers even at home. A specimen copy of
the badge to be designed and printed will be placed on NCCPA website.
6. The
draft of the resolution which the meeting has decided to adopt to express
support to the strike action along with the NCCPA charter of demands is
enclosed. The Sectt. members will immediately
on receipt of this letter write to the undersigned whether any
addition/alteration is required in the charter. The resolution will be sent to
the Cabinet Secretary on 31st January, 2022. In case it becomes necessary for the Central
Trade Unions to alter the date of strike action due to the pandemic, our action
programmes to be held on 22nd Feb. 2022 will also be accordingly
changed.
7. The
meeting discussed various pensioner specific issues, which has not found any
resolution despite taking up the matter with the Government on various
occasion. It was, therefore, decided
that the National Executive must meet after the strike action and chalk out a
series of programmes to create the requisite sanctions. The affiliates in the meantime, will indicate
the issues to be taken up for inclusion in the charter of demands by end of Feb
2022. There was a suggestion at the
meeting that the NCCPA must take up some of the social issues also along with
the economic demands. Many comrades
spoke about the deteriorating situation in respect of medical facilities.
Agenda Item No. 2.
To pursue the DR arrears through litigation.
On the basis of the discussions
and suggestions put forth by the members, the following decisions were taken:
(a) To
file a writ petition either at the Supreme Court or any of the High Courts
under the original jurisdiction of the respective Courts challenging the denial
of the dearness relief.
(b) The
NCCPA will present a report of the financial implication of filing such a case,
its feasibility and the method to collect funds.
(c) The
Government’s final stand in the matter as and when it is conveyed to the staff
side will be considered before finally filing the case.
(d) The
final decision in the matter will be taken by the end of March, 2022.
The meeting was concluded at
5.30 PM .
With greetings,
Yours fraternally,
K.K.N. Kutty,
Secretary General.
Enc: Draft resolution and
charter of demands
DRAFT RESOLUTION
The National Secretariat of
NCCPA which met today, the 9th January, 2022. after deliberations
resolved to convey to the Government, the following conclusions reached at the
meeting and appeal to the Government to redress the grievances of the Pensioners
and senior citizens and retired personnel.
A. Ever
since the advent of the new economic policies, the senior citizens, pensioners
and other retired personnel are struggling to make the both ends meet as there
had been heavy erosion in their income;
B. While
on the one hand, the lowering of
interest rates, the non-revision of pension benefits; meagre return on
investments and many other steps taken by the Government had reduced their
income, on the other, inflation, the rising prices, the cascading impact of the
constant increase of the prices of
petroleum products, withdrawal of the Government from welfare activities,
increasing the user charges for the facilities provided due to the privatisation of public services
have made it impossible for them to survive.
C. The
disinvestment, outright sale of public utility services to the private parties,
the proposed leasing out of the infra-structural facilities, privatisation,
outsourcing, closure of government and public sector enterprises all have added
to their agony.
D. The
high rate of indirect taxation, unhindered price rise of essential commodities,
dismantling of the administrative price mechanism of petroleum products,
abandoning the public distribution system, not only caused immense distress to
the common people but also to the fixed wage/pension earners in the society;
E. While
the bail out packages announced in the covid period did immensely help the
entrepreneurs at small, medium and high levels, there had been nothing
worthwhile to help out the poor people and especially the fixed income earners
in the society.
F. The
Government’s decision to deny the dearness relief to the Pensioners and freeze
the DR dues for 18 months had been sans any logic or reason and had hurt the
senior citizens including the pensioners very harshly.
G. The
Govt. unfortunately did not choose to extend a helping hand to the poor and
senior citizens of the country during the covid period even after the national
economy nose- dived to a negative growth rate.
H. While
the pension revision in the case of BSNL pensioners has been denied, or delayed
indefinitely despite positive response, the reimbursement of medical expenses
or medical allowance for them have not been sanctioned in the last several
years making the pensioners to suffer bitterly in the covid period.
I.
In the case of Bank pensioners, especially of
the PNB, not only the pension revision has been delayed/denied indefinitely,
the representative of the pensioners associations are not even taken into
confidence, while the exercise for revision of pension is taken up for
discussion. This is despite the fact that the pension fund has been
accumulating and is of sizeable quantum to absorb the financial outlay that
might be caused due to the proposed revision.
J.
The meeting has noted that the Government had
been pursuing the anti-labour attitude and enacted the new labour code
disregarding the objections raised by the workers collectively. The meeting has
come to the conclusion that the brazen anti worker enactment was clearly to
please the corporates and other entrepreneurs.
K. The
meeting congratulates the Kisan organisations in the country for their victory,
the result of a firm determination and belief in the path of struggle which
forced the Government to withdraw the farm enactments.
L. The
meeting ultimately came to the conclusion that the path of struggles treaded by
the Workers in the country has been forced upon them and has become inevitable
given the attitude of the Government and must be supported by all right-thinking
persons and organisations.
The NCCPA, its affiliates, its
units and branches all over the country will organise solidarity action in
support of the striking workers on 22nd Feb. 2022 by organising mass
dharna and such other programmes of action.
The meeting has decided to
appeal to the Government to consider and settle the issues mentioned in the
enclosed charter of demands.
Shiv Gopal Misra,
President , NCCPA.
CHARTER OF DEMANDS.
1.
Implement Option No. 1 as
one of the pension fitment formulae as
recommended by the 7th CPC.
2.
Revise the Pension of BSNL
absorbed retirees immediately with 15% fitment; recommended by the 3rd PRC
and approved by the government from 01-01-2017, delinking the wage revision in
BSNL. Clear all pending medical bills and medical allowance;
3.
Evolve a policy for automatic
grant of pension and other pensioner’s benefits to the pensioners and retirees
of the autonomous bodies on par with the Central Govt. Pensioners.
4.
Provide (a) notional fixation of
pension under Option No. 3 on the basis of the pay scale/pay
level
of the cadre or grade from which the pensioner retired. (b) Provide fixation of
pension in the case of all pre 2006 pensioners on the basis of the grade
pay/pay level or pay scale of
the
post or cadre from which one has retired as per the judgments of Courts.
5.
Extend the benefit of
CS(MA) Rules to all pensioners who are not covered by CGHS.
6.
Increase the FMA to Rs.
2000 as has been granted to PF Pensioners.
7.
Raise the minimum pension
to 60% of the Minimum wage. i.e. Rs. 10,800 p.m.
8.
Restore the commutation portion
of pension after 10 years.
9.
Provide increased rates of
pension on attainment of 65 years onwards as recommended by the Parliamentary
panel.
10.
Scrap the New Contributory
pension scheme and restore the defined benefit pension
11.
Revise the pension of the Bank pensioners on line
with Govt/RBI/Military and settle
the anomalies in pension and other benefits arising out of the amalgamation of
Banks.
12.
Provide the benefits arising from the court judgements to
all similarly placed pensioners. Viz.
the court order for the grant of one notional increment for those who retire on
30th June and 31st
December
13.
Introduce medical insurance
scheme for all pensioners including the Bank pensioners whoever opts
for such a scheme.
14.
Restore the train fare
concession to senior citizens withdrawn by the Govt. during the covid period.
15.
To create a welfare fund for all
retired personnel on par with the working emplloyees
16.
Equalise the DA payment for all
bank employees without distinction between pre and post 1.11.2002.
17.
To increase the ex gratia
payment to bank employees retired prior to 1986.
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