Monday 24 December 2018

AP State AIPRPA CWC & Visakhapatnam RMS V Division & Visakhapatnam AIPRPA joint meeting! 




Today on 24.12.2018 a combined meeting of Visakhapatnam RMS V Division, Vizag AIPRPA and AP State AIPRPA CWC is held at Vizag City. Comrade K.Venkateswaralu State President presided. Comrades K.Ragavendran GS AIPRPA; Y.Nagabhushanam State GS Andhra; N.Nageswara Rao CHQ Vice President;  Dass President Vizag AIPRPA; Babuji Divisional Secretary Vizag RMS V Division AIPRPA; Turaga Suryarao District Secretary Kakinada and others addressed. All current issues of pensioners; NCCPA Programme of action; CGHS issues; 10 Point Charter of NCCPA etc were discussed in meeting.

Sunday 23 December 2018

Rajahmundry AIPRPA holds its AGM! 



The Rajahmundry which is now renamed as Rajamahendravaram is holding its Divisional  Conference under the presidentship  of Comrade D.Sreeramulu the President of Association. Comrade D.Tirupatirao is the Divisional  Secretary holding the conference. Senior comrade Khader Khan anchored the conference.  Comrades K.Ragavendran GS AIPRPA; Y Nagabhushanam State GS AIPRPA Andhra; Shri. Rajarathnam SPOs Rajahmundry; T.R.Prabhakara Rao Wkg President CGPA Rajahmundry and retired ADPS; Comrade Turaga Suryarao District Secretary Kakinada and many other leaders addressed.

Thursday 20 December 2018

NCCPA Dharna at  Chennai Centre! 







At the call of NCCPA, the CG Pensioners including AIPRPA, AIBDPA, ITPF etc thronged the venue of Dharna in Chennai today on 20.12.2018. They came from several districts of the State including from the capital Chennai. Comrade S.Santhanaraman President NCCPA presided the meeting. Comrade K.Ragavendran Dy.SG NCCPA & GS AIPRPA inaugurated. Leaders N.L.Sridharan (President Pensioners COC); C.K.Narasimhan (CS AIBDPA); M.Kannaiyan (State President AIPRPA); K.Govindarajan (AGS AIBDPA); M.L.Perumal (State GS IPTF); G.C.Narasimhan (Circle Secretary Chennai AIBDPA); V.Muthukumar (Karnataka Pensioners Movement); and others addressed. In the afternoon session comrades M.Duraipandian (State GS Confederation); M.S.Venkatesan (State GS ITEF); R.B.Suresh (NFPE State COC Secretary) and many others addressed.  More than 600 Pensioners attended the Dharna to emphasis the NCCPA's 10 point charter:

Sunday 16 December 2018

2nd State Conference of AIPRPA Kerala!





With the Honourable Minister of Law & SC ST Welfare of Kerala LDF Government comrade A.K.Balan delivering the inaugural speech, the 2nd State Conference of Kerala opened with a bang! The two-day Conference at Palakkad is attended by more than 400 delegates. State President M.C.Nair presided the Conference. Comrades C.C.Pillai CHQ Advisor of AIPRPA and former SG NFPE; KKN.Kutty SG NCCPA; M.Krishnan SG Confederation; K.Ragavendran GS AIPRPA; N.C.Pillai and H.V.Kurup AIPRPA CHQ office bearers; V.A.Mohanan State GS AIPRPA Kerala; N.Guruprasad  Circle Secretary AIBDPA Kerala; P.V.Rajendran R3 CHQ President; P.K.Muraleedharan P3 CS and AGS and many other leaders of repute are on the dais. The Honourable Minister is now inaugurating the historic State Conference:

Saturday 15 December 2018

AIPRPA leaders please Note!

1. Observe Pensioners Day on 17.12.2018 as "Respect Judicial Verdicts Day & Scrap NPS Day" by holding meetings etc in all places.

2. Mobilize for remaining NCCPA Dharna on 19th at Hyderabad; 20th at Chennai and Trivandurm.

3. Intensify Post Card Campaign - we learn that this programme is yet to take off properly. Most important.

4. Get train reservations as per quota allotted to your State to reach Delhi in time to attend NCCPA 15.03.2019 Token Fast by Pensioners.

5. Except Salem and Namakkal of Tamilnadu, no other State or District / Divisions have so far remitted contributions towards AIPRPA Office Furnishing Fund. Please expedite remittances as CHQ is pinning its trust on your cooperation. Urgent!

- KR GS AIPRPA.

Wednesday 12 December 2018


  • NCCPA call for Dharna observed by Nagpur! 






At the call of NCCPA, the Vidharba Coordination Committee of CG Pensioners Associations, organized the Dharna in front of CGO complex at Nagpur. Comrade Petkar the General Secretary of the COC presided. Comrade K.Ragavendran the Deputy Secretary General NCCPA inaugurated. Many leaders with their members participated representing Defense, BSNL, Postal Accounts and other CG departments. Confederation,  State Government and Public Sector leaders also addressed. Comrades Gurmeet Singh GS JCTUA; A.S.Dagde leader of State Govt employees & pensioners; Nilesh Nasare GS Vidharba Confederation COC; Dhandre GS Postal Audit & Accounts Pensioners Association and many other leaders addressed. Comrade Subash Pande CITU Secretary Amravati  greeted and extended solidarity on behalf of central trade unions. Comrade N.D.Wakodiker leader of Zilla Parishad  Pensioners too addressed us.

Tuesday 11 December 2018

Comrade Rajinder Prasad passed away! 

Our CHQ Vice President and Delhi AIPRPA State President comrade Rajinder Prasad breathed his last at about 2.00 P.M yesterday (11.12.2018). It is reported that due to sudden deterioration of health, he was admitted in hospital and after three days while seemed to be recovering, has shockingly passed away. His mortal remains were cremated yesterday itself. Comrade Rajinder was a CHQ leader earlier in R3 for long years and served with iconic leaders like Iyer, Banerjee in R3 and with leaders like Adi in NFPE. He lend such a solid support to AIPRPA and NCCPA in all our activities. He undertook the responsibility of organising AIPRPA AGM and also CMC in Delhi in the past. His passing away has caused an irreparable loss and void in our movement. AIPRPA CHQ dips down its banner in honour and memory of comrade Rajinder Singh! Rajinder Amar Rahe! - KR GS AIPRPA

Sunday 9 December 2018

AIPRPA to stand with Confederation"s call on 12th

OBSERVE  2018 DECEMBER 12  
as “SCRAP NPS & RESTORE OPS” DEMANDS DAY

          National Secretariat of Confederation has decided to observe 12th December 2018 (strike notice serving day) as Demands Day raising the demand - “Scrap NPS & Restore OPS” throughout the country.  All affiliates and C-O-Cs are requested to observe the day in a befitting manner by conducting demonstrations in front of all offices, organising gate meetings/general bodies and also wearing badges with the slogan - “Scrap NPS & Restore OPS”.  The struggle against NPS is getting intensified day by day.  Delhi State Govt. has passed a resolution in the State Assembly demanding the Central Govt. to scrap NPS imposed on Delhi State Govt. employees.  State Govts. of Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Tamilnadu has already appointed Expert Review Committees to submit recommendations regarding modalities for scrapping of NPS and restoring OPS.  Tamilnadu State Government employees and Teachers (all organisations) have decided to organise indefinite strike demanding scraping of NPS and restoration of OPS.  Confederation is in touch with other organisations in Central Sector and is exploring the possibility of organising higher form of trade union action including indefinite strike.  After the two days strike on January 8th & 9th, an All India Convention of NPS employees along with other like-minded organisations will be organised.  Our ultimate aim is to organise an indefinite strike, no sooner than later, exclusively on one demand ie; “scrap NPS & Restore OPS”.

Maharashtra holds its AIPRPA Conference today!





It is to our joy and pleasure that one of the biggest States in India, the 'Maharashtra" has held its foundation State Conference today! More than 100 Pensioners  representing  various districts and divisions thronged the venue under the presidentship  of CHQ President comrade D.K.Rahate at 'Sri Santh Sena Maharaj Sabhagraha'  at Dadar  Mumbai. Comrade Sharad Pawar welcomed all to dais. Comrade Mangesh Parab delivered address about the purpose of our forming AIPRPA Maharashtra Stare. Comrades K.Ragavendran GS AIPRPA; P.S.Pande former CHQ President R3; C.B.Surve Ex-CS P4; Manohar Chauhan former P3 Circle Office Bearer; P.M.Shirsat former President IPOs & ASPOs Association; and  P.G.Vichare participated.
This 1st State Conference was attended by pensioners from all 9 divisions of Mumbai metro city and other divisions including Pune, Amravati, Akola, Goa, Aurangabad, Nanded and Ratnagiri today. The Conference elected a 25 member office bearers body headed by comrades P.S.Pande (State President); and Mangesh Parab ( State General Secretary). The Conference also constituted a Steering Committee for Mumbai Metro District consisting of 9 postal divisions with comrades D.J.Redekar ( President); Sharad Pawar (District Secretary); and M.H.Band (Treasurer). The conference resolved various resolutions on pensioners issues and also supported the NCCPA Programme of Action. CHQ extends its warm greetings to all the leaders took up the responsibility of building a strong AIPRPA in Maharashtra State. - KR GS AIPRPA.

Tuesday 4 December 2018

AIPRPA CHQ Office inaugurated!



As informed earlier our CHQ Association office is inaugurated on 4.12.2018. Tamilnadu State President comrade M.Kannaiyan cut the ribbon and inaugurated. CHQ and State Association Tamilnadu will function from here. Full address will be circulated in our CHQ circular shortly. Comrades K.Ragavendran GS; S.Ragupathy ASG NFPE; S.Santhanaraman State GS;  M.R.Meenakshisundaram District Secretary Chennai; G.Kumar State Treasurer and many State and District office bearers in Chennai and surrounding districts attended in this simple function. We have an office now! Let us exalt our functioning to heights! On the day of inauguration itself, P3 Chennai City North Division donated 15 armed chairs to our office. Some comrades announced there itself of their contributions to furnish the office. It is in your hands to improve the office with all vital things. Kindly contribute in K.Ragavendran SB Account 052201000007552 IOB Egmore (IFSC : IOBA0000522) and intimate by email to aiprpachq@gmail.com for proper accounting and issue of CHQ receipts towards 'CHQ Office Improvement Funds'. - KR GS AIPRPA

Tuesday 27 November 2018

We are moving into a new rented accommodation!

AIPRPA starts its own office from a rented apartment from 1.12.2018!

The CHQ is functioning from the residential address of General Secretary from its foundation in 2014. An organisation like ours require its own staff and accommodation. Now  as decided in our Yercaud CMC in August 2018, the CHQ has rented an apartment for the functioning of its office from 1.12.2018. The inauguration by ribbon cutting in a simple function will kick start the office functioning on 4th December at 10.00 a.m. The rent burden of CHQ will be lowered by Tamilnadu State Association with its monthly share and deposit. The CHQ and the Tamilnadu State Association will function from this address:

B-2, First Floor, Vijay Court, Kellys Road, Kilpauk, Chennai 600010 will be the office address. But all are requested to correspond to this address only from 1.1.2019 (New year).

To have our own office accommodation will help streamlining the functioning of our Association further. Incidentally, the CHQ journal Pensioners Post will also have the same address for correspondences. Shortly after discussion with Chennai District Association, a part-time office assistant will be employed on regular basis.

CHQ requests all States and Districts / Divisions to liberally donate to facilitate to furnish the office with furnitures, computer, kitchen needs, bed, and necessary office materials. It will be helpful to remit the donations directly to General Secretary in his Bank Account "Indian Overseas Bank SB  Account No:052201000007552; IFSC code: IOBA0000522" and Email or SMS to CHQ. If any State or District or Division wants to offer donations specifically for any product, (like fridge, cubboard, office table, office Chairs etc)  their name as 'Doner' will be written. All donations will be accounted and CHQ receipt will be issued. Your cooperation will be absolutely necessary.

Let us strengthen our work and march forward with speed! Anticipating all your cooperation! - KR GS AIPRPA

Important Changes in Memorandum to Prime Minister and Chage of date in Post Card Campaign Sentences!

National Coordination Committee of Pensioners Associations

   Dear Comrades!

All are requested that some changes have been incorporated in the Memorandum to the Honourable Prime Minister of India and the corrected memorandum has been placed in the website now with the change of date of memorandum as 27.11.2018. Kindly download this memorandum for all purposes.

Secondly, the draft to be written in the Post Card also undergoes a small change of date and the revised sentences in the Post Card will be as follows: All other instructions remain unchanged - KKN Kutty SG NCCPA

Post Card Campaign to Hon’ble Prime Minister:

I solicit the kind attention of the Honourable Prime Minister to the memorandum dated 27.11.2018 submitted by the National Co-ordination Committee of pensioners in which I am a member  on certain pension related issue.  I seek the intervention of the Honourable Prime Minister to ensure settlement thereof. 
_____________________________________ (Signature)
________________________________________ (Name)
______________________ (Pensioner’s of Department)
___________________________________PPO Number

Sunday 25 November 2018

NCCPA MEMORANDUM TO HON'BLE PM ON 10 POINT CHARTER


NATIONAL CO-ORDINATION COMMITTEE OF PENSIONERS ASSOCIATIONS.
13-C  Feroze Shah Road,
New Delhi.110 001

President:                           Shiv Gopal Misra:             Ph: 9717647594
Secretary General:          K.K.N. Kutty                       Ph: 9811048303

Dated: 27th November, 2018.
To
The Honourable Prime Minister,
Government of India,
South Block,
New Delhi. 110 001.

Dear Sir,

                We submit herewith a memorandum containing the demands, issues and grievances of the Central Government Pensioners.  We request your goodself to  kindly cause consideration thereof with a view to provide relief to them. 

                Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,

Sd/-
K.K.N. Kutty
Secretary General.


Memorandum

                On behalf of the community of pensioners who retired from various Central Government establishments after putting in more than three decades of active service, we submit the following for your kind consideration and necessary direction to the concerned  to evolve solutions to the issues raised therein. Before we dwell upon the issues in detail,  permit us to mention sir, that  NCCPA  is the apex organisations of the Central Government Pensioners Associations in the country.  Our affiliates also include associations of Pensioners of the Central Autonomous bodies.  The grievances of the Pensioners mainly arise from the non-settlement of the following issues.

1.            Implement option No.1 as per the pension fitment formula as recommended by the 7th CPC  and grant MACP benefit with effect from 1.1.2006 .

The 7th CPC  in  appreciation of the demand placed by the Central Pensioners organisations jointly  had recommended two distinct methodology of Pension revision leaving it to the beneficiaries to choose whichever is beneficial to them.  The entire pension community was highly appreciative of the said recommendation and pleaded for the acceptance thereof to the Government.  Unfortunately the Pension Department advised the Government not to accept Option No.1  on the ground that it was not feasible to be acted upon. The Government heeding to the said advice,  accepted the recommendation and issued notification in which it was specified that the acceptance of the Government of the 7th CPC suggestion is subject to its  feasibility of implementation.  The subjective  clause in the Notification was without precedence and appeared to be strange. In order to meet out the objections from large number of Pensioners,  a Committee under the chairmanship of the Secretary of the same Pension Department was set up.   The Committee made the same recommendation to the effect that the suggestion of the 7th CPC contained in Option Nol1 was not feasible.  They however suggested to the Government an alternative formulation to replace the recommendation of the 7th CPC.  This was primarily to benefit the officials in organised Group A service, where career progression was time bound. In a written submission made to the Committee, the Staff Side of the National Council JCM pleaded for offering all the three alternatives so that the pensioner would be able to choose whichever was beneficial to them.  The Committee’s  conclusion that option No. 1 was not feasible was flawed in as much as the document,  which the official side affirmed as the bare necessity to implement Option No. 1 was available in the case of 86% of the pensioners, even according to the Committee’s own finding.  The Committee’s report was heavily one sided and was conceived to favour a section of the pensioners, especially those who retired from the higher echelons of the bureaucracy. If the third alternative , which was accepted and implemented had benefited pensioners who had retired from the lower rungs of the hierarchy, it was incidental.  Our submission before your goodself is that the Government, having accepted the recommendation of the 7th CPC must implement the same.  The feasibility or otherwise of the recommendation must be subjected to critical scrutiny.  The Committee’s finding that the Pay  Commission’s recommendation was not feasible  had been made to enable them to put before the Government the third alternative.  There is no difficulty in disproving the  Committee’s findings on the question of “feasibility”.   A large number of pensioners would have been benefited and the question of parity between the past and present pensioners would have been properly addressed.
 
Another related issue is the date of effect of the MACP Scheme.  The recommendations of the 6th CPC was implemented with effect from 1.1. 2006. However, while issuing the orders the MACP was introduced from a different date i.e. with effect from. 1.09.2008.  The matter went first to the Armed Forces Tribunal, where the Govt. lost in as much as the Tribunal made it clear that the Government’s decision to implement MACP from 1.09. 2008 was wrong.  The Government took  up the matter before the High Court, where again they lost.  The matter went upto the Supreme Court,who also  confirmed the position taken by the Tribunal.  Having reached a finality, the Government issued orders making  the scheme effective from 1.1.2006 but only in the case of armed forces personnel, leaving out the Civilian employees and Pensioners from the ambit of their latest order.  This is despite many decision of the  Honourable Supreme Court that similarly placed personnel  should not be dragged to the court for redressal.  The Staff Side of the National Council, JCM had taken up this  issue with the Government twice but are disappointed as those communications have not been responded with till date.  We request that the Department of Expediture, Ministry of Finance and the Department of Personnel may be directed to issue orders extending the MACP Scheme effective from 1.1.2006 in the case of all civilian pensioners.

2.            Revise  the  Pension of BSNL absorbed retirees with 15% fitment recommended by the 3rd PRC  and approved by the Government from 1.1.2017 delinking  the wage revision in BSNL.

When BSNL was formed in 2000, the entire employees working in the Department of Telecommunications were absorbed in BSNL with assurance of better prospects and pension from consolidated fund of the government of India. Rule 37A was incorporated with the CCS (Pension) Rules , 1972 to ensure them government pension and also their pay was upgraded to IDA scales. The pension revision was given to them with 30% fitment , recommended by the 2nd PRC for the PSU employees from 01-01-2007. Later, they were also granted pension revision based on the 78.2% IDA fitment at par with the working employees of BSNL. But both these revisions were much delayed due to a condition of 60:40 stipulated by the government for payment of pensionary benefits. However with much effors and struggles, this condition was annulled by the Cabinet and the order issued vide No.40-13/2013-Pen (T) dated 20-07-2016. It is stated in the order, Para 2 (b) that “The liability towards pensionary benefits including family pension to the BSNL employees (excepting those recruited after 01-10-2000), as per sub rule, 22 of Rule 37-a of CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972, lies with the government.”

The 3rd PRC has recommended 15% fitment for the pay revision of PSU employees with effect from 01-01-2017 which has been approved by the government. The BSNL absorbed government retirees are fully justified to get their pension revised with 15% fitment from 01-01-2017 without linking to the wage revision of BSNL employees. Wage revision of BSNL employees is being delayed due to the affordability condition laid down by the 3rd PRC.  The pension revision of BSNL absorbed government retirees has nothing to do with the finance of BSNL, as the entire liability lies with the central government. The Department of Telecommunications, despite the assurance by the hon’ble Minister of Communications for early pension revision, is adopting a negative approach and their mindset , even after a series of discussions and struggles, is for the pension revision only after pay revision of BSNL employees. The central government pensioners have already got their pension revised from 01-01-2016 as per the recommendations of 7th CPC. So it is a great injustice being meted out to the BSNL absorbed government retirees by denying the due pension revision, even after two years of their counterparts in central service got their pension revision.

3.            Revise Pension of Central Autonomous Body pensioners.

There are more than 600  Central autonomous bodies.  Thousands are employed in these institutions.  These institutions  were created as special vehicles to deliver certain goods and services for public benefit.  Most of these institutions have adopted Govt. of India rules and regulations and service conditions.  Some time back, the Govt. issued an executive fiat making it obligatory for these  institutions to generate own funds and be self reliant.  The said fiat as pointed out by the Managements of these institutions, were impracticable unless the user charges are increased manifold putting the public at large into unbearable financial burden. After  the 7th CPC’s  recommendations, most of these autonomous bodies revised the wages of the working employees and officers, but chose to punish the pensioners. In quite a number of cases, the pension revision has not taken place.  Even the entitled dearness relief was  not sanctioned in certain cases.  It is our ardent plea to your goodself that the pension revision in the case of retirees from the autonomous bodies may be directed to be undertaken immediately and the funds required for the purpose being made available to these bodies.

4.            Provide notional fixation of pension under Option No.3                 on the basis of the pay scale/grade pay/pay level from which the pensioner retired. Provide fixation of pay in the case of all pre 2006 pensioners on the basis of the grade Pay/pay level/pay scale of the post or cadre from which one has retired as per the judgements of the court.

It is the interpretation of the Department of Expenditure that led to the denial of the legitimate quantum of pension in respect of some of the pensioners, who could not avail the benefit of pay scale revision during their service. The issue had been the subject matter of judicial scrutiny and the judgements were clearly against the interpretation of the Department of Expenditure   Instead of accepting these court verdicts, the Govt. had been dragging the poor pensioners to higher courts denying them what is legitimately due to them.  While the serving employees are given the benefit of revision of pay scale or grade pay, the same is denied to the Pensioners.  In some cases, the  Govt. has implemented the decisions of the tribunal denying the benefit to the other similarly placed personnel. The attitude of the Department of Expenditure has only led to the increase in the number of cases in the court apart from placing unbearable financial burden on the pensioners.  This is also clearly against the principle/policy announced by the Government while setting up the administrative tribunals to the effect that the Govt. would abide by the decisions of these tribunals with a view to speed up the delivery of justice.  It has now become a common practice for the Govt. to approach the High Court and Supreme Court whenever the decisions of the tribunals go contrary to the position taken by the Govt. We request you to kindly direct the Department of Expenditure to reverse their untenable interpretation in the matter and render justice to the Pensioners.

5 & 6.     Extend the benefit of CS(MA) rules to all pensioners who are not covered by CGHS. Increase the FMA to Rs. 2000 pm as has been granted to PF pensioners. Introduce the health insurance scheme as suggested by the 7thCPC.

CGHS came into existence decades back inconsideration of the dire requirement of addressing the health cared needs of the Central Government employees. It commenced its operation in a few stations initially and was later widened to cover 26 important towns of the country including almost all metro cities.    It received wider appreciation from the employees and Pensioners.  However, its expansion was arrested in the post 1991 period, especially after the report of the Expenditure Reform Commission was submitted to the Government.  Its service was curtailed and the budget allocation was drastically reduced.  The number of empanelled hospitals at certain points of time got reduced.   In a city like Mumbai, where number of Central Government employees and pensioners is huge, at some point of time, there had been only one or two empanelled hospitals.  The health insurance scheme, which was one of the recommendations of the 6th CPC, did not take off.  The health care has now become abysmally poor. While this is the case of the employees and pensioners in the CGHS covered areas,  the situation in other moffusil stations is precarious.  While the working employees have the old CCS(MA)system whereby they could get the expenses reimbursed, the poor pensioners are given a pittance of Rs. 1000 p.m.to meet out the health related expenses.  Most of pensioners, being at the advanced age, require hospitalisation for continuous treatment of the ailments.  Therefore, the demand for the extension of the CCS(MA) Rules had been raised continuously and persistently for many years.  The Government has not responded to this demand positively.  Rather on many occasions, the Govt. has expressed their inability to consider this demand fearing the huge financial outflow.  We request your goodself, to kindly get the matter seriously examined from the humane angle and pending a decision thereon, kindly direct the Department of Expenditure of the Ministry of Finance to increase the FMA toRs 2000 p.m to the pensioners. 
Incidentally, we may also bring to your kind notice that the 7th CPC had recommended for introduction of a health insurance scheme. This is an alternative worth   considering by the Government as the insurance scheme will obviate the financial outflow from the exchequer.  The Departments of Pension and expenditure may be asked to consider this recommendation seriously and evolve a scheme which would go a long way in addressing the health related problems of the pensioners to a very great extent.
7.            Raise the minimum pension to 60% of the Minimum wage i.e. Rs. 10800pm.

Minimum Pension is presently computed as half of the minimum wage determined by the Pay Commissions.   One is entitled  for full pension on completion of the specified number of years of service. Pension is computed as 50% of the last pay drawn.  It is, therefore, discernible that the computation of Minimum pension at 50% had been based on the assumption that pension is normally calculated as half of the last pay drawn. This appears to be not based on any sound principle.  Minimum pension is related to Minimum wage. Minimum wage  is the wage determined on the basis of the minimum basic and essential  requirement of a person’s existence. As per the agreed formulations as early as in 1957, the basic essential requirement is considered to be the requirement of the family of a person.  Family is defined as “Husband, wife and two children” treating this as three units.  The formula stipulates and provides one unit for the bread earner, 0.8 units to his spouse and 0.6 unit for each children.   The point at issue is that the minimum pension cannot be less than the minimum wage.   Minimum wage being the least below which a person may not be able to live on, the same analogy must apply to the pensioner. Minimum pension is the need based requirement  of a pensioner, whose family includes his spouse who  is fully depended upon his pension income.    However, taking into account the fact that the superannuation age of retirement being 60, no pensioner in the normal circumstances may  have dependent children.  The logical conclusion that emerges is that the minimum pension must not be less than 60% because the family of the pensioner shall have 1.8 units  which is just 60% of the family units of a working employee.  We  request therefore, that the concerned may be advised to determine the minimum pension at 60% of the minimum wage, which will work out to Rs. 10,800 p.m.

8.            Restore the commutation value of pension after 10 years.

The restoration of the commutation value of pension is made after 15 years.  The 5th CPC had pointed out that the period of 15 years is too large in as much as the Government recovers the advance with interest in less than 11 years. Accordingly the 5th CPC recommended restoring the commuted value on completion of 12 years, so that full pension is restored.  After the subsequent revision of the commutation value factor, the period by which the government could recover the full amount with interest has further been reduced to 10 years.  The recommendation of the 5th CPC was not accepted by the Government. With this decision, the Government is presently recovering almost one and half times of the commuted value along with interest, interest being charged on fictional amount of principal.  There is absolutely no justification for the stand taken by the Government in the matter.  The Pensioner community feels that the  Government is behaving like a cruel and parsimonious money lender.  At no point of time, the Finance Ministry has been able to advance any logical argument in support of their reluctance to reduce the period from 15 to 10 years.  This apart, quite a number of pensioners will not be able to receive the benefit of restoration as they may not be able to live even up-to 75 years.   We, therefore, request you to kindly direct the Finance Ministry to issue orders for the restoration to 10 years.

9.            Provide increased rate of pension on attainment of 70 years of age.
               
Taking into account, the increased financial requirement of a pensioner, the earlier Pay Commission had recommended to raise the pension by 20% on attainment of age of 80.  This recommendation was implemented.  Many of the pensioners are compelled to spend huge sums of money on health related problems and other debilities once they attain the age of 70.  The Pensioners Associations had represented before the 7th CPC to increase the pension by 20% on attaining the age of 70 and a periodic rise to reach 100% on attaining the age of 90. The  CPC however, on obtaining the opinion from the Defence Ministry turned down this request, even though the Pension welfare department had suggested to increase the pension on attainment of the age of 75.   On such a crucial issue, it was unfortunate that the Pay Commission instead of arriving at an independent decision relied upon the opinion of the Defence Ministry.  We are not aware of the circumstances under which the Defence Ministry came to such an unhelpful conclusion. Over the years, as your goodself  is aware, the Government had been reducing the rate of interest on fixed term deposits, which had adversely affected the Pensioner community as most of the Pensioners have chosen to invest their retirement benefits on these instruments. While the  constant reduction of interest rate by the RBI and consequently by the Financial institutions may be  in consonance of the  sound macro economic  policy matters,  there is no way the pensioners could compensate for their reduction in monthly income. They face a piquant situation in as much as they face reduction of their income and an increase in their financial requirement simultaneously.  At the advance age, there is no cushion for them to absorb the unanticipated expenditure.  Having recognised the fact that the advanced age poses problems it would be in the fitness of things, that the pensioner is granted a small increase in their pension income.  We, therefore, request that the suggestion put forth by the Pensioner Community to increase the pension as suggested above.

 10.         Withdraw  the contributory pension scheme and restore the defined benefit pension to all
                Central  Govt. employees.

The main objective of introducing the new contributory pension scheme in 2004 was stated to be to arrest the financial outflow on account of the constant increase in the pension liability of the Government. The IMF had earlier advised the Government to do so as a measure to contain the fiscal deficit in the Union Budget. The employees organisations had been consistently opposing this move and had been presenting the obvious fact that the pension liability of the Government would not be abated by this move, rather it would only register an increase.  The 6th CPC set up a Committee to go into the matter headed by Dr. Gayatri.   The Committee’s conclusion was akin to what the employees organisations were all along making. The matter came up for the consideration of the 7th CPC again as by that  time the new scheme had been in operation for more than a decade.  The  Commission received many complaints and suggestions from the stake holders.  These had been enumerated in their report.   Instead of making any recommendation, the Commission suggested to the Government to set up a Committee to go into these complaints and take remedial measures.  Govt. set up such a committee under the Chairmanship of the then Secretary, Pension, who heard the presentations made by the Service organisations and the Pensioners Associations.   One of the suggestions made before the committee was to guarantee a minimum pension or a minimum return for the investments being made by the employees during their service career.  It is reported that the Committee has submitted its report to the Govt.  But the same has not come to the public domain so far. The Pensioners are, rightly so, apprehensive of the continuation of the present defined benefit pension system, they enjoy.  The employees, who are recruited after1.12004 are highly agitated as the new scheme guarantees no mimum annuity nor does the projection made by the PFRDA gives them any hope for a decent return for the contribution they make every month which is presently 10% of their Pay + DA.   The  facts now available with the Government over the financial outflow from the exchequer both in respect of the Pension liability of the employees who were recruited prior to 1.1.2004 and the contribution the Government is to make under the new contributory scheme must convince that the decision taken to introduce the new scheme in replacement of the erstwhile defined benefit scheme had been flawed.  If that be so, the scheme requires to be scrapped lock stock and barrel as it has not benefitted the Govt,  nor the subscribers, i.e. the employees. The discontent over this ill advised decision is growing day by day and the younger generation of workers and officers have become highly critical.  We, therefore, request you to kindly cause a revisit with a view to bring back the defined benefit pension scheme for all Central Government employees.

K.K.N.KUTTY
Secretary General

Friday 23 November 2018

4600 Grade Pay based Pension Refixation to Pre-2006 HSG-1 from 1.1/2006? 



Many comrades are telephonically enquiring as to whether the Department of Expenditure has favourably cleared the files as recommended by Pension Ministry. We are making direct enquiries through Secretary General NCCPA comrade KKN Kutty. The file was favourably forwarded higher level in DOE but due to holidays it could not be ascertained by comrade Kutty. On Monday, it will be ascertained and flashed. - KR GS AIPRPA

Monday 19 November 2018


ON CGHS - Issues Raised by the CHQ with the 
Hon'ble Prime Minister 
&
The Reply received on Nature of Action Taken!!


Appeal for vital improvements in CGHS I am appealing to the Honourable Prime Minister in my capacity as the General Secretary of All India Postal and RMS Pensioners Association. The Central Government Employees and Pensioners are at present getting medical treatment through CGHS (Central Government Health Scheme) in some centres of different States. There is a huge majority of Central Government Pensioners living in non-CGHS areas. These Pensioners are not covered under any medical schemes unlike the CG Employees who are extended the benefit under CS MA Rules, 1944. Now after a long interaction, the Government has issued orders permitting all Postal Pensioners living in non-CGHS areas to join CGHS. While this facilitates thearatically a good medical treatment to all Pensioners living in non-CGHS areas also, there are some practical impediments before them. The main problem is to travel long distances to reach out the CGHS Dispensaries existing only either in the capital city or in a major city of the State. This problem is turning out to be more arduous if the State is particularly a hilly State like Himachal Pradesh or the North Eastern States. In Himachal Pradesh the CGHS was functioning only in Shimla City. Now reportedly that dispensary also is not functioning. This is compelling the aged Pensioners to travel all the way to the neighbouring State of Punjab to take treatment at Chandigarh CGHS Dispensary. While travelling itself is problematic to aged and sick pensioners, they are forced to travel in hilly terrain for more than 250 Kilometers In addition there are no CGHS Centres at all in most of the North Eastern States (7 Sisters States) other than Assam. Any travel to CGHS centres means travelling only by air or to undergo a very long surface journey. In a condition of sickness, such a travel becomes meaningless. Similarly there are newly formed Revenue States that do not have CGHS Centres and Additional Director Offices in the State Capitals causing the beneficiaries to travel longer distances for treatment. We fervently request for (1) CGHS Centres in all States as a matter of policy; (2) Reopening of CGHS Dispensary in Shimla; and (3) opening of one more Dispensary at Dharamsala the second capital of H.P. These minimum steps will go a long way in providing additional care to the aged and sick pensioners. In addition expediting the sanction of suitable Medical Insurance Scheme to all Pensioners as recommended by 7th CPC will be a great step in the direction of providing medical attention to the sick and aged Pensioners. With sincere trust that these urgent issues will receive the kind attention of Honourable Prime Minister - K.Ragavendran General Secretary All India Postal and RMS Pensioners Association.


Reply received:

Current Status
Case closed
Date of Action
18/11/2018
Remarks
The CGHS wellness centre at Shimla is functional and two senior doctors are posted there.

Our reaction: We have raised several issues for redressal. But only one issue of Shimla CGHS Dispensary is attended to and replied. Fate of other issues? As the current status is “Case Closed”,  the fate of other issues is unknown! – KR GS AIPRPA

Sunday 18 November 2018

Start Preparations for NCCPA Programme!


AIPRPA Leaders! Please go through the following tasks and respond through Whatsapp or SMS or Email to CHQ immediately:

·         Kindly Start approaching with other Affiliates of NCCPA to plan for successful implementation of NCCPA Programme of Action on 10 Point Charter of Demands.

·       Post Card Campaign to Honourable Prime Minister during the entire month of December 2018. The collected Post Cards shall be sent to the Prime Minister between 1.1.2019 to 15.1.2019.

·         11 Centres all over the country should be the venue for State Wide Dharna. The Centres are: Chandigarh / Ambala (11.12.2018); Lucknow (11.12.2018); Guwahati (11.12.2018); Mumbai (11.12.2018); Bhopal (11.12.2018); Nagpur (12.12.2018); Kolkata (13.12.2018); Jaipur (13.12.2018); Hyderabad (19.12.2018); Chennai (20.12.2018); and Thiruvananthapuram (20.12.2018). AIPRPA State Associations should take all efforts to mobilize our members from all Districts / Divisions to make the Dharna Programme a successful one. The neighbouring States as mentioned in NCCPA Circular should organize their maximum strength to participate in the Dharna in the above Centres.

·         The Secretariat of NCCPA will meet in Delhi during December to finalize the organizational tour of CHQ office bearers in additional centres of States where meetings of Pensioners will take place to explain the Charter of demands.

·         A massive Hunger Fast at New Delhi before the Parliament is to take place on 15.03.2019. All States are requested to organize participants as per the minimum quota fixed by the CHQ in the Circular of CHQ (under issue). Train Reservations may be made immediately to avoid difficulties. 
      
       Accommodation to stay in Delhi for the comrades arriving in Delhi from distant States is being arranged by the CHQ. - KR GS AIPRPA 


Wednesday 14 November 2018

Make the Programme on Pensioners 10 Point Charter a Grand Success

NCCPA LAUNCHES A NATIONWIDE PROGRAMME OF ACTION


Dear Comrades - The Secretary General NCCPA has issued a latest circular on the finalized Programme of Action on 10 Point Charter of Demands. As an affiliate, AIPRPA has to  play its due role for the success of all phases of the Programme of Action. The District / Divisional Secretaries are requested to immediately convene their AGM / Working Committee to plan the programmes meticulously. A Circular from the AIPRPA CHQ is also under issue.

1. The Post Card campaign shall be organized with full vigour and all members should be approached for their participation in the post card campaign to the Honourable Prime Minister.

2. Full mobilization of Postal & RMS Pensioners from all Districts / Divisions in large number to be ensured at the State level Dharna at 11 Centers on various centres.

3. Start enrolling volunteers for the New Delhi Token Fast on 15.03.2018 and start making up and down reservations now itself. Every District / Division shall represent in the Delhi Programme. Detailed instructions are provided in the CHQ Circular.

- K.Ragavendran General Secretary AIPRPA

NATIONAL CO-ORDINATION COMMITTEE
OF PENSIONERS ASSOCIATIONS.
13-C  Feroze Shah Road,
New Delhi.110 001

President:                           Shiv Gopal Misra:             Ph: 9717647594
Secretary General:          K.K.N. Kutty                       Ph: 9811048303

Dated: 12th November, 2018.
To
All affiliates and State Units.

Dear Comrades,
As you are aware, the NCCPA National Executive meeting held at Chennai on 5th August, 2018 had resolved to organize  Programmes of Actions on 10 Point Charter of Demands of CG Pensioners. Mainly the following Programmes were finalized.

Post Card Campaign to Hon’ble Prime Minister:

A Post Card Campaign has been finalized to be organized amongst the entire rank and file membership of NCCPA. The Campaign may be undertaken from 1.12.2018  and 31.12.2018 the Post Cards may be organized to be sent to the Prime Minister between 1.01.209 and 15.01.2019. All Pensioners may be approached to write the following sentences in the Post Card and the same may be posted to the Hon’ble Prime Minister:

I solicit the kind attention of the Honourable Prime Minister to the memorandum dated 15.11.2018 submitted by the National Co-ordination Committee of pensioners in which I am a member  on certain pension related issue.  I seek the intervention of the Honourable Prime Minister to ensure settlement thereof. 
_____________________________________ (Signature)
________________________________________ (Name)
______________________ (Pensioner’s of Department)
___________________________________PPO Number

1.       Mass Dharna Programme in 11 Centres:

As reported earlier, the meeting had decided to hold mass dharnas by the CG Pensioners in the following 12 Centres. The Dharna Programme is to focus attention on our 10 Point Charter of Demands. In our earlier circular letter we had indicated that which of the states will deploy comrades to the Dharna Centres.  Kindly take note of the same and advise the comrades to reach the dharna venue on the appointed date.

Sl>NO.
Centre
States to participate
Proposed OB name
Proposed Date.
1
Chandigarh orAmbala
J&K,HP,Punjab, Haryana Chandigarh UT.
H.S. Sidhu, Treasurer and S.K.Sharma of Jaipur
11.12.2018. The Sectt members of  the States mentioned inCol.3 will attend the Dharna at the Centre.
Lucknow
U.P & UK
VAN Namboodiri
11.12.2018. The Sectt members of  the States mentioned inCol.3 will attend the Dharna at the Centre.
3
Guwahati
Assam and NE regions
S.S.Roy
11.12.2018. The Sectt members of  the States mentioned inCol.3 will attend the Dharna at the Centre.
4
Mumbai
Maharashtra excluding Vidharba and including Gujarat
K. Ragavendran.
11.12.2018. The Sectt members of  the States mentioned inCol.3 will attend the Dharna at the Centre.
5
Bhopal
Madhya Pradesh
Somayya
11.12.2018. The Sectt members of  the States mentioned inCol.3 will attend the Dharna at the Centre.
6
Nagpur
Vidharbha
K.Ragavendran
12.12.2018.  The Sectt members of  the States mentioned inCol.3 will attend the Dharna at the Centre.
7
Kolkata
West Bengal, Odisa & Bihar
Com.Rehman and Pavitra Chakraborty
13.12.2018. Sectt members of  the States mentioned inCol.3 will attend the Dharna at the Centre.
8
Jaipur
Rajasthan, & Delhi
Com I.S. Dabas.
13.12.2018. Sectt members of  the States mentioned inCol.3 will attend the Dharna at the Centre.
9
Hyderabad
A.P and Telengana.
Co m. K.G. Jayaraj
19.12.2018.  The Sectt members of  the States mentioned inCol.3 will attend the Dharna at the Centre.
10
Chennai
Tamilnadu & Karnataka
Com.K.G.Jayaraj
20.12.2018.  The Sectt members of  the States mentioned inCol.3 will attend the Dharna at the Centre.
11
Thiruvananthapuram
Kerala
KKN. Kutty
20..12.2018.  The Sectt members of  the States mentioned inCol.3 will attend the Dharna at the Centre.



2.      NCCPA leaders organizational tour to meet the members:

NCCPA Office Bearers will be attending these Mass Dharna Programme in 11 centres by dividing these centres in such a manner that the Office Bearers of Home States will be attending these Centres and also one extra centre nearest to their States as indicated in the above chart.   On successful completion of the first phase of the programme, the National Sectt. of NCCPA will meet at Delhi to finalize the campaign programme to be mounted in the month of February, 2019.( The date of meeting at Delhi will be finalised in consultation with Com.President and will be communicated later.) The  National Sectt. will also discuss the ways and means to strengthen the finance of the NCCPA to carry out the programme. The idea behind the second phase of the programme is not only to campaign over the demands but also to widen the base of NCCPA. Besides, the State Capitals, the presence of office bearers may be utilized for campaign in other important centres of the respective States.

3.      Hunger fast Programme  at New Delhi:

In  culmination of all the above programmes, there shall be a hunger fast from 11.00 A.M to 3.00 P.M on 15.03.2018 at  New Delhi. We expect to mobilize more than 2000 comrades in the said programme. Quota for each affiliate and State Centre is as under:

AIBDPA: 800 (including Delhi), AIPRPA: 800 (including Delhi), ITPF=100, Autonomous body Associations: 50, Other affiliate: 10 each.

State Centres:   Jaipur CGPA: 200, Nagpur CGPA: 50, Hyderabad CGPA: 50, Kolkata CGPA: 50, Kerala CGPA: 50, MP=50, UP=50 ,Odissa=25, Tamilnadu=20, and Karnataka=20.

With greetings,

Yours fraternally,
Sd/-
KKN Kutty
Secretary General.

CHARTER OF DEMANDS.
As finalized at the Chennai NE meeting
On 05.08.2018

1.       Implement Option No. 1 as  a pension fitment formula as recommended by the 7th CPC and Grant MACP benefit w.e.f 1.01.206 as per the Supreme Court  judgment.

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.

3.    Revise  pension of Central Autonomous Body pensioners.

4.    (a) Provide 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 and introduce the health insurance scheme as suggested by the 7thCPC.

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 70 years onwards.


10. Scrap the New Contributory pension scheme and restore the defined benefit pension   to all CGEs irrespective of their date of entry into the Government service.