May Day Communique of CHQ!

 

May Day Communique from the AIPRPA CHQ

Dear Comrades! Every year, May Day used to infuse fresh enthusiasm in us to fight the injustices of the existing system and to change the system into one free of any exploitation of man by man. We know that changing the system may not be a practical solution within the life time of contemporary comrades like us. But we know that the struggle to change the system is a continuous process and tomorrow or day after it will be achieved by the future generation. The struggles that we launch today and all the sacrifices of yesterday by our predecessors will act as the fertilizer for the change tomorrow. The dawn of a new society that will have no exploitation is imminent whether we could see it or not.

Our task is to struggle against all injustices. The advent of liberalization and the disintegration of the camp of Socialism is a temporary victory reaped by the Corporates of the world. But they could not bring any remedy to the maladies of the society. They could not bring total peace to the humanity and wars are indeed breaking out between different nations and we can see that these corporates are reaping huge profits from them. The usual maladies like the un-employment, price rise, poverty, flesh trade, lack of medical attention etc are much prevalent in the system and the corporates have no solution to any of these deep rooted problems.

The pandemic of Corona that ravaged the world for more than two years had proved one thing crystal clear. Only the countries where the public health system is strong could face the pandemic squarely and save the population without much loss of life. The path of privatization which encouraged even the health sector in most of the world countries has resulted only in making super profits by using the fear of life by the people. The privatization has proved to be futile but many governments are blind to the development because of their ideological marriage with the Corporates that encourages LPG polices in each country.

The Pensioners, who are generally the Senior Citizens, for whom many Governments are shedding crocodile tears, are in practice put into great sufferings. Economically they are further exploited by denying their dearness relief arrears for 18 months.  The reply of the Government that it is not in a position to pay the arrears of 18 months DA/DR is laughable because every second it is working for the super profit of handful of corporates in the country. The Government is unmindful of the tragedy that the new entrants of Government and Public Sector employees numbering lakhs and lakhs in the name of NPS. There is no guaranteed pension to the NPS section of the employees who work for many years, while the Parliament and State Legislature members are happily taking the pension ensured to them even if they serve as the MP or MLA for a single day! These representatives of people have no compunction to vote to deny the pension for the Government employees! The stand taken by the State Governments of Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh to revert back to Old Pension System by scrapping the NPS and the stand of the West Bengal Left Front Government earlier and continued even today by the present Mamta Banerjee Government to not to introduce NPS in the State of West Bengal are giving us hope that our fight will ultimately win provided we are able to stand up unitedly.

The Pensioners and the Family Pensioners and all senior citizens shall be able to live in peace. They should be able to live in a convenient house; live without any worry for medical requirements including hospitalization; move freely from one place to another in free transportation; have unlimited access to potable drinking water; in short, they should have financial freedom by sufficient payment of monthly pension to take care of all needs.

The life of pensioners and family pensioners cannot advance if the working employees’ movement of the concerned industry is not ready to voice the demand of pension and social security. Perfect unity of employee’s trade unions and pensioners associations is the need of the hour. We pledge that we shall establish a strong unity of pensioners and working employees and while supporting every struggle of the workers for their advancement try to ensure the support of the workers for our emancipation. We pledge that we shall struggle to see that all the recommendations of the 110^th Report of the Parliament Standing Committee are translated into reality earlier.

The Trade Union International (Pensioners & Retirees), one of the TUIs of the class conscious WFTU, is fighting to unify all the pensioners and retirees of the world under one umbrella and launching struggles for a peaceful tomorrow to all the pensioners and retirees of all the countries. TUI (P&R) is also insisting for the alignment of working class and the retired. Let us pledge on this May Day of 2022 that we shall build a stronger platform of unity of all pensioners in our country and link up with the international body to continue our justified struggle for a peaceful life in our old age. AIPRPA CHQ calls upon all our rank-and-file Associations to befittingly celebrate the present May Day by taking all the initiative to unite with NCCPA affiliates, other Pensioners Associations and with the Working-Class Trade Unions. This year May Day slogans should reverberate loudly that we, the senior citizens, are awakening like a sleeping giant and shall be ready to sacrifice for a better tomorrow. – KR GS AIPRPA -

MACP and Promotees!

MACP and Promotees of Postal - Advocate Arun arguments in High Court of Madras completed - Judgment Reserved!

Advocate Arun had filed 21 Cases on appeal in High Court of Madras. Arguments are over today. All supportive judgments in various courts were referred by our Advocate. The important line of argument that LGO to PA involves no DPC and therefore it should not be construed as a promotion was also raised. The Government side brought judgments including Bengaluru High Court in its favour. The honourable Judge has reserved the judgment in this important case. - KR GS AIPRPA

AIPRPA CHQ Calls for Nationwide Programme

 

AIPRPA CHQ Calls for Nationwide Demonstrations / Dharna on 11.05.2022

·     Hold the programme according to local conditions

·      Send emails to Honourable Health Minister (Text given Below)

 

Demands

 

·       Immediately settle all dues to the empanelled hospitals and diagnostic centres.

·       Revise the rates fixed as back as in 2014 and fix new enhanced rates.

·       Nationalize the health sector immediately or control Private Hospitals with necessary laws.

·       Open discussion and enrol all reputed hospitals in the empanelled list without delay to ensure cashless medical treatment to pensioners.

·       Recruit regular Specialists, Doctors and Para Medical staff including Nurses to man all the Wellness Centres without delay.

·       Open one Wellness Centre at least in all revenue districts.

·       Finalize “Medi Insurance Scheme” to non-CGHS areas without further delay.

·       Implement all recommendations of Parliament Standing Committee regarding “Additional Pension, FMA, MACP, 30^th June Increment and all other Pension related issues”

 

Text of Email to Honourable Health Minister:

(Email Id: drjitendras@gmail.com /or/ mos-pp@nic.in)

To

Honourable Minister of Health & Family Welfare

GOI, New Delhi

 

“ Senior Citizen Pensioners are suffering greatly due to lack of in-patient treatment in many hospitals as they wriggle out of empanelled list of CGHS AAA Please settle all dues to the empanelled hospitals and diagnostic centres and enhance the rates fixed as far back as in 2014 AAA Implement all recommendations of Parliament Standing Committee immediately AAA Implement cashless Medi Insurance Scheme to all non-CGHS pensioners without delay AAA Open one Wellness Centre in each revenue district for the benefit of Beneficiaries”

Name of Secretary of Member: ______________________________________

District / Division: ________________________________________________

State: __________________________________________________________

NCCPA Circular Dated 18th March 2022

 

NCCPA Circular Dated 18.03.2022

·      * Hold Dharna / Demonstrations in front of Offices on 25^th March and send Email to Honourable Minister (Draft in the Circular) Pension in solidarity with the two-days Strike.

 ·      Organize Demonstrations on 5.4.2022 in front of all Offices and send the Email to Honourable Minister (Draft in the Circular) Pension insisting immediate implementation of Parliamentary Standing Committee Report.

 

NATIONAL CO-ORDINATION COMMITTEE

OF PENSIONERS ASSOCIATIONS.

(Registered under the

T.U. Act.No. RTU01/2021.Dated.7.01.2021

PAN No.  AAEAN8586F

Website: nccpahq.blogspot.in.

E mail: nccpahq@gmail.com.

13.c Feroze Shah Road,

New Delhi. 110 001

 

President:                Com. Shiv Gopal Mishra. (97176 47594)

Secretary General: Com. K.K.N. Kutty.            (98110 48303)

Dated: 18.03.2022

Dear Comrade,

As you know, the working class in the country will be on two days strike on 28^th and 29^th March, 2022 against the present economic policies of the Government of India, which has harmed the workers in the country tremendously.  The standard of living of the workers have gone down so  deeply  that none of the segments gets a fair wage today.   By dismantling the public health care system, public  distribution system and the Pubic sector undertakings, the user charges levied for various services have gone up leaps and bounds .  The pension emoluments, which at one point of time, we had thought good enough to meet our basic requirements have become too meagre  given the growing expenses.   Many of the services for which huge amounts are levied including the GST, had been either free or provided at nominal charges in the past.  Concessions granted to the Senior Citizens are all withdrawn.  Above all, the dearness relief which is an integral part of the pension was first freezed and then denied.  The Government has kept back the arrears amounting to crores of rupees with no justification as the economy is reported to have  picked up momentum of growth and the tax collections both  from direct and indirect taxes have surpassed the budgetary estimates .  The various phases of corona pandemic affected severely the pensioner community.  Many are suffering from the post- covid complications and the consequential ailments.

We must, therefore, express our support to the strike and engage ourselves in the solidarity action as decided earlier.  We take this opportunity to remind you of the need to participate in large numbers in the proposed dharna in front of all offices on 25^th March, 2022 (this decision of NCCPA having been communicated earlier) to express our solidarity with the striking workers.  A small memorandum addressed to the Honourable Minister of State, Department of Personnel and Pension, North Block, New Delhi is appended hereto.  Kindly send the same to him after the dharna programme is over.

Please go through the letter addressed to the Honourable Minister placed on our website covering comprehensively all issues concerning the grievances and demands of the Pensioners.  The Standing committee of the Parliament in their 110^th report to the Lok Sabha has recommended to the Government to grant additional pension of 5% at the age 60, 10% at 70 and 15% at 75 instead of the present 20% on attaining the age of 80 years, increase the FMA to Rs. 3000 p.m. to reimburse the cost of hospitalization even if the treatment was from a non- empanelled private hospital and to cover the pensioners under CCS(MA) Rules.  Coming from such an exalted body, we must mow demand that the Government take cognizance of the recommendation and implement the same as quickly as possible.  It is, therefore, decided that the Pensioners Associations must organise demonstration in front of all offices on 5^th April, 2022 and send the following E- mail to the honourable Minister.

“Solicit your kind reference to the 110^th report of the Standing Committee of Parliament on pensioner related problems and appeal to you that the concerned officials may be directed to take immediate steps to implement those recommendations.” .

             

With greetings,

Yours fraternally,

KKN Kutty

Secretary General

 

 

Memorandum to the Honourable Minister of State

for Department of Personnel and Pension,

Govt. of India, New Delhi.

 

We submit the following charter of demands containing issues and grievances of pensioners of various sectors.  We had been, as is the case with many pensioner Associations, raising these issues before various authorities but regretfully submit that steps were not taken to resolve those. We feel that even reasonable issues, which do not have financial outflow are not addressed.  Besides, the Pensioner community feels that they are being dragged to litigation which has of late  become extremely costly and unbearable. They are perforce to bear the injustice. Even when the courts favour decisions upholding the contention of the petitioners, Government against their own policy decisions,  drags the Pensioners to higher courts..  Even the Supreme Court decisions are not made applicable to the similarly placed personnel.  We fervently appeal to you to ensure that the Pensioners are not dragged to court; their grievances are attended to within a reasonable time frame and they are replied with the reasons as to why the Government was not able to accept the contentions made by them.  We also request you to kindly cause consideration of the following demands and the authorities are asked to have bilateral discussions with the representatives of NCCPA so as to have a proper appreciation of the demands raised. 

CHARTER OF DEMANDS.

 

1.       Implement Option No. 1 as  one of the  pension fitment formulae as recommended by the 7^th   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. 3000 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 30^th June  and 31^st 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 employees

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.

18.   Provide medical and para medical facilities to cover up the shortages to the Railway hospitals catering to the Railway pensioners.

19.   Issue revised PPOs to all Railway pensioners to enable them to draw the revised pension as per the 7^th CPC.

20.   Remove 2.5.km distance restriction for the grant of FMA. 

 

Thanking you,

Yours faithfully,

 

………………………………………..

(Name of the President/Secretary .)

Name of the Association/Federation.

 

  

Strike Solidarity Circular by the AIPRPA CHQ

                ALL INDIA POSTAL & RMS PENSIONERS ASSOCIATION

             AIPRPA / Strike / 2022    - Dated 20.03.2022

            To

All Office Bearers of CHQ / State General Secretaries / District, Divisional Secretaries – AIPRPA

Dear Comrades!

TWO DAYS STRIKE BY INDIAN WORKING CLASS – TOTAL SOLIDARITY

The entire working class of India is going on a two-days strike on March 28-29 at the call of united Central Trade Unions and independent Federations and Associations. Confederation of Central Government Employees and NFPE are part of the strike decision. The FNPO also joined the strike decision and it is going to be a united strike organized by the Postal JCA of NFPA & FNPO. The Apex organization of Pensioners “NCCPA” has already endorsed the strike call and called for solidarity with the strike by all measures like web meeting and dharna etc.

AIPRPA CHQ had organized a national web meeting in which Comrade VAN Namboodiri the Patron of NCCPA had presented the key note address on the subject and the role of Pensioners and Retirees. Various united Pensioners organizations like the Tamilnadu State Central, State and Pubic Sector Pensioners Associations have endorsed the call and called for all types of united support to the strike.

We call upon all State Units and District / Divisional Units to propagate that on 20.03.2022 at national level there is going to be webinar organized jointly by the NCCPA & Confederation. Three leaders including Comrades A.K.Padmanabhan (CITU); R.N.Parashar (Confederation); and KKN Kutty (NCCPA) will address the webinar. The webinar will start around 7.00 P.M on 20.03.2022 and the time will be intimated in the poster to be released on web shortly. In addition to that wherever feasible, dharna programme by the pensioners unitedly with other pensioners associations shall be organized in all places. AIPRPA comrades may take the initiative and organize effectively these programmes as the role of Pensioners and Retirees is very important in the success of the strike. We should understand that without the involvement of working class, we cannot fight the pernicious policies against the Pension and Social Security at our old age. Unity with the Working Class and the Employees of our own industry is the paramount need of the hour.

AIPRPA CHQ calls for a total solidarity and support to the two-days strike action.

With warm greetings,

Fraternally Yours,

Sd/-

K.Ragavendan

General Secretary

NCCPA CIRCULAR ON WEBINAR WITH CONFEDERATION

 NCCPA CIRCULAR ON WEBINAR WITH CONFEDERATION ON TWO-DAYS STRIKE OF 

MARCH 28-29!

NATIONAL CO-ORDINATION COMMITTEE

OF PENSIONERS ASSOCIATIONS..

(Registered undder the T.U. Act.No. RTU01/2021.Dated.7.01.2021

PAN NO AAEAN8586F

Website: nccpahq.blogspot.in.E mail: nccpahq@gmail.com.

13.c Feroze Shah Road, New Delhi. 110 001

 

PRESIDENT:                COM.SHIV GOPAL MISHRA.(97176 47594)

SECRETARY GENERAL:          COM.K.K.N.KUTTY. (98110 48303)

Dated:22^ND February, 2022.

Dear Comrades,

In order to strengthen the campaign programme for the preparation of the ensuing general strike slated for 28^th and 29^th March, 2022, the Confederation of Central Government employees and workers met in their National Sectt. meeting on 20^th inst.  The meeting inter alia decided to mount campaign both physically and on virtual platform and associate with the affiliates and units of NCCPA. Comrades, you will recall that in our last National Sectt meeting one of the decisions we had taken was to organise a National Webinar on the strike issues. The Confederation has similar decision and they will fix the date convenient to all of us.  The webinar will present three issues before the participants:

1.       General demands and issues of the workers; and the reason as to why the strike had to be deferred to 28^th and 29^th March, 2022.

2.       The Central Government Employees Demands;

3.       The New Pension scheme and the issues and demands of the Pensioners as formulated by the NCCPA

On hearing from the Confederation about the arrangements made to broadcast the webinar, we shall get in touch with experts as to how to simultaneously reach out to our members.  It is decided, that while participation of minimum 5000 employees and 1000 pensioners must be ensured by the respective organisations,  they must embark upon a venture to exceed the minimum.  In the annexure to this letter we have made an allocation state-wise.  The affiliates will get in touch with their state units and request that the members are linked in to the webinar.  The COCs and CGPAs will also take care to ensure that as many number of pensioners participate in this webinar. 28^th and 29^th are Monday and Tuesday.  As per our earlier decision, we must organise a dharma programme prior to the strike.  Since the preceding two days are holidays, the proposed dharna must be organised on 25^th March, 2022. (Friday). In between the National webinar, the affiliates and State Units might organise webinars especially using the vernacular medium to convey the strike message to as many number of members as possible.  The Pensioners organisations representing the Bank retirees will organise the dharna in front of any bank as they decide.  They might also get in touch with the Bank employees Associations and extend solidarity and support to the strike action.  Similarly, the pensioners of the autonomous bodies may either choose to be with the CG pensioners or organise dharna in front of any of the autonomous organisation of the Govt. of India. So may be the case with the members of AIBDPA

We are hopeful that our members will remember the endeavour chalked out by the TUI (P &R) of the WFTU of the need to align our activities with the working class.  In India, as you are aware, the joint platform of Central Trade Unions barring the BJP led BMS is spearheading the struggle against the neo- liberal policies, the intensification of which peaked during the present regime.  Not only the standard of living of the working class has fallen considerably, the entirety of the common people suffers from its pernicious impact.  The Oxfam report (India supplement), which was released recently tells the sordid story of the Indian people that has come about in the last 6-7 years.  The number of people who were driven to below the poverty line, (despite the engineering done by the Government in computing the poverty) had been huge.  The Corporates had been the biggest beneficiaries of the dispensation of this Government.  Not only they received tax concessions, they could also enjoy the largest chunk of bail out packages doled out by the Government to combat the covid related recession.  Nothing was done to increase the purchasing power of the common people, which was the most important intervention expected of from a government, who is concerned of the misery of the people in pandemic period.  The denial of dearness relief to the Pensioners for 18 months is a fitting example as to how the policy perceptions of the Government works even on retired personnel.  The pensioners and retirees suffered most during the covid period due to their propensity to be affected by the virus infection; but nothing was done to help them out.  But for the intervention of the people and courts in the country, the vaccination would have also been a marketing commodity available only for those who can afford.  In a democracy public opinion matters and galvanising that in the right direction is the responsibility of the middle class who are benefited by the education they have received.  Apart from this, our country is fast emerging as one of the most intolerant society in the world The way in which the government abets, engineers and helps those who indulge in disruption of the social fabric is unprecedented.  Since such actions in the past have given them rich electoral dividends, they continue with it merrily at the cost of the working people.  In the situation in which we are placed, the need for an intensive and effective campaign need not be emphasised.  I, therefore, appeal to all of you to do everything possible to campaign amongst the people, make the workers and retirees realise the need for struggle and make the general strike action slated for 28^th and 29^th March a grand success. 

In a few days time, we will prepare a pamphlet explaining the demands, we have agreed upon in our last meeting. 

With greetings,

Yours fraternally,

 Sd/-

KKN Kutty

Secretary General

Annexure : Allocation amongst state for participation in the National webinar.

Kerala.                                             100                      MP                      40

Tamilnadu                                      100                      Jharkhand              10                       

Karnataka                                       50                        Chattisgarh        10

AP &Telengana                .             50                        Vidharba              20

Maharashtra.                                 50                        Pune                   10

Gujarat                              ...           25

Punjab.                             .             25

Haryana.                           .             20

Rajasthan                                        60

Delhi.                                               60

UP                                                     50

Uttarakand.&HP                            35

Bihar                                                50

W Bengal                                        150

Odissa                                             40

Assam                                              60

NCCPA Circular on Budget 2022

 

NATIONAL CO-ORDINATION COMMITTEE

OF PENSIONERS ASSOCIATIONS..

(Registered undder the T.U. Act.No. RTU01/2021.Dated.7.01.2021

PAN NO AAEAN8586F

Website: nccpahq.blogspot.in.E mail: nccpahq@gmail.com.

13.c Feroze Shah Road, New Delhi. 110 001

 

PRESIDENT:                COM.SHIV GOPAL MISHRA.(97176 47594)

SECRETARY GENERAL:          COM.K.K.N.KUTTY. (98110 48303)

Dated: 2^ND February, 2022.

 

Dear Comrade,

The Union Budget 2022

 

On 1^st February, 2022, (the customary date fixed for Union Budget) Ms. Nirmala Sitaraman, Finance Minister, Government of India, presented the budget for the financial year 2022-23 to the Lok Sabha at 11.00 AM. The Budget is an instrument from which the common people expect the Government of India to extend its helping hand to remove their agony.  They normally glue to the TV sets or listen to the Radio broadcast to know whether the empathy has been translated into tangible terms.  The people had expected a lot from this budget as they thought that the Government was aware of the deprivation suffered by the common multitude due to the still-not-abated pandemic, covid 19.  The continuing pandemic situation for the last two years had affected severely the life and means of livelihood of the people at large.  It was during the period of pandemic, the Indian people realised the worth of public health system and how disastrous had been its concerted destruction over the years by the Government. 

 

Most of the time in the year 2021, the country had to face several lock downs as the only way to arrest the severity of the pandemic.  The sudden halt of all economic activities had its terrible toll.  Many families of the people at the lower strata of the society had been driven to the shores of penury and poverty during the period.  It is, therefore, necessary that the budget proposals are seen through their eyes.

 

It is difficult to discern any positive features in the budget, viewed from the common man’s perspective.  With the rising tax revenue, mostly from indirect taxes, like GST, Customs and excise duties, nay even from the corporate and income tax, the Government could have announced certain welfare measures benefiting the poor and suffering people.  In fact the allocation on health, education, employment generation schemes, food and fertilizer subsidies, agriculture (for MSP, Crop insurance,) child welfare etc. has either remained  static or got reduced. A major share of the excise duty has come from the systematic and continuous increase in the petroleum products. The cost of LPG gas cylinder had almost been doubled by this Government between 2014 and 2021.  The phenomenal increase in the cooking gas alone brought distress to a large majority of the people in the lower and middle segments of the society.  The announcements like developing 25000 KMs National highways and 2200 KM new Railway tracks, 400 super-fast trains and above all the introduction of an official digital currency were in fact mocking at the poor people.  The total expenditure of the Government estimated in the Budget for the year 2022-23, despite a nominal increase is actually down from. 17.1% of GDP in 2020-21 to 15.3.%

 

Without raising resources no government would be able to either increase the long term capital expenditure to create infrastructure asset base nor look after its people at lower strata.  In the difficult situation the people are placed, due to the un-abaiting covid and periodical lock outs, the Government ought to have raised resources from those who has the ability to pay.   Such a proposal must have been a must in the budget.  The Oxfam report, India supplement, which has just been released tells us the sordid story of the vast majority of the Indian people.  Amongst the poverty stricken Nations, India has further fallen from 94 to 104.  It also tells that the top 10 rich  persons in the country had been able to double their wealth during the covid period.  Most of the Indian corporate houses have increased their profit ratio. Why then the Government could not have raised the corporate tax rates or  the rate of income tax  at the super profit level, obviously elicits only one answer.  In fact, the Government had reduced the rate of corporation tax   from 33% to 22% as part of the covid specific bail-out package.  The least the Finance Minister could have done was to restore the old rates.

 

Pensioner community is no different from the common people.  The senior citizens suffered immeasurably during this period.  Almost every one of them was afflicted with the covid virus.  Being old they were more prone to the pandemic.  Some of them despite being in self- proclaimed house arrest, still suffered from the virus infection.  The private hospitals in the country charged exorbitantly for the treatment.  Having almost dismantled the public health care system, they had no alternative but to be at the mercy of the private hospitals.  Pensioners and the senior citizens still suffer the post-covid health complications.  No concession has been granted to the old people in the Budget, whereas the Govt. has unashamedly taken crores of rupees from the pensioners by denying the Dearness relief due to them for 18 months.    Rather some of the facilities  like  air and train travel concessions were withdrawn .  Many expected that the Government would take note of the huge hospitalisation expenditure incurred by the pensioners and old people and would increase the ceiling limit of medical expenses in the Budget. 

 

Almost all of the Pensioners and retired personnel had invested their retirement benefits on fixed term deposits in the Nationalised Banks.  Crores of rupees had been collected by the Banks from the pensioners and the fund has obviously been used to advance to rich and corporate entities.  A good chunk of such loans has now become non- performing assets and now a new Bad Bank to deal with such assets has been set up. From 2014 onwards, this government had been systematically reducing the interest rates on term deposits to facilitate the business enterprises.  The fall out has been terrible loss to the pensioner community.  Not only the real value of their income has been eroded   but even in quantum terms, the loss had been unbearable.  According to an estimate a person who had invested in Fixed Deposits, say 20 lakhs in 2014 would suffer a loss of Rs. 87,120 in the year 2021-22 due to interest rate reduction.  That is precisely Rs. 7260 per month.  While the income had a drastic reduction, the expenditure due to inflation and effected price rise on petroleum products has almost doubled. 

 

The 2022-23 Budget has, despite having increased revenue collection, sought to reduce its outflow on welfare measures  ,exposing  clearly where   the empathy of the rulers are. It refused to tax the rich who has increased their profit during the covid period.  It continues to proclaim to raise resources by selling away the Public Sector Units and lease out the infra structural assets for pittance to private enterprises.  Privatisation and crony capitalism had been the hall mark of the policy of this government.  How far they can go could be evidenced rom the fact that the company to whom the contract for the production of the Vande Bharat coaches has been given, is permitted to manufacture it inside the ICF/RCF coach factories owned by the Government. 

 

The Budget is, therefore, not only disappointing but in a way reflects the insensitive mind-set of those in the governance of the country towards the suffering people.   There must be and will be strong reaction from the people at large to this anti people budget.  

 

With greetings,

Yours fraternally,

KKN. Kutty.

Secretary General.