CENTRAL GOVERNMENT PENSIONERS’ FORUM, ANDHRA PRADESH MONTHLY BULLETIN – DECEMBER 2013

CENTRAL GOVERNMENT PENSIONERS’ FORUM, ANDHRA PRADESH

D. Prabhakar Rao                  M. Somasekhar Rao                           Sk. Mahboob

   President                              General Secretary                                 Treasurer

     9490313416                                9949052609                                   9441278709

MONTHLY BULLETIN – DECEMBER 2013

The 58^th AGM of Bharat Pensioners Samaj held in the premises of Keyes High School, Secunderabad on 17.11.2013 was a spectacular success.  Nearly 900 delegates from across the country attended the one-day Meeting and Conference.  Delegates came even from far off places such as Manipur, Gowhati, Howrah, Gurgaon, New Delhi, Mathura, Agra, Patna, Ahmedabad, Bombay, Nagpur, Chennai, Erode, Dindigul and Palghat, apart from various centres in Andhra Pradesh.  It is the biggest pensioners meeting held in the twin cities.  The success of the conference is due to the untiring efforts of the members of the Reception Committee and unstinted and whole-hearted support extended by our members as well as those of the BPS affiliated sister organizations in the state of AP.  We thank one and all for their cooperation and support.  The arrangements for the meeting as well as the large attendance have come for unreserved praise from delegates, local as well as outstation.   The sumptuous break-fast and lunch served to the delegates and visitors had also won high appreciation.  We are particularly thankful to Sri Jalda Reddy of Malkajgiri, sponsoring break-fast himself and arranging the caterer at concessional rate.  We are also thankful to the authorities of Keyes High School for giving us their premises for the meeting and extending all facilities.

The Souvenir which we brought-out on the occasion came for special praise from one and all.  We thank S/Sri M.S. Appalachary and S. Rama Rao for the excellent work done by them in the above regard.  All the members of the Reception Committee toiled day and night for the success of the meeting and we extend our special thanks to every one of them.

While Chief Guest Dr. K.R. Gangadharan, President, International Federation on Ageing, Toronto, Canada adjusted his busy schedule to attend the AGM, S/Sri Shiv Gopal Mishra, General Secretary, AIRF and D.N. Chapke, President, AISCCON had come by flight from New Delhi and Bombay respectively only to attend our AGM.  We are very much thankful for their gesture towards BPS and pensioners.  S/Sri J. Sridharan of AIFPA, Chennai and Sukumaran, Varadarajan of NFRP, Palghat, Prakash Yende, General Secretary of EPS 95 Pensioners Association attended the AGM as representatives of their respective organizations. S/Sri K. Chandra Prakash Rao and R.L.N. Ratnam, President and General Secretary respectively of AP State Government Retired Employees Association attended the meeting and sat through the proceedings from beginning to the end along with some of their members.  S/Sri Reddy and V. Nageswara Rao, President and General Secretary of APSCON and Sri Ch. Sankara Rao, General Secretary of SCRMU were also kind enough to attend the meeting and extend their support to BPS as well as to the cause of pensioners.  The meeting unanimously decided to hold a Mass Dharna of pensioners on 24.2.2014 from 10 a.m., to 3 p.m., at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi and present a memorandum on the charter of demands to the Prime Minister of India.  Apart from dignitaries, a number of delegates addressed the meeting highlighting various issues of pensioners and senior citizens in the country.  A good number of senior pensioners above 80 years of age were honored on the occasion under Platinum-Age Brotherhood programme.  Donors who gave donations of Rs.3000/- and more to the above meeting were also honored with garlands and shawls.  The meeting unanimously adopted the Secretary General’s report along with balance sheet for the year 2012 – 2013.  The draft resolutions circulated earlier were passed in the afternoon session after due discussion and alterations/additions.  Sri P.S. Venkata Raman, President, AIRROA addressed the meeting in its afternoon session. 

A cheque for Rs.1,00,001/- was presented to the Secretary General towards BPS corpus fund by Sri D. Prabhakar Rao, Hon Chairman, Reception Committee on behalf of Central and State government pensioners of AP.  Sri R.N. Tripathi, Working President, BPS in his concluding remarks expressed his great pleasure at and surprise over the grand success of 58^th AGM.  The meeting ended with rendering of national anthem.

The following demands, among others, in the resolutions passed:

1.      50% DR merger w.e.f., 1.1.2011 to central government pensioners.

2.      Interim relief pending submission of report by VII CPC.

3.      Implementation of VII CPC’s recommendations w.e.f., 1.1.2011 to ensure revision once in 5 years.

4.      Extension of same fitment benefit w.e.f., 1.1.2006 to pre-1.1.2006 pensioners as given to employees to ensure full parity.

5.      Implementation of modified parity w.e.f., 1.1.2006 and payment of arrears thereof.

6.      Extension of all new benefits of VI CPC to past pensioners w.e.f., 1.1.2006.

7.      Raising rates of pension and family pension.

8.      Revision of ex-gratia rates of pre 1986 CPF/SRPF© retirees and their families retrospectively w.e.f., 1.1.2006.

9.      Additional quantum of pension from 65 years of age onwards.

10.  Grant of house rent allowance, transport allowance and festival advance to pensioners and family pensioners and children’s educational allowance and hostel subsidy to their children.

11.  Funeral grant on death of pensioner and family pensioner.

12.  Raising of FMA to Rs.2000/- per month and removal of distance restrictions.

13.  Early implementation of Smart Card facility to RELHS members and their families.

14.  Extension of CS(MA) rules, 1944 to C.G. pensioners residing outside CGHS areas.

15.  CSD canteen facility to Defence Civilian Pensioners.

16.  Ex-gratia once a year to all pensioners and family pensioners to meet their social obligations.

The proceedings as well as pictures of the conference may be viewed on BPS’s website (www.bharatpensioner.org)

Though the government of India have announced its decision to appoint VII CPC, neither the panel has been constituted as yet nor were the terms of reference spelt out.  Issues such as 50% DA/DR merger w.e.f., 1.1.2011, extension of full parity to pre 1.1.2006 pensioners and family pensioners, implementation of CAT Principal Bench’s  Order for implementation of modified parity w.e.f., 1.1.2006 with payment  arrears thereof, raising of FMA, revision of ex-gratia rates of pre 86 CPF/SRPF© beneficiaries and their families w.e.f., 1.1.2006, extension of VI CPC new benefits such as full pension for 20 years service etc., are still  pending settlement and they cannot be swept under the carpet on the pretext of appointing VII CPC.  Similarly the question of granting suitable interim relief assumes urgency.  Further, wage and pension revision should also take place for central government employees and pensioners once in 5 years as in state governments and PSUs etc.  There is absolutely no rationale or justification for revision once in 10 years especially after 50% DR merger benefit is not granted.

We have to march forward under the banner of Bharat Pensioners Samaj to achieve all our out-standing demands.  We have to make the Mass Dharna on 24.2.2014 at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi a great success.  It is time for all central government pensioners, nay all pensioners, to rally behind Bharat pensioners Samaj for a better and more progressive dispensation so that pensioners and their families live in reasonable comfort free from undeserving want and anxiety.

Our Forum will celebrate ’Pensioners Day’ on 17.12.2013 at a meeting in the premises of municipal community hall, Madhusudan Nagar, Malkajgiri, Hyderabad from 10 a.m.  All pensioners are requested to join the meeting in good number and make it a success.

So far Smart Cards have not been issued to RELHS members in several railway zones. 
Also good number of pre 2006 pensioners and family pensioners have to still receive revised PPOs as per VI CPC.  There are abnormal and unjustified delays in several railway divisions in processing of applications for grant of secondary family pension in favour of eligible dependent unmarried, widowed and divorced daughters, parents and disabled siblings.  All these issues are being taken up by Bharat Pensioners Samaj in the ensuing SCOVA meeting in February 2014.

We are glad to inform that the Railway Pensioners Welfare Association/Guntur, affiliated to BPS, has been allotted a railway quarter near Guntur railway station for running their office.  This, will no doubt, go a long way in this association serving the pensioners and family pensioners of Guntur Division more effectively.

DR for pensioners

	May-13	June-13	July-13	Aug-13	Sept-13	Oct - 13
Percentage increase over 1.1.2006	88.97	90.62	92.28	93.94	95.59	97.32

80% to 90% i.e., increase w.e.f., July, 2013

Dearness Relief w.e.f., 1.7.2013 to CPF/SRPF© beneficiaries and their families getting ex-gratia:

CPF/SRPF© beneficiaries   …. 183%

Families & Children           ….. 175%

Booking of Retiring Rooms in railways through IRCTC website:  Please go through Railway Board’s letter No.2009/TGIV/15/RR/1 Commercial Circular No.42 of 2013 dated 6.6.2013(available on pages 17 & 18 of Bharat Pensioner, November 2013 issue) 

We very much regret to report the death of P.V. Kurulkar, former Secretary, All India Retired Railway Officers Association.  Late Kurulkar had selflessly worked for years for the cause of pensioners.  He addressed a number of our meetings.  He was also regularly attending our monthly meetings in the last few months.  We pay our respectful homage to the departed soul.

We also condole with the death of Nelson Mandela, former President of South Africa and an anti-apartheid icon.  He was a man of peace and also an inspirational figure.  He was conferred Nobel Peace prize and Bharat Ratna.

Office: H.No. 12-11-1411, Boudhanagar, Secunderabad – 500 061,

In Ph. No. 040-27078848, Cell No. 9949052609