Monthly Bulletin CGPF (AP)
CENTRAL GOVERNMENT
PENSIONERS’ FORUM, ANDHRA PRADESH
D. PrabhakarRao M. SomasekharRao Sk. Mahboob
President
General Secretary Treasurer
9490313416
9949052609 9441278709
MONTHLY
BULLETIN – OCTOBER 2013
DA/DR w.e.f., 1.7.2013: The Government
of India have issued orders vide their OM F. No. 42/13/2012 – P&PW(G) dated
3.10.2013 sanctioning additional installment of DA/DR w.e.f., 1.7.2013. With this, the DA/DR goes up to 90%. All the Pension Disbursing Banks are expected
to draw the arrears of DR before the end of this week. (A copy of the letter is
enclosed for information)
Modified Parity Case: The contempt
petition had come up before Principal Bench/CAT/New Delhi on 10.10.2013. Government counsel had submitted that SLPs in
three other cases were coming up before Supreme Court on 1.11.2013. The case was adjourned to 27.11.2013.
50% DA/DR merger and appointment
of VII CPC:
The V CPC recommended 50% DA/DR merger
with basic pay/pension when they reached 50% and pay further DA/DR on such
consolidated basic pay/pension. This
recommendation of V CPC was implemented w.e.f, 1.4.2004. However, this time, the Government refused to
grant this benefit when DA/DR crossed 50% on the specious plea that the VI CPC
recommended against the above. DA/DR reached
50% as on 1.1.2011.
When the Government of India had to
address the above issue, they came forward with the announcement of their
decision to appoint VII CPC. Apparently,
they took the decision to skirt the issue of 50% DA/DR merger w.e.f.,
1.1.2011. While we welcome the above
decision of the government, nevertheless, there can be no compromise on our
demand for 50% DR merger w.e.f., 1.1.2011.
It may be noted, that the V CPC made the above recommendation with a
view to ensuring mid-revision for central employees and pensioners when DA/DR
reached 50% as wage and pension revision for them was done once in 10 years
whereas several State Governments in the country revised the salaries and
pensions of their employees and pensioners once in 5 years. Also in several Public Sector Undertakings,
wage revision is done once in 4 years through wage agreements. The VI CPC had ignored the very spirit of V
CPC recommendation in the above regard..
The VI CPC had also singularly failed to recommend an alternative
benefit to 50% DA/DR merger. It is nothing but utter lack of their concern for
the welfare of employees as well as pensioners. The Government, who owe a
responsibility for the welfare and well being of their employees and
pensioners, should announce 50% DA/DR
merger or an equivalent benefit
thereto at the earliest notwithstanding their decision to appoint VII CPC.
Similarly, the Government will do well in enhancing the Fixed Medical Allowance
(FMA) to pensioners to Rs.1200/- per month retrospectively w.e.f., 1.1.2011
considering the hardship being faced by them due to the steep increase in cost
of consultation charges as well as medicines.
There is also steep increase in the cost of transportation which factor
has also to be taken into consideration while raising FMA. According to their own admission, Government
have been incurring per capita expenditure of nearly Rs.2000/- on OPD treatment
of pensioners under CGHS &
RELHS. As such, why they drag their feet
in enhancing FMA at least to Rs.1200/-?
We therefore demand that the
Government take a decision in the matter without linking it to the appointment
of VII CPC. This issue has been hanging
fire for quite a long time now exposing the pensioners to undue hardship. FMA remained constant as Rs.300/- per month
right from 1.9.2008 onwards.
Further 10 years is too long a period
for wage and pension revision especially in the context of fast growth of our
economy under five year plans. The
earlier Pay Commissions also recommended setting up of a permanent mechanism for
revision of salaries and pensions on annual basis. As such, it is essential that we break the
cycle of revision once in 10 years and fight for revision at least once in
every 5 years. This is the major task
now before the central government employees and pensioners. The 58th
AGM & Conference of BPS at Secunderabad on 17.11.2013 will explore ways and
means to achieve this demand in coordination with all like-minded
organizations.
We have other outstanding demands such
as full parity, raising the rates of
pension and family pension, additional pension for service above 20 years,
restoration of commuted pension after 12 years, house rent and transport
allowances to pensioners, Children’s Educational Allowance and Hostel subsidy
to their eligible children, festival advance, funeral grant, ex-gratia, smart
card facility to RELHS members, full reimbursement of expenses incurred for
treatment in private recognized hospitals, extension of CS(MA) rules to
pensioners residing in non-CGHS areas, CSD canteen facility to defence civilian
pensioners, FMA & RELHS membership to secondary family pensioners, FMA to SRPF © beneficiaries and their
families, extension of RELHS facility to minor children of dependent widowed
and divorced daughters as in the case of CGHS beneficiaries, ex-gratia in lieu
of PLB to railway pensioners and family
pensioners, liberalization of retirement complimentary and widow pass rules,
reorganization of SCOVA on JCM pattern, monitoring mechanism for expeditious
disposal of pensioners’ grievances, railway accommodation to run their offices
to all Railway Pensioners’ Associations affiliated to BPS etc.
The BPS’ 58th AGM at
Secunderabad on 17.11.2013 will not only consider all the above and other
relevant issues but also chalk out an
action programme for their achievement.
Several sister Pensioners Federations
and Pensioners’ Associations have been invited to the above AGM. BPS will endeavor to forge a broad-based
coordination with them for united action in the days to come so that we get
full justice at the hands of VII CPC as well as from government of India. We, therefore, appeal to all our members and
Central Government Pensioners at large to extend their full support and
cooperation in the above AGM & Conference and make it a grand success.
We have been receiving overwhelming
response to our appeal for donations and we are very grateful to all the
donors. As we will be publishing in our
souvenir the color photos of those
giving a donation of Rs.1000/- and above, we request all such donors to send
their latest pass port size color photo positively before 20.10.2013, if not
already sent.
Enhancement of amount of
ex-gratia payable to dependent family members of the deceased pre-1986 SRPF©
employees/retirees:
‘The President is pleased to enhance the
ex-gratia amount being paid to the widows and dependent children of the deceased
SRPF© employees/retirees from Rs 605 to Rs.645 per month w.e.f., 4.6.2013. They shall also be entitled to dearness
ex-gratia equal to 50% of the enhanced amount of ex-gratia and Dearness Relief
as notified from time to time, on the sums of enhanced amounts of ex-gratia and
dearness ex-gratia’.
(Railway Board’s letter No.
F(E)III/2008/PN1/Ex.Gr./2, RBE No. 75/2013, dt. 31.7.2013)
Office: H.No.
12-11-1411, Boudhanagar, Secunderabad – 500 061,
Ph. 040-27078848, Cell 9949052609
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