Secretary General’s Report to 60th BPS AGM to be held on 29.11.2015 at Amritsar

Secretary General’s Report to 60th BPS AGM to be held  on 29.11.2015 at

Amritsar

Respected  Chief guest ,Delegates, Dignitaries & Sr Comrades ,

 The period between 59tth  to this 60th AGM has been very eventful, BPS  gained new heights  and support . In short during the past three yrs BPS could achieve what it could not in past 57 years .  Thanks to digitalization, internet & Social media not only that BPS has reached every nook & corner of the country, it has reached 33 countries internationally . In an historical event BPS was short listed by 7th CPC to represent C.G. Pensioners in the final round table discussion/ evidence on 17.02.2015. It was perhaps the first time in the history of pay commissions that a pensioners Federation  was invited twice to give presentation &to tender evidence, BPS could discuss with 7th CPC & forcefully represent pensioners burning issues such as bringing down minimum-maximum ratio, 100% parity ,Pension to be 2/3rd of last drawn, adequate hassle free medical facilities to all pensioners with smart card  for cashless treatment in emergencies etc etc  BPS continues to be a  a member of Advisory Committee for Web-based Pensioners Portal,  Govt. of India. It also continues to be one of the identified Pensioners organization of GOI . BPS continued to be involved  in social welfare activities for the good of the Civil Society. BPS Vice president (WZ) Com. J.N.Rao once again carried BPS greeting to Japanese counterparts and represented at International  Seminar on Space and Peace - Space for Peace from 29th July to 2nd August at Kyoto, wherein he submitted two papers relating to 'Weaponisation of Space - where India stands?' and 'Global Military Bases. In 2013 BPS had succeeded in getting OM dated 28.1.2013 regarding 6th CPC modified parity wef 24.9.2012 even when the case was subjudice. In July 2015 after a long struggle BPS succeeded in getting the benefit extended wef 1.1.2006 BPS could also get benefit of CSD canteen to defence civilian pensioners& CGHS facilities to KVS pensioners. After years of struggle Rly Bd had agreed to issue Smart cards to RELHS beneficiaries though orders issued on 18.7.2012 has not been implemented so far. However, due to BPS pressure through Social media  Rly Bd  has now constituted a committee on 11.9.2015 for implementation of Smart card facility to RELHS beneficiaries and have delegated powers to GMs to enter into MOU with CGHS empanelled hospitals. Similarly we are constantly pursuing with DOP&PW to improve Grievance redressal mechanism CPENGRAMS so that grievances are not closed on flimsy grounds. BPS once again donated Rs one lac for the assistance of earthquake victims. However, if you ask me to quote one good achievement then I will quote the case of a Dalit Tribal widow whose name was not existing in the PPO of her late husband. BPS could  get family pension sanctioned to this poor lady 3 yrs after the death of her husband. Bharat Pensioners Samaj today stands accepted as the largest pensioner’s body in the country & is held in high esteem by Pensioners as well as by the administration. Not only that we have been seeking Govt. support in deficient areas but  have been actively involved in the Welfare of the Civil society.  BPS campaign for Organ & body donation through its affiliates NFRPA Guwahati , S.E.C.Rly Pensioners Association Nagpur, RPWA Saharanpur, Govt pensioners associations  Muzaffar Nagar and Saharanpur  is catching up with  good response.  BPS is a participant in the activities of All India Peace & Solidarity Organization through its Vice President (West Zone)Sh. J.N.Rao..

S G BPS and other office bearers have been  moving  over the length & breadth of the country to connect  with stake holders, MOU partners, well wishers & supporters. BPS Balance Sheet for the financial year 2014-15 has been the highest ever. BPS in its own office which can be viewed live online, has 4 computers with operators and video conferencing facility.   BPS today  has an audience of well  over 17lac on Social media. It also has facility of sending  mass SMS & Mass email. BPS today within minutes can share information with its affiliates, associates, MOU partners & members in every corner of country & internationally. BPS monthly magazine ‘Bharat Pensioner’ circulation has been rising,  its E. Edition is also being published simultaneously which has a circulation of around 64000 (soft copies) every month. There have been hassles & complaints in delivery of hard copies of monthly Journal. Secy. PR Sh K.L.Malhotra is now regularly monitoring & removing glitches and we are sure to  improve its delivery shortly..

BPS 3C action plan 'communicate, coordinate and consolidate' is now catching-up with MOU partners & sister organizations. On popular suggestions & feed back 4th 'C' has been added to it i.e. 'Contribute' : Let every superannuated person contribute  wisdom, thoughts ,ideas, efforts, knowledge, experience  and whatever she/he can conveniently afford including money to the common cause  to make 3C “ROAD MAP” a success. BPS has recently launched Pilot project-'Pensioners own media' through which it is trying to make available publications of pensioners organizations on one Platform.

Besides adoption of modern methods and digital technology, BPS continue time-tested conventional system to remain connected with grass-root levels.

  During the past three years  we have been moving ahead   making amends, improvements and weaving a network for better wkg which has resulted in heavy gains for the organizations. Bharat Pensioners Samaj is a Federation of Pensioners Associations as such emphasis is to give   more  representation in BPS MC to affiliated Associations covering different departments  and  regions of the country especially to induct  computer/internet savvy  representative of affiliates. BPS is committed to this policy & will continue its efforts in this direction.

VP (SZ)  Somashekhar RaoVP(WZ), J.N.Rao,VP (NE), Yaikul Singh, Secretary (Railways)  Bimalandu Chakraborty,  Onkar Singh Secy.(Defence civilians),Secy. (BSNL/PSU) D.D. Ministry, Secy (Postal & othrs)  M. Chandramowli ,Secy. (States)  RLN Ratnam, Secy (EPS 95)  Prakash yende, Editor M M Kapur & Treasurer Sh. Rameshwar Kumar have been doing very good job. Managing committee members S.M.Kanjilal & K.B.Krshna Rao are now SCOVA members.

      Country is moving fast with digital technology & paperless working. For survival we will have to keep pace with changing scenario. Change is law of nature, leaders  need to be visionary & amenable to change. We will be failing in our duty if we do not strive to bring in younger blood equipped with modern technology & nurture next line of leadership to match  changing digital scenario. There is urgent need to handover the organization to a new computer/internet savvy younger persons capable of taking the organization forward, meeting the rising aspirations of our affiliates & members at least by 2017’.  

Ladies & gentlemen : Success, Name & Fame do not come alone, certain evils too creep in along-with.  Unfortunately wrong feeling start inculcating giving rise to takeover aspirations. There may also be attempts to takeover through unconstitutional methods. Thus we have to jealously guard against  destructive mindsets.

The Vision ahead

After going over the length & breadth of the country & interacting with different organizations, I realize that less than20% of pensioners have joined one or the other organization out of which not even1% are active participants. Most of the affiliated organizations have not developed 2nd line of leadership & running the risk of going down the drain. Due  to low fitness,  immobility & old age disabilities, at National level we are not in a position to gather few thousand civil pensioners for protest march etc. At local level also this strength gets limited to few hundred only.

It is, therefore, suggested that   each one of the pensioners’ organization  launch membership campaign to persuade more & more pensioners to join hands, more & more pensioners should be encouraged to join  social media sites to shatter the misconception& group wise division  and the wrong perception being created against pensioners by misinformed media & economists. Every organization should strive to develop internet savvy 2nd line of leadership. At National level it is suggested that BPS may support revival of BCPC  to provide a common platform to all Federations and National/state/district level pensioners organizations to come together. Additionally as a long term measure all pensioners organizations are requested to consider adoption of 4 "C" formula i.e. Communicate coordinate, consolidate & contribute.

In the days ahead, BPS with  like-minded organizations, should play a big role in forging unity amongst all superannuated persons  and in consolidating Elderly Vote Bank through  4 C action plan as a long term solution.It is satisfying that  Honourable MOS (PP) Dr Jitendra Singh ji has realised that pensioners are retired but not tired. We will emphasize that his press release dated 21.09.2015  be given practical shape in a time bound manner.

A.

                                   Jai hind

                                       S.C.Maheshwari , S.G.   Bharat Pensioners Samaj