AIBPARC DHARNA AT DELHI A GRAND SUCCESS
BY C
Gangadhar Yadav, General Secretary, SBPRA
Dear comrades,
AIBPARC DHARNA
AT DELHI A GRAND SUCCESS
The Dharna staged by AIBPARC at Jantar Mantar New Delhi was a grand show of
strength and an emphatic statement of determination by the retired, but not
tired, bank workers in an effort to draw attention of public and the powers
that be to their long pending issues. The high lights are many. Prominent among
them are the appearance and address by MPs - Com. Tapan Sen, Shri Prakash
Jayadevkar and Com. Sitaram Yechuri. They agreed that all the 5 demands of
Dharna were genuine and just. They assured support and said they will
take up the issue with Govt. and also in Parliament. The presence of AIBOC
General Secretary Com. Harvinder Singh through out to express solidarity and
support was reassuring and commendable. He assured to continue to pursue
the matter with DFS and IBA. Hats off to Com. S R Sengupta and Com. K V Acharya
for making a real and solid effort by unleashing such a powerful programme
which will surely help in achieving our demands. The mammoth gathering, the
over pervading enthusiasm and the slogans renting the air reminded us of our
active days while in service taking part in agitation programmes. With the
success of Dharna, there can be no room for any despair among the retirees.
Given the organisational ability and resolve of the retirees on
display we are sure it will not be too long to achieve our demands. We
congratulate all the comrades who participated and those who helped in making
the programme a successful and memorable event.
PRESS NOTE RELEASED
BY AIBPARC ON THE EVE OF DHARNA IN NEW DELHI
“1. Introduction
We are a
representative organisation of Pensioners and Retirees of the Banking
Sector. Encouraged by All India Bank Officers’ Confederation (AIBOC), we are an
independent organisation of all the Retirees irrespective of their
hierarchy in the Banking system. We have our affiliates in
Nationalised Banks, RRBs, Private Sector, Cooperative Banks and the Associate
Banks of State Bank of India. As for the Retirees of SBI, they
coordinate their activities with us in best possible manner and they are
participants to the Dharna of 20th September, 2013.
2. Why the Elder Citizens of the Banking Sector are on
streets today ?
The representatives
gathering in the Dharna of 20th September, 2013 are senior citizens with an age
groupvarying between 60 years to 80 years. In other words, most of them joined
the Banks before or immediately after nationalisation of Banks. The fruits of
nationalization were carried to every nook and corner of the country by these
elder citizens. It is they who manned the Bank-branches in villages, jungles,
cities, islands, cosmopolitan centres and where not? In the midst of tremendous
job hazards, in the face of risks and threats, it is these people who took
effective part in amelioration of poverty in the country. Today Bank is an
organisation which translates into practice all economic schemes formulated by
the national government. The elders of the
Banking Industry in
their post-retired life need atleast a civilized reciprocation from the society
and the government.
3.
What are the principal issues with which the Pensioners are confronted with ?
There are lot many
issues on which detailed dialogue with government of India and Indian
Banks Association are necessary but for the sake of brevity, we are mentioning
a few :
A) Non-Revision of
Pension :
When the pay structure of existing employees
of the government is revised through acceptance of recommendations of
each Pay Commission, the pension of the Retired Employees is automatically
upwardly revised. This is done to avoid distortions of pension in between
similarly placed persons. Surprisingly enough, this is not done in Banks. When
pay revisions take place at an interval of 5 years for working employees, the
pension of retirees is not upwardly hiked. As a result, endless distortions
and discriminations take place which are unlawful. To offer an
example, a general manager who retired 10 to 15 years back, is drawing much lesser pension than any of his
junior-most subordinate who retired in subsequent years. In different bilaterally
agreed minutes, there are repeated mentions that such updations will take place
and in Banks Pension Regulations, there is a provision for it. In spite of all
such well documented back-ups the demand is remains unheeded.
B) Non-Revision of Family Pension.
After the death of the pensioner, his living spouse
gets a most insignificant sum of 15% of Basic Pay as Family Pension. In
Banks Pension Regulations, there are repeated mentions that the Regulation is
based on RBI model. In Reserve Bank of India, by amendment of
existing Rules in consultation with government of India, the family
pension has been upwardly revised to 30% of
Basic Pay. The same
system is prevalent in case of government employees. In spite of repeated
demands to RBI and GOI, no effective step has been taken to upwardly revise the
quantum of family pension in Banks.
C) Discrimination in respect of payment of DA.
Although the
Pensioners in the Banking Industry are a homogenous lot, certain artificial
barriers have been created in between them for payment of DA. The Retirees prior
to 01.11.2002 get lesser quantum of compensation because 100% DA neutralization
is not offered to them whereas the Retirees after 01.11.2002 get
a better compensation because they are allowed to have 100% DA neutralisation. This unjustified artificial barrier is
causing unnecessary financial hardships to a substantial chunk
of Retirees.
D) Computation of Pension at 50% of Basic Pay
in State Bank of India and its Associates.
It is a well accepted norm in all organisations
(Central Government, State Government, Nationalised Banks etc.) that 50% of
last 10 months basic pay is treated as the amount of pension on which DA is
calculated. In State Bank of India and its associates, the same
policy is not being followed. We want immediate introduction of it.
E) Improved Medical/Hospitalisation schemes for
the Retirees.
Till today, different Banks are following different
norms. Inadequacy of amount, un-uniformity of benefits and lack of equity
are characterizing this sub-head. We demand uniform and improvised medical allowance/hospitalization schemes.
F) Several other issues of equal importance The Retirees of the Banking Industry are
also seriously concerned with several other issues of no less importance.
Denial of equity to private sector retirees, denial of option to Pension
to the Resignees who served the Banks for eligible number of years to get
pension, denial of option to pension to persons who got compulsorily retired,
improvement of the quantum of financial exgratia paid to
pre-01.11.1986. Retirees so on and so forth.
4. The Most important question – where shall we
discuss our grievances ?
Although our working brethren who are commonly known
as UFBU have been gracious enough to submit the demands
of the Retirees along with their demands before IBA andMinistry of Finance,
Government of India, the Pensioners of the Banking Industry who sacrificed
their “yesterdays” to secure a better “tomorrow” for the nation, need a
platform of hearing their voice. This most legitimate demand of “Being hard” is
not at all sympathetically attended to. We have made several representations to
IBA and officials of the Ministry of Finance and also Hon’ble Union
Finance Minister to create a forum (be it IBA or the government) which
will hear the rightful voice
of the Retirees in an official manner. The
indifference displayed so far is shockingly unjustified. When the employees
of the government get the proper opportunity
and forum to represent their demands and sentiments, why the same will not be
applicable to Banks? We have approached the leaders of all the central trade
unions and important political leaders belonging to different political
parties. We are grateful for their gesture and each one of them has written to
Hon’ble Union Finance Minister requesting for a relookinto our demands. The
response of the government till today is cool and unresponsive.
5. Purpose of the Dharna
This is a peaceful gathering of the Retirees of the
Banking Sector. The elder citizens have come from different parts of the
country to participate in the Dharna. Through this peaceful display of human
assembly, we like to draw the attention of the society, the government and all
concerned though sympathetic coverage expectedly given by the print and
electronic media. - S. R. SEN
GUPTA, GENERAL SECRETARY.”
With greetings,
Yours comradely
Sd/-
C Gangadhar Yadav
GENERAL SECRETARY
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