Following is the copy of the letter written by BDPA to the Hon'ble Minister for MOC & IT.
Web: www.bdpa.in
No: BDPA/GUJ/Pen Dated: May 6th, 2010.
To
Shri Thiru: A. Raja,
Minister Communication & IT,
Govt. of India, Electronics Niketan,
6, C.G.O. Complex,
NEW DELHI 110 003
Sub:- Revision/ consolidation of Pension in IDA scale for the erstwhile DOT Employees retiring as BSNL Pensioners during the period from 01/10/2000 to 31/12/2006
Respected Sir,
1. We are glad to know and note that as per promise given to JAC on 20.04.2010, you have taken personal interest and paying special attention caused clearance of 2nd Wage Revision for BSNL Non-Executive Employees. We convey our sincere thanks to you for your noble act.
2. We remember that in the said meeting, JAC was promised that an issue of revising pension of pre 01.01.2007 BSNL Pensioners will be taken care and cleared within three months.
3. We enclose herewith a copy of our letter No: BDPA/Guj/Pen dated 15.03.2010 addressed to Shri P.J. Thomas, Secretary DoT, on the captioned subject.
4. We were happy to have your assurance and had sigh of satisfaction that at last our genuine grievance has been reached before you and being convinced of injustice to the BSNL Pensioners, you were kind enough to assure the positive settlement within three months.
5. We are agonized and deeply hurt to have inkling that notwithstanding your solemn assurance and positive approach, the Cabinet Note is reportedly prepared on wrong footing as it proposes approval for 30% weightage on basic pension alone to the BSNL Pensioners retiring before 01/01/2007. This proposal violates the principles of natural justice and it is highly discriminatory and unjust because the serving employees in BSNL were accorded 50% IDA Merger with effect from 1.1.2007, which was denied to BSNL Pensioners on the plea that this problem shall be sorted out along with Pension Revision. Further the Serving employees in BSNL were accorded 30% weightage on Basic Pay plus Industrial DA as on 1.1.2007 to work out their revised pay package. Pension Revision of BSNL Pensioners should follow the same pattern and be consistent with DPE guidelines on Pay Revision based on which IDA scales in BSNL have been revised.
6. We firmly desire and hope that in order to administer justice to pensioners, your honour will ensure that Pension Revision in BSNL is carried out in a manner similar to that of working employees in BSNL with identical weightage given to pensioners as given to the serving Employees as per the practice followed by the two Ministries i.e. Ministry of Transport and Ministry of Food in respect of IDA Pensioners under their control i.e. Port and Dock Pensioners and Pensioners retiring from Food Corporation of India.
7. We wish and propose for BSNL Pensioners Pension Revision on IDA pattern and submit before you to kindly take note of following issues while framing Cabinet Note.
(a) Current Status of IDA Pension Revision for CPSUs/ CABs under the control of Ministries of Communication, Ministry of Food and Ministry of transport.
(b) Fifty percent IDA Merger for all BSNL Employees w.e.f. 01/01/2007 was implemented by DOT and BSNL in May 2008 vide order dated 29/5/2008 issued by BSNL. Revision of IDA scales for BSNL Executives was carried out by BSNL in May 2009 after due approval by Ministry of Communications. Agreement for revision of IDA scales for non-Executives has recently been approved by BSNL under similar pattern/ fixation formula as given to Executives in May 2009 and the same is awaiting concurrence of DOT for implementation.
(c) The Department of Telecom last year in 2009, shelved the proposal of 50% IDA Merger for BSNL Pensioners retiring before 01.01.2007 on the plea that DOP and DPE did not accord approval to 50% IDA Merger for BSNL Pensioners and further decided that the issue of 50% IDA Merger shall get resolved automatically along with Pension Revision in IDA scale in the near future.
(d) DOT is reportedly further unable to carry out Pension Revision in IDA Scale for all the Ex-DOT Employees absorbed in BSNL and retired as BSNL Pensioners between 01.10.2000 to 31.12.2006 because no Rules/ Instructions are available/ or have been framed so far for revision of Pension under IDA Scale. In fact, this is the first case of revision of pension after formation of BSNL w.e.f. 01.10.2000. Under these circumstances either DOT has to follow the precedent set by Ministries of Transport and Ministries of Food for IDA Merger/ IDA Pension Revision in CPSUs/ CABs under their control or else Rules/ Instructions need to be framed afresh for BSNL Pensioners and be approved by Union Cabinet through a Cabinet Memo to enable the Pension Revision in IDA Scale.
(e) The authorities in DOT were apprised of the fact that approval for 50% IDA Merger for Pensioners retiring before 01.01.007 has already been granted by Ministry of Transport for the Pensioners of Port Trust and Dock Workers w.e.f. 1.1.2007 vide Memo no.A-29018/4/2008-P.E.I dated 5/11/2008. It has also been pointed out to DOT that simultaneous Pension Revision with five year Wage Agreement under identical fixation formula has been approved by Ministry of Transport for Port and Dock Workers vide memo no.IPA/BWNC/2009 dated 27.01.2010. But these approvals by Ministry of Transport for 50% IDA Merger and IDA Pension Revision have so far not evoked any positive response from DOT to emulate the same in case of BSNL.
(f) For your perusal and kind knowledge we would like to state that Ministry of Food has revised the Pension of the Employees of Food Corporation of India on IDA scale three times in the year 1987. 1992 and 1997 under the same formula as provided for working Employees. Pension Revision ordered by Ministry of food for IDA Pensioners’ in Food Corporation of India w.e.f. 1.1.1997 was subject to Supreme Court judgment in CA Civil No.238-244 of 2004. Judgment in CA Civil No.238-244 of 2004 was delivered by Hon’ble Supreme Court on 10/2/2010 but it does not nullify or alter the IDA Pension Revision carried out by Ministry of Food for FCI Pensioners w.e.f. 1.1.1997.
(g) To prove and strengthen our say we would like to write that Orders for Fourth revision of pay on IDA scales for Executives in FCI with effect from 01/01/2007 have been issued vide Memo.No.WRC/1/1//007/ Vol.III dated 18.9.2009 based on the formula given by DPE i.e. Old Basic Pay on IDA scale on 1/1/2007 * 178.2 plus 30% weightage on the same. Agreement for Fourth revision of pay on IDA scales for Non-Executives in FCI with effect from 01/01/2007 has been signed and approved by Ministry of Food vide Circular no.WR-09-2010-06 vide Memo No.WRC/1/2/2009 dated 09/04/2010 based on the formula given by DPE i.e. Old Basic Pay on IDA scale on 1/1/2007 * 178.2 plus 30% weightage on the same.
We are informed by the FCI Pensioners Association that Pension Revision on IDA scale w.e.f. 1/1/2007 for past FCI Pensioners as per the formula given by DPE for working employees is already under process and shall be carried out by the Ministry of Food within a period of one month or so.
(h) DOT’s earlier Proposal for granting CDA Pension based on DOP Memo No.4/14/2001-P&PW (D) dated 19/09/2003 was abandoned by DOT because of strong opposition of DOP, change in stand of ITSA towards CDA Pension and opposition from BSNL Unions / Associations who realized the loss to be incurred by the Employees in case of CDA Pension.
NOW IN LIGHT OF WHAT WE EXLAINED ABOVE, WE SUGGEST AND DEMAND PENSION REVISION ON IDA AS UNDER:
That the DOT’s Current Proposal for granting IDA Pension revision w.e.f. 01.01.2007 based on hypothetical and arbitrary interpretation of sixth pay commission recommendations may be done away with immediately.
We propose that the formula which is applied for working Executive/Non Executive Employees for their Pension should be made equally applicable to all pre 01.01.2007 Pensioners without any discrimination.
And accordingly, as we propose that the revised proposal for IDA Pension revision, to be incorporated in the Cabinet Memo should be as follows:
Revised IDA Pension on 1/1/2007 = Existing IDA Basic Pension + 78.2% IDA on Existing Basic Pension + 30% weightage on Existing Basic Pension
Thus Revised IDA Pension as per latest reported proposal to be moved through Cabinet Memo = Existing IDA Basic Pension on 1/1/2007 * 1.988
All BSNL Employees retiring after 1/1/2007 were given 50% IDA Merger and 18.8% IDA on their (Basic Pension + Dearness Pension). Their revised Pension w.e.f. 1/1/2007 amounted to Existing IDA Basic Pension + 78.2% IDA on Basic Pension + 30% of (Existing IDA Basic Pension + 78.2% IDA on Existing Basic Pension.)
Thus for BSNL retirees after 1/1/2007 their revised Pension as per existing BSNL formula = Existing Basic IDA Pension * 1.68 *1.3 = Existing Basic IDA Pension * 2.184
As per formula given by DPE, the BSNL retirees after 1/1/2007 their revised Pension should be = Existing Basic IDA Pension * 1.78 *1.3 = Existing Basic IDA Pension * 2.314
In view of above submissions, we request you to kindly look into the matter and adopt the fitment formula given by DPE for revision of IDA pay of CPSU Employees and make it applicable for revision of IDA Pension for BSNL Pensioners retiring between 1/10/2000 to 31/12/2006 as has been done in the case of serving BSNL employees as detailed below:-
Revised Pension as per existing approved BSNL fitment formula = Existing Basic IDA Pension * 1.68 *1.3 = Existing Basic IDA Pension * 2.184
Though as per formula given by DPE, the BSNL retirees revised Pension should be = Existing Basic IDA Pension * 1.78 *1.3 = Existing Basic IDA Pension * 2.314
The issue of 50% IDA Merger w.e.f. 1/1/2007 also needs to be resolved along with IDA Pension Revision as promised earlier by the Ministry of Communications.
Thanking you.
(D.D. MISTRY)
General Secretary Encl: As stated.
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