Friday, February 24, 2012

Initiativies by Trivandrum based bank pensioners

Our bankpensioner group member Shri K.T. Rajgopalan from Trivandrum has reported some steps that have been taken in the recent past by bank pensioners in Trivandrum.

On 19 July 2011, a day-long dharna was organised at a public place which was addressed by an MP, an MLA, the Mayor, leaders of organisations of serving employees of all cadres in banks, leaders of organisations of retirees in other sectors etc. Thus the problems encountered by bank retirees were brought to the notice of the opinion-makers and the public at large.

A letter to the editor written by Shri C P Velayudhan Nair highlighting the woes of the bank retirees was published in the Mathrubhoomi Daily a month back. A detailed letter to the editor written by Shri R Gopalakrishnan Nair on the subject was published in the Janayugom Daily this week.

A resolution espousing the cause of bank retirees was passed in the area meeting of the Communist Party of India at Bharanicav, which was escalated to the District meeting and then to the State level meeting. The resolution is now ready for being presented before the National meeting scheduled to be held in Patna next month.

Efforts are afoot to move a similar resolution passed at the National meeting of the Communist Party (Marxist) scheduled to be held soon in Calicut.

Letters highlighting the plight of a bank pensioner who retired, say in 2001 with that of a 2011 retiree were sent by individual retirees to the Member of Parliament in his constituency.

Memoranda listing the issues of updation of pension, 100% DA neutralisation and uniform medical facilities were submitted to MPs like Dr Shashi Tharoor and A Sampath from Trivandrum. Members in other centres in Kerala too have taken similar steps and met the MPs from their respective areas.

Learning that a Parliamentary Committee was visiting the city, with the help of the Management and serving officers, an appointment was fixed up with them on the 13th Feb. The opportunity was used meet each of them individually when the issues were explained in detail and a memorandum handed over to each of them. Thus, at least a few MPs from different geographies and subscribing to different ideologies have been briefed.

The MPs from Kerala had been invited by the Chief Minister for a meeting on the 16th Feb. We used the opportunity to call on them and apprise them of our condition. They have agreed to take up our case at the appropriate level.
Efforts continue to project our concerns.

If retirees at other centres can replicate these steps, there would be greater awareness among the policy-makers and opinion-makers which can turn the tide in our favour sooner than costly and laborious litigation.

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