Mr.C.H.Venkatachalam, General Secretary of AIBEA has written a letter to or FM,on important issues pertaining to retirees:
Same is reproduced here below for the information
AIBEA/GS/ 2011/52
25th May, 2011
To
Shri. Pranab Mukherjee,
Hon’ble Minister for Finance,
Government of India,
North Block,
New Delhi
Dear Sir,
Reg : Grievances of Bank Retires
The All India Bank Retirees Federation and United Forum of Bank Retirees Organisation have been representing to the Government and Indian Banks Association to redress some of their genuine grievances and demands but with no effect so far. You are well aware that the Pension Scheme evolved and introduced in the Banks is exactly on the lines of Central Government Pension Scheme and hence some of the improvements that have been incorporated in the Government Pension Scheme consequent to the 6th Pay Commission need to be extended to the bank retirees also. The recent extension of one more option to join the Pension Scheme has brought great relief to number of retired employees and officers who are today covered by the Pension Scheme and we are thankful to the Government for the same.
But the following issues of the bank retirees deserve the special attention of the Government and your sympathetic consideration.
1. For the Government employees, on occasions of salary revision, pension revision is also given and accordingly their pension is updated. But in the case of bank retirees, the Pension remains static as sanctioned at the time of their retirement and does not undergo any change thereafter. The periodical updation of pension along with salary revision of in-service employees is very genuine and fair expectation, especially when the same is available to the Government
employees.
2. Since their pension is fixed based on their pay at the time of their retirement, there are currently 5 different price index (600,1148, 1684, 2288 & 2836) on which DA is paid to the retirees depending upon their period of retirement i.e. 1-1-86 to 31-10-92, 1-11-92 to 31-3-98, 1-4-98 to 31-10-2002, 1-11-2002 to 31-10-2007 and from 1-11-2007 onwards. Their pension needs to be adjusted and upgraded to a common price index by merging the DA upto that level . This will bring in uniformity of indexing the Pension of the retirees.
3. In payment of DA, after introduction of 100% neutralization against price rise from 1.11-2002, those who have retired after this date are being given 100% neutralization for price rise while the past retirees continue to be paid DA on a tapering basis with 4 slab formula of the
earlier system. There is a genuine need to extend 100% DA
neutralization to all the retirees atleast from a prospective date.
4. While the in-service employees get DA variation on quarterly basis, for retirees, DA on Pension is paid on half yearly basis. This needs to be changed to quarterly basis for retirees also.
5. Under the 6th Pay Commission Report, there are improvements in the rate of pension for very aged senior citizens, in the commutation of pension, eligibility service to get full pension, etc for the Government pensioners and these need to be extended to the bank retirees too.
6. It is also experienced that the quantum of Family Pension is very inadequate and this requires a sympathetic approach from the Government to revise the same suitably.
7. Since the Pension Scheme was introduced in the Banks from 1.1.1986, the pre-1986 retirees are being given a Ex Gratia of Rs.300 per month + DA and their widows are being paid a fixed lumpsum Ex Gratia of Rs.1000 per month. These pre-1986 retirees are aged 85 years and above and are very few in number, may be around 6000 persons in the entire banking sector. Considering their age, ill-health, etc. the Government should kindly increase the Ex Gratia amount.
8. There are number of grievances of the retirees at the Bank Level regarding delay in sanction of Pension, delay in disbursements, etc. and hence Government / IBA should give proper guidelines to all Banks to put in place a regulated mechanism to redress these grievances. This will help in avoiding / reducing litigations, etc. on the part of the retirees.
9. Government has already advised the Banks to set apart a portion of the amount allocated for Staff Welfare from the Net Profit of the Banks towards benefiting the retirees. Still it is not being implemented properly. Hence Government may consider advising the Banks to set apart an uniform percentage of funds from out of the profits towards Welfare Schemes for the retirees.
10. The in-service employees are entitled to reimbursement of medical expenses on occasions of hospitalisation but after retirement, the retirees are not covered by such facilities. In the context of ever increasing cost of medical treatment, retirees become extremely vulnerable when they fall ill and hence some uniform medical expenses reimbursement scheme needs to be made available to them.
These are some of the important grievances and demands of the bank retirees. We request you to take a positive view of their grievances and advise necessary steps to be taken by the Government / IBA in this regard.
Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,
C.H.VENKATACHALAM
GENERAL SECRETARY
Copy to :-
Chairman,
Indian Banks Association,
Mumbai.
The letter does not cover plight of pension option to VRS retirees of PF optees and of Resigned staff. PRESUMABLY, THE matter is subjudice and hence possible exclusion. Lets hope good things happen to all.
Same is reproduced here below for the information
AIBEA/GS/ 2011/52
25th May, 2011
To
Shri. Pranab Mukherjee,
Hon’ble Minister for Finance,
Government of India,
North Block,
New Delhi
Dear Sir,
Reg : Grievances of Bank Retires
The All India Bank Retirees Federation and United Forum of Bank Retirees Organisation have been representing to the Government and Indian Banks Association to redress some of their genuine grievances and demands but with no effect so far. You are well aware that the Pension Scheme evolved and introduced in the Banks is exactly on the lines of Central Government Pension Scheme and hence some of the improvements that have been incorporated in the Government Pension Scheme consequent to the 6th Pay Commission need to be extended to the bank retirees also. The recent extension of one more option to join the Pension Scheme has brought great relief to number of retired employees and officers who are today covered by the Pension Scheme and we are thankful to the Government for the same.
But the following issues of the bank retirees deserve the special attention of the Government and your sympathetic consideration.
1. For the Government employees, on occasions of salary revision, pension revision is also given and accordingly their pension is updated. But in the case of bank retirees, the Pension remains static as sanctioned at the time of their retirement and does not undergo any change thereafter. The periodical updation of pension along with salary revision of in-service employees is very genuine and fair expectation, especially when the same is available to the Government
employees.
2. Since their pension is fixed based on their pay at the time of their retirement, there are currently 5 different price index (600,1148, 1684, 2288 & 2836) on which DA is paid to the retirees depending upon their period of retirement i.e. 1-1-86 to 31-10-92, 1-11-92 to 31-3-98, 1-4-98 to 31-10-2002, 1-11-2002 to 31-10-2007 and from 1-11-2007 onwards. Their pension needs to be adjusted and upgraded to a common price index by merging the DA upto that level . This will bring in uniformity of indexing the Pension of the retirees.
3. In payment of DA, after introduction of 100% neutralization against price rise from 1.11-2002, those who have retired after this date are being given 100% neutralization for price rise while the past retirees continue to be paid DA on a tapering basis with 4 slab formula of the
earlier system. There is a genuine need to extend 100% DA
neutralization to all the retirees atleast from a prospective date.
4. While the in-service employees get DA variation on quarterly basis, for retirees, DA on Pension is paid on half yearly basis. This needs to be changed to quarterly basis for retirees also.
5. Under the 6th Pay Commission Report, there are improvements in the rate of pension for very aged senior citizens, in the commutation of pension, eligibility service to get full pension, etc for the Government pensioners and these need to be extended to the bank retirees too.
6. It is also experienced that the quantum of Family Pension is very inadequate and this requires a sympathetic approach from the Government to revise the same suitably.
7. Since the Pension Scheme was introduced in the Banks from 1.1.1986, the pre-1986 retirees are being given a Ex Gratia of Rs.300 per month + DA and their widows are being paid a fixed lumpsum Ex Gratia of Rs.1000 per month. These pre-1986 retirees are aged 85 years and above and are very few in number, may be around 6000 persons in the entire banking sector. Considering their age, ill-health, etc. the Government should kindly increase the Ex Gratia amount.
8. There are number of grievances of the retirees at the Bank Level regarding delay in sanction of Pension, delay in disbursements, etc. and hence Government / IBA should give proper guidelines to all Banks to put in place a regulated mechanism to redress these grievances. This will help in avoiding / reducing litigations, etc. on the part of the retirees.
9. Government has already advised the Banks to set apart a portion of the amount allocated for Staff Welfare from the Net Profit of the Banks towards benefiting the retirees. Still it is not being implemented properly. Hence Government may consider advising the Banks to set apart an uniform percentage of funds from out of the profits towards Welfare Schemes for the retirees.
10. The in-service employees are entitled to reimbursement of medical expenses on occasions of hospitalisation but after retirement, the retirees are not covered by such facilities. In the context of ever increasing cost of medical treatment, retirees become extremely vulnerable when they fall ill and hence some uniform medical expenses reimbursement scheme needs to be made available to them.
These are some of the important grievances and demands of the bank retirees. We request you to take a positive view of their grievances and advise necessary steps to be taken by the Government / IBA in this regard.
Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,
C.H.VENKATACHALAM
GENERAL SECRETARY
Copy to :-
Chairman,
Indian Banks Association,
Mumbai.
The letter does not cover plight of pension option to VRS retirees of PF optees and of Resigned staff. PRESUMABLY, THE matter is subjudice and hence possible exclusion. Lets hope good things happen to all.
Source: Shri Mohan V. R. - Chennai .
Bankpensioner google Group Member
