SELECT EXCERPTS FROM MONTHLY HITGUJ, RBREA,MUMBAI HM 15 SEPTEMBER 2015
1)
(Reproduced below is the text of a letter dated 8th September 2015 addressed to Hon'ble
Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitely by Shri L R Parab, Gen. Secretary, RBREA, Mumbai)
"Kindly refer to our detailed letter dated 1st January 2015 and
also first reminder dated 31st March 2015, on the captioned
subject, sent to you by speed post on your office and residential
addresses. Although the period of more than eight months has
elapsed, since our first letter, we have unfortunately not heard
anything from you in the matter. We, therefore, express our
anxiety and send this second reminder, especially after your
decision in OROP matter on 5th September 2015.
Sir, we bring to your kind notice that thousands of pensioners of
RBI have read our above communications to you and are looking
forward for your good gesture to them in the matter of updation of
As an illustrious Finance Minister with legal eminence, you must
have seriously observed the Supreme Court's final verdict on
17th March 2015 in the matter of GOI employees wherein
pension updation has been granted w.e.f. 1st January 2006. You
must have also observed in the latest case of pension to
Lecturers, Librarians and PTIs belonging to State of Rajasthan
that the Supreme Court has ruled in favour of above employees
and said, "It is well known principle that pension is not a bounty.
The benefit is conferred upon employee for his unblemished
career." The Apex Court relied on observations made by
constitution bench in D S Nakara Vs. Union of India, AIR 1983
SC 130: (1983 ) 1 SCC 305: (1983) 1LLJ 104. The issue of
revision / updation of pension is already settled repeatedly by the
courts during the past few decades and also recently. Repeated
cases on the same issues lead to wastage of government funds
and man-hours of Government officials. The pensioners have no
option other than incurring expenditure out of their own funds
unlike the Government officials. The pensioners are subjected to
mental agony and expenditure in their old age and some of them
have died after prolonged illness without having the money to
spend for treatment which is due to them.
Sir, we have also come across your recent interview on television
channel 'ET Now' wherein in you said - "I have my own formula on
what OROP means. Somebody else may have their own formula
on OROP but it has to be within a reasonable and rational criteria.
You can't have an OROP where pensions are revised every
month or every year."
"I have been very vigilant about fiscal prudence. We accept the
principle (of OROP) but let us not create incidence which are
going to set (precedent for) other segments of the society to also
start demanding (the same). "
"You can't create a liability that the future generations will have to
pay. Therefore, on rational criteria OROP, we should certainly be
able to implement."
In this regard we may state that we would be happy with whatever
you grant to our Army pensioners.
As regard our demand of updation / revision of pension we may
reiterate that it has definite rationale and logic based on the
Article 14 of the Constitution of India and the law of the land.
Further, we have got enough quantum of reserves in our pension
fund to cater to our needs and still huge surplus is left, as
employees in the past contributed to superannuation fund at
higher rate than elsewhere in any other public sector
undertaking. Besides, with effect from 1st January 2012, New
Pension Scheme has been introduced in the Reserve Bank of
India and this step has forestalled future increase in the number
of claimants under the old pension scheme.
Incidentally, we may proudly mention that this year RBI has
handed over Rs. 66, 000 crores to GOI out of its profit. What
profit RBI has been transferring every year to GOI has no parallel
in history of India. Certainly, RBI workforce has been
instrumental in generating such profit. On this background ours
is, therefore, most deserving case for revision / updation of
pension.
We may also add that in a newspaper Free Press Journal dated
7th September 2015 a write-up (copy enclosed) has appeared
giving glimpses of Annual Report of RBI wherein retiree's
pension issue has been highlighted. The Governor has formally
flagged the pending issue of updation of pension in the Annual
Report. You may kindly read the last para in the write-up and see
how it reflects on Ministry of Finance. We sincerely feel that
during your heading of MoF, at least functioning of MoF be as per
the law of the land and the Article 14 of the constitution of India.
The Rule of law should prevail over high handedness.
Sir, we once again enclose all copies of correspondence
mentioned above with postal copy of this letter. We have given all
support in defense of our demand for updation of pension. Hope
you direct the DFS to send their concurrence to the proposal of
updation of pension as also for one more pension option,
keeping in view law of the land and the Article 14 of the
Constitution of India.
We shall ever remember you for the way in which you deliver
justice to us.
We shall be glad to have your reply at the earliest."
2)REVISION OF PENSION IN RBI
P R R NAYAR's Letter to Finance Minister
I am an RBI Pensioner, an octogenarian. The RBI has
reportedly transferred to the GOI, Rs.65,896 crores from the
working surplus for 2014-15. I write this to draw your pointed
attention to the fact that a portion thereof – of course very
small- is attributable to the unpaid dues to a section of the
Bank's pensioners. These septuagenarians and
octogenarians whose blood, toils, sweat and tears have gone
into the building up of the Bank stand robbed of the oft -
assured hike in pension for almost two decades. Victims of the
obstinacy of an indecisive /ambivalent North Block and
nonchalance of the Mint Street, the losses and hardships
already suffered by these "very senior citizens" have been
colossal. They are helpless, but their deep sighs can be lethal
– more lethal than a hurricane!!
3)(Reproduced below is the text of a letter dated 11 Sep. 2015 by Shri T G Nair, General Secretary, RBREA,to the Governor Dr. Raghuram G. Rajan, on Relief to the RBI Pensioners – Delay in Updation of Pension
At the outset, we express our sincere gratitude to you for the
efforts being made by the Bank and its concern for updation of
pension which have been reflected in the Bank's Annual
Report, 2014-15 (Chapter X, paragraph 28). Perhaps, for the
first time, Reserve Bank's Report to Government succinctly
takes note of the long pending issue. However, kindly permit us
to say that 'improvements' in monthly pension effected in 2003
was in fact, updation based on the then revised pay scales in
the Bank effective from 1 November 1997. Jalansaheb did it by
exercising the unquestionable powers to improve pension of its
retirees bestowed on the Central Board of the Bank under RBI
Pension Regulations, 1990.
2. Retirees in the Bank have been pouring their anguish and
requests for updation of their pension day in and day out to you
as mentioned in the Report. However, none of us could express
our views on updation and the Bank's autonomy as succinctly,
clearly and without mincing words, as Shri S S Tarapore, former
Deputy Governor, an authority on monetary policy, has done in
his article, "A Glimpse into RBI Annual Report 2014-15" in
the Free Press Journal (7 Sept.2015 issue). Shri Tarapore is
the highest ranking retiree of the Bank. Accepting the blame for
repetition, as you must have read this article already, we
reproduce the relevant paragraph of the article below:
"The Governor also raises an enervating question relating
to the long-standing issue of pensions for RBI retirees. To
say the least, the pension issue for retirees is a sheer
atrocity perpetrated by the Delhi bureaucracy. By not
allowing updation of pensions for RBI retirees- while this
is taken as a matter of right by Central Government
retirees- is tantamount to tyranny. The Governor has done
well to formally flag this issue in the RBI Annual Report.
The next step would be for the RBI to use the retirees'
pension issue as a test case of autonomy. Autonomy is never
given, it is earned and taken. The RBI has certainly earned it
and it is now for RBI to take its autonomy. The Governor
would do well to take a leaf out of decisions on the raising of
the age of retirement by Governor S.Venkitaramanan and the
updation of retirees' pensions by Governor Bimal Jalan. Has
one ever heard of a borrower wanting to determine the
remuneration of the banker? Prime Minister Narendra Modi
should break government's hegemony over the RBI."
We do hope and pray that Reserve Bank will take due notice of the
sagely advice of the person of Shri Tarapore's stature and act
accordingly.
3. In fact, to recall, Government did agree for updation a few years
ago subject to certain conditions, which perhaps they thought the
serving employees and officers would not agree. However, when
the Associations of officers and workmen staff agreed to the
conditions in the greater interest of the retirees and the future of
the staff, the Ministry did not show the grace to give its clearance
(which in fact was not necessary). It appears that, at present, the
Bank does not desire to come in conflict with Government and to
exercise the powers under Regulations mentioned earlier. The
Bank, therefore, after discussions with the Ministry, agreed to
reduce the updation to 80% of what is justifiably due. To rub salt to
the injury and certainly to insult this Great Institution and 'to show
its place' according to the bureaucrats, this is also being delayed /
denied in one pretext or other.
4. We now earnestly urge you to follow the path shown by
S.Venkitaramanan and Dr. Bimal Jalan as mentioned by Shri
Tarapore in his article. We end by repeating Taarpore's ) words,
"Autonomy is never given, it is earned and taken. The RBI has
certainly earned it and it is now for RBI to take its autonomy.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4)RENEWAL OF GROUP MEDICLAIM POLICY
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Group Mediclaim Policy (GMP) under MAF Scheme, has
been renewed with effect from 15th August 2015 for a period of
one year with IFFCO Tokio General Insurance Company Ltd.
There is, however, no change in the Third Party Administrators
(TPAs) as well as allocation of centres among them. All claims
pertaining to the Central Office attached to other Departments in
Mumbai and Pune will be settled by the designated TPA,
irrespective of the place where the treatment is taken. The
names, contact numbers and e-mail ids of the designated TPAs
as well as new ID cards and the names of representatives of the
Insurance Consultants are being advised by TPAs separately to
each member. Till such time, the existing ID cards issued by the
TPAs will be valid for admission to the hospital.
There is no change in the grade-wise limit for ICU, room/bed
charges, sum insured per hospitalization.
Other terms and conditions of the new GMP 2015-2016 are the
same as that of the previous year except the following
enhancements/additions made:
I. Service Charge levied by the Hospital is payable within
the sum insured.
II. Psychiatric Treatment on IPD up to extent the sum
insured is payable.
III. Post hospitalization physiotherapy is to be covered up
to 180 days, subject to applicable per hospitalization
ceiling.
IV. Inclusion of Ayurvedic treatment for cancer patients at
private Ayurveda hospitals.
V. In case of bilateral knee or hip replacement surgery
done during the same hospitalization cashless
extended in empanelled hospitals to be made twice the
ceiling applicable.
VI. The day care list will be inclusive of day care medical
treatment undertaken due to advancement of
technology. A few additions as shown below have been
made to the current list of 140 + day care treatment
listed earlier.
Traumatological Surgery and Orthopedics-Reduction
of dislocation under GA including K-Wire.
Other Operations/Procedure
·Carotid Artery Angiography
·Foam sclerotherapy
·Treatment of pemphigus varigaris by retuximab
therapy (injection rituximab).
Members may contact the respective TPA representative for any
guidance /clarification/ feedback, etc. relating to the GMP. In all
cases, the members may invariably provide their cell number for
receiving SMS for pre-authorization sanction and carry their
MAF (photo) Card along with the TPA Identity Card for
verification at the time of hospitalization, which may be required
for identification.
In case of prolonged hospitalization where the claim is on
reimbursement basis, the member should inform the designated
TPA during the period of hospitalization.
There is no change in the other instructions issued from time to time
EXTRACTS by R.B.KISHORE, VP,AIRIEF 16/9/2015
