Federation of Retired LIC Class I
Officers' Associations
E circular
DK- 43 10-10-2018
Friends,
Reg: i) Importance of making the Collections in right
time
ii) Fedn’s letter to MD
As we are nearly on the date of 11th Oct , carrying
our hopes and expectations, I thought it was right time to remind the Association
Units, and their Leaderships, about not letting down on their
initiatives, to reach all members, and make collections as per our
Directive -- Collections of not less than 5% from Beneficiaries of the Arrears
Payment , and at least 1000/- each from the other members, as part of the 'Cost
Recovery Levy'. Let the leaderships at the Associations, not relax, until
they have contacted all members and collected from them, the amount due.
Those Associations that have transferred amounts to
the Federation Account on the collections made by them, have done so only
partially, and not the full amount collected. There are, some Associations that
are yet to open the Account, on Transfer of Collections to the Federation . I
will request all these Associations who have made collections and transferred
amts., to transfer full amount collected, so far, as per call of Federation.
The other Association Units that have not yet transferred any amount to
Federation so far, are requested to do so without further delay.
Where the collection Drive is still on , the
momentum of the drive may be kept going, without slowing down. I know,
this calls for a lot of effort on their part, but we cannot afford, not to put
in such efforts, as striking it at the right time alone, will yield
results.
Eight Assn Units, Viz : Barielly, Coimbatore,
Kolkata, Kottayam, Mysore, Nashik, Odisha and Silchar are the ones who
are yet to respond, at a first time level. We do hope these units have made
collections, but only delayed in sending amounts to the Federation. I may
request them to transfer the collections so far, and then continue with the
effort of further collections.
Meanwhile I happened to address a communication to
the new LIC MD, Sri B Venugopal, who has taken over charge of the Personnel
area. The sad part of keeping liaison with the LIC higher ups, is that, it is
not any more a relationship of Trust. I had occasion to discuss this in greater
detail in DK - 42 sent to you a couple of days back.
I understand, that in a Meeting, the AIIEA
leadership had with the Chairman and the MDs very recently, discussions covered
topics such as, one more option for Pension, updation of pension, Family
Pension, the implementation of the Delhi HC Order on Arrears to Pre-97 retirees
etc. The Report says, the Chairman was very positive in his response to all
matters raised. This is where the disaffection comes in. The Chairman was
reportedly positive on all matters raised in the Meeting, but you and I know,
these are only postures meant for avoiding immediate displeasure. In any
case we need to keep our efforts going. So I wrote to the M D. I have some
personal knowledge of the new MD and I do hope his interventions will have
gains for us.
==================================================================================================
The
Letter:
Dear Sri
Venugopal,
My
sincere Greetings and Good Wishes to you , on your taking over the Personnel
Portfolio of LIC. Somewhere within me, I felt glad that a very
capable, balanced, and well known person like you, takes over charge
of the Personnel area, where we seem to have endless, unresolved issues. Yes, I
am now the General Secretary of the Retired LIC ClassI officers' Federation in
place of the redoubtable veteran Sri G N Sridharan.
I always
felt, the LIC leadership, does not decide on cases, which can be
decided in the CO itself, without reference to any outside Authority. To quote
one example, the case of a hundred or so, surviving pensioners, who retired in
the 8 month band of Aug 1992 to april 1993, have been clamouring for resolution
of their demand for re-fixation of pay and emoluments, after the Revision that
took place effective from 1-8-1992. As you may know , the Revision was
effective for Class I alone from 1-4-1993! Sri M C Jain , one of the
affected Retirees of this band, went to Jaipur HC and won the case. LIC
Appealed in the SC but the Appeal was Dismissed by the Supreme Court, and Sri M
C Jain was paid arrears, after Re-fixation of his emoluments. His Pension was
also re-calculated on the Re-fixed emoluments .
It is
common logic, that what was applicable to M C Jain was equally applicable to
all similarly placed retirees, of that period. Years have passed, and still
there has been no solution on this matter. We are unnecessarily being driven to
litigation again, on the same matter, decided by the SC years ago! Earlier EDs
personnel, and even the earlier MD were talked to, and they didn't have any
objection, at a level of the logic, and principle .But the matter has remained
with us, and we are again in Court on similar cases!
What
this has inevitably done, is to erode the confidence we have, in our own
institution which we served, and contributed to, in our days. Why should we get
justice only from the Courts? Why not from our own Organization? And you will
grant it, to at least some of us, who were in fairly high seats of
responsibility, in our times in the LIC, that we have full consciousness, of
the burdens of your seats now. We strongly feel, that what can be
done in the LIC itself, is not being done. Unfortunately, we in the LIC seem to
have have developed a culture of 'non-Decision' as a conscious measure, in
order to be' safe' and non-controversial.
The
recent Arrears Payment to Pre-1997 Retirees, as ordered by the SC , on the
basis of the Delhi High Court judgment, was a classic example, of how wars of
attrition are fought, with the old , retired employees, to deny them, what is
legitimately their due. Interpretations of the Delhi HC order were done
defectively and unilaterally, and ways devised, to cut short the quantum of
Arrears. If some level of sharing of thoughts with our leadership had been
there, this controversy could have been avoided.
The
First Petition on Dearness Relief discrimination was clearly the one Filed in
1998, after the anomaly arose in Aug 1997, on Dearness Relief rates, between
pre and post 1997 retirees. The Court judgment mandated correction, of such
discrimination, and directed, that the Arrears on account of such
discriminatory rates, should be paid, "from the Date when the first writ
Petition was filed, to all retired employees/pensioners, who would be entitled
to benefit of this judgment". But LIC, in clear violation of this
directive of Court, took the date of the second Petition, of 2007, as the basis
for Arrears to be paid, denying a fair chunk of the benefit to the pensioners!
The least they could have done, was to share their thinking with us, to resolve
such differences through discussion. I wrote to the EDs, and
later to the Chairman himself, but there has been no response so far.
We
are Retirees, and have age and resources, against us, and without sparing a
thought for us, things are being done.
I am
sorry to be on a complaining mode, even in my first communication with you, which
was basically meant to establish rapport with you, from our leadership level. I
do not want you to see me in the stereo-type of an Association Leader who will
always complain.
There
are other issues too, which we will take up as we go forward in time. I now
have a hope that there will be a difference in the manner our matters will be
seen and handled. I once again take this opportunity to wish you well in your
overall responsibilities, in the high seat, you currently occupy. Regards
D.Krishnan. 7-10-2018.
================================================================
Friends,
I may be coming up soon with announcement for an Executive Committee Meeting of
the Federation in the second week of Dec. 2018. I am waiting for the Return to
India , of our President Sri Bali. After consulting with him the EC meeting
will be finalized and informed to all of you.
With
Best Wishes,
D.Krishnan. 10-10-18 .
General Secretary
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