FEDERATION OF RETIRED LIC CLASS I OFFICERS' ASSOCIATIONS
President : N.P. Bali 705, Sur, Veena Saaz, Thakur Complex, Kandivali (East), Mumbai - 400 101 Mob : 9820324213 Email Id - npbali@hotmail.com | General Secretary : D Krishnan No.6/1, Sreshta Riverside Apartments, Wood Creek Road, Nandambakkam, Chennai - 600089 Tel : 9176635967 / 044 42850049. Email Id - dkrishnan1@gmail.com |
Ecircular No.DK/9 15-02-2020
REG: OUR MUMBAI VISIT ON 12 -02-20
Friends,
Back from Mumbai, after that calculated attempt by the leadership of LIC, to call us over, and tell us that nothing out of the pending DHC matters is possible, it was thought necessary to put our response in writing too, so that our acquiescence by default is not taken for granted. So, I have sent out a letter to the MD, Sri Mukesh Kumar Gupta with copy to the Chairman Sri M R Kumar, to say that we would want decisions to be taken by the CO, even if they were not at 100% levels, as due to the pensioners, and earlier demanded by us.
FEDERATION OF RETIRED LIC CLASS I OFFICERS' ASSOCIATIONS
14-02-2020
Dear Sri Guptaji,
Thanks for calling us over to Mumbai for talks. Though it was essentially aimed from your side, to convey a negative result of reviews on our matters, it still gave us an opportunity to share our thinking on those left-over issues. As I mentioned there, we want to solve issues and move on. We are not necessarily on solutions at 100% levels. Compromises are welcome if it would help bringing a closure on problems waiting over fairly extended periods of time.
Time is the one factor not available to us in plenty , the ageing Retirees. Therefore we are ready for solving outstanding issues at less than 100% levels if that can give some benefit, to people who have no waiting period with them. That is why I made a comparison to 'widow's money', and said Pensioners are much like them, with a host of nature-bestowed vulnerabilities.
The remaining aspects of the Delhi High Court Order on benefits to Pre-97 Retirees, assumes a big priority because of their age-range. Kindly do not see it, like you see other normal issues, for rigid positions to be taken.
Often a 'review' does not bring in a change of view, because we make the same basic assumptions as we did earlier on, and make the error of not reviewing the assumptions. CO's assumption that the first Writ Petition of 1998 did not pertain to DR, was the mistake that didn't permit a change of view, when you looked at it again. The plea and Prayer of that WP, and the judgment thereon, in 2010, dominantly covered the DR disparity. And, where indeed, was such a scope, in the first place, for an interpretation of the kind made, when the judgment simply , in plain language, talked of "Arrears if any , would be paid from the date, when the first writ petition was filed..."
Denying the ordered DR to hundreds of pre 1993 Retirees, which incidentally includes , the past MD Sri G Chidambar, against the reasoned, operative part in the Order -- "DR at 0.17% of Basic Pension .... shall stand enhanced to 0.29% for amounts between 2130 and 3850", was yet another error of judgment.
Similar is the case with the 1992-93 Retirees, which incidentally includes Sri K P Narasimhan, former Chairman. These are truly in their very ripe old age, and would call for immediate solution. All that is needed, is to apply the M C Jain /Supreme Court principle , to others similarly placed. And over the length of time they have waited, many of their compatriots have left this world already! Can we take a decision on this soon enough?
We have also talked about other matters of pensioners including, one Full Medical Check -up a year, Pension firmly on 1st of the month, kolkata case of allowing continuity of group insurance for a Voluntarily retired person, 7 year full pension for widows up to age 67 etc.
While you might have intended an official closure of sorts, on all this, by conveying a negative position, with regard to taking decisions on these pending matters , we would urge on you to view this retired group as a special lot, who have not much time on hand, and take percentage decisions, which would still be better than no decision. A closure of that kind would be welcome to us, as also befitting the magnanimity of this great Institution, you are privileged to be part of the Leadership now .
Thanking you once again for the opportunity afforded to meet you, and share our concerns, and the unique perspectives, due to time running out steadily, on all of us. --- Regards D.Krishnan
One of the important things we could find out about Medi-claim Discussions, is that the Contract with New India is negotiated by the Personnel Dept and concluded with special terms, and it is not just the standard scheme, offered to others, generally. These special terms are possibly not fully known to TPAs who sometimes make mistakes on Claims being put up by them to the Insurer. In these set of circumstances, it is best to knock at the doors of the Nodal Officer in the ZO, when there is a problem. The CO has promised to give us a list of the Zonal Nodal Officers, which should be of help.
Another very significant thing is the Pensioners' Portal, which is a spin-off from the LIC Web site . The Portal asks for two identification aspects viz. SR No. and Date of Birth, to enable you to log in. The Portal carries all Circulars relevant to Pensioners. Much of the information we often require as pensioners, is available on this Portal. A Demo was made in the CO Personnel Dept, for us, and we could see the contents meant for Pensioners.
The Mumbai discussions with MD also indicated that, at the CO, they are an unhappy lot too, with so many references to Govt., on matters we have been asking them for, all waiting unduly long, without approval. The MD also mentioned that in the Monthly visits to Delhi, the ED (P), reminds the Dept. of Financial Services on all the pending matters, though with not much result.
This visit of ours to Mumbai, enabled us to visit our President Sri N P Bali in his Kandivili residence. Though he looked weak and worn down, he still looked quite cheerful, and reportedly, normal on the medical parameters. We were blown over by the Hospitality of the Bali family, of Madam Bali and the charming and ever smiling daughter-in-law.
Sri Bali was ostensibly very happy about how matters were being steered in the Federation through somewhat difficult times. He was only feeling a bit sad, that he was not contributing to these efforts, due to his ill-health now. We talked more about the kind of treatment he is getting, and how the family stands by, in helping him keep to the medication schedule, which is very important in his case.
Though we are just back from Mumbai, it's already getting close to the next Delhi trip for the Hearing posted now for the 19th of Feb. 2020. I am pretty thoughtful/ worried about the high expenses the Court Case involves. I am thinking about some strategic ways, to not go on spending on this scale, if the Case were to drag on.
We have in mind a plan to meet the Secretary Financial Services at Delhi on our forthcoming visit, if situation permits. The current incumbent Sri Rajiv Kumar, is retiring by the 29th of Feb, and it is indicated in Papers, that the charge of the FS is already handed over to the next person. We are keeping fingers crossed as to how it will move under these changing circumstances.
So, until next time
D.Krishnan
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