AIIEA Delegation Meets LIC Management

LIC BUILDINGS SECRETARIAT ROAD HYDERABAD 500 063

(E-mail: aiieahyd@gmail.com)

Cir.No.22/ 2024	14th June 2024
To All the Zonal /Divisional /State /Regional Units

Dear Comrades,

A delegation of AIIEA consisting of Comrades Shreekant Mishra, General Secretary; TVNS Ravindranath Joint Secretary; H.I. Bhatt, Joint Secretary and B.S. Ravi, Treasurer met Shri Anirban Sarkar, Executive Director (Personnel) in the presence of Shri L. Chendurnathan, Chief (Personnel) and other officials of Personnel Department at Central Office, Mumbai on 13th June 2024. The delegation discussed various issues including long pending issues pertaining to employees and pensioners. A gist of the issues discussed is placed hereunder:

Fixation on Promotion - Stagnation to Stagnation stage: The delegation reiterated its long pending demand for an early resolution of this issue. The ED(Personnel) agreed to examine this aspect with an open mind.

Stagnation Increments: AIIEA has been persistently demanding that the number of Stagnation Increments (SI) in Assistant cadre be enhanced by another 3 or 4 stages and the time span for release of Stagnation Increments for HGA cadre should be brought down from 3 years to 2 years. But, these demands were not considered in the recently concluded wage revision. LIC management expressed its apprehension that this might lead to anomalies. AIIEA delegation expressed its firm opinion that this would not lead to any anomaly. The ED (Personnel) responded positively and assured that this issue would be studied further to explore the possibility of a positive outcome.

Enhancement of GTIS coverage: The delegation drew the attention of the management that due to the recent wage revision, there was urgent need to enhance the coverage limit under GTIS in order to mitigate the loss that might arise due to unfortunate death of an employee while in service. A detailed Note on this issue was also submitted. Management assured to look into it positively.

Recruitment in Class-3 & 4 Cadre: The delegation expressed its displeasure over the slow pace of progress in this regard despite repeated assurances of the management in the past few years. The ED (Personnel) once again reiterated that the LIC management was well aware of the need for recruitment in Class-3 cadre and assured to expedite the process. About Class-4 recruitment, he informed that the huge number of pending court cases have become a stumbling block and the management is working hard for resolution of the issue.

Recognition of AIIEA: The delegation of AIIEA once again expressed its serious objection to the stand of the Management of not allowing retired Office Bearers of Unions for participating in wage discussions. The delegation pointed out that this was not only undemocratic but also against the law of the land; the delegation emphatically expressed that it was for the employees to choose their trade union leaders to represent their grievances. The delegation cautioned that it would lead to serious industrial unrest if this practice is continued in future. The delegation once again drew the attention of the management that LIC was the only public sector organisation in financial sector where the process of recognition of unions was not done even after several years of demand from AIIEA. The delegation demanded that it was high time that the process should start without any further delay and the LIC management was free to adopt any methodology of its choice. ED(Personnel) agreed to examine the issue.

Issues Related to Ex-servicemen Employees: The delegation brought to the notice of EDP various issues pertaining to Ex-servicemen Employees such as –

Fixation of Pay: AIIEA delegation submitted an elaborate Note to LIC on 7.6.2024 with all relevant documents including Court Orders and pointed out that the Ex-servicemen who served the country throughout their life were put to financial and psychological hardship with wrong interpretations of the Central Government Orders. The delegation demanded that the various court orders which gave judgments in favour of XSM employees should be implemented across the country without further loss of time.

Final Option to join 1995 Pension Scheme: The AIIEA delegation insisted that LIC should take up the issue with the Government afresh.

Pension option to employees recruited after 1.4.2010: The delegation once again brought to the notice of management that the employees who were recruited after 1.4.2010 but applied for recruitment for vacancies notified prior to 1.4.2010 OR were empaneled prior to 1.4.2010 should be given an option to join the 1995 Pension Scheme. The delegation quoted the positive stand taken by the central government in this regard and demanded that it should be made applicable in LIC also. A special mention was made about the employees recruited in Hyderabad & Secunderabad Divisions in 2012 as per the 1996 sub-staff recruitment notification. The management informed that the matter was taken up with the government but the government was not positively inclined for the reason that it would give scope for similar demands in various other organisations. AIIEA delegation insisted that each institution is an independent organisation and as such the LIC should continue its follow-up with the government till a positive outcome is reached. AIIEA will continue its follow-up.

Issues of Regularized Temporary Assistants: Some temporary Assistants in Kerala divisions were regularized as per judgment of Kerala High Court dated 13.10.2021. While implementing this Order, our offices have made certain erroneous interpretations while reckoning the period spent in temporary status which led to huge financial loss to these regularized Assistants. The delegation brought this issue and sought clarification to be issued to concerned divisional offices. ED (Personnel) assured to look into the issue.

Pensioners' Issues: The delegation raised various issues related to Pensioners.

Enhancement of Ex-gratia to pre-1986 retirees: The delegation expressed its resentment for delay in enhancing the ex-gratia amount to pre-1986 retirees / spouses of the deceased pre-1986 retirees despite positively agreeing to this aspect earlier. A detailed Note was submitted to LIC. The ED (Personnel) appreciated the justification in the demand and assured to give due consideration to the issue.

Ex-gratia Pension Lump sum payment: The delegation of AIIEA took strong exception to the scheme of Ex-Gratia lump sum payment to pensioners and family pensioners and demanded that it should be replaced with a scheme of regular monthly payments applicable to all pensioners irrespective of age, without prejudice to the demand of updation of pension. The delegation brought to the notice of the management certain incongruities of the scheme like the payment of ex-gratia to family pensioners being linked to the age of the family pensioner rather than that of the deceased Pensioner. Pointing out that this was utterly illogical, the delegation argued that under each band, age should be applicable to that of the employee/ deceased employee only and not to that of the family pensioner. While accepting the spirit of our arguments, the management expressed difficulty in giving any immediate solution to the issue. The delegation insisted that some sincere efforts be made to remedy the situation.

Ex-gratia Pension Lump sum payment to RPT employees: The delegation demanded to release administrative instructions in this regard at the earliest. The management was positive on this issue.

Non-Core Issues: The delegation raised issues pertaining to employee benefits post wage revision which do not form part of wage notification, in general. Some issues raised were:

Improvement in leave benefits : such as increase in Casual Leaves to 15 days; enhancement of Sick Leave to 720 days; accumulation of Privilege Leave up to 300 days with encashment facility of 270 days on retirement; waiver of submission of medical certificate for availing leave on sick grounds for short duration of up to 2 or 3 days, etc.

Amenities to Class-3 & 4 employees: The long pending demand of providing Furniture Allowance; reimbursement of Tea/Coffee expenses, etc. A detailed Note was submitted. EDP assured that the matter would be looked into.

LTC Encashment facility: This demand has been pending for quite some time. A detailed Note was submitted. EDP assured to look into the issue.

Conveyance Allowance to Physically Challenged Employees: The delegation pointed out that the conveyance allowed to Physically Challenged employees was last enhanced in 2011 and thereafter there had been no change in LIC while some improvement was allowed in PS Banks. The delegation demanded that LIC should immediately take up the issue with the government. EDP informed that a recommendation was already sent to the DFS and clearance was awaited.

Actuarial Allowance: The delegation explained in detail the difficulties created due to the introduction of "Restrictive Clause" in the year 2005 and subsequent amendments made to the Scheme. The issue was being discussed with LIC since many years and despite positive promises, the scheme had been made more complicated rather than easing out the conditions. The delegation submitted a detailed Note quoting the features right from the inception of the Scheme in 2002. The ED (Personnel) appreciated our concerns and agreed to examine the issue afresh.

Disciplinary Proceedings: The delegation demanded that an exclusive discussion should be held with AIIEA to thoroughly discuss the issues pertaining to disciplinary proceedings. The delegation pointed out that differential treatment was meted out to class-3& 4 employees while imposing punishments for the same offence compared to other class of officials. A detailed discussion would help arrest irregularities. EDP assured positively.

Automatic entry to Mediclaim Scheme: The delegation once again demanded that if any dependent of the employee had to leave the Mediclaim scheme due to ineligibility on income grounds, that dependent should be allowed to join in the policy year once the ineligibility ceases. The LIC management sought individual cases, if any. It was assured that if there were such instances, favourable decision would be taken.

Promotion Policy: The delegation sought a thorough discussion on this subject. Many vacancies in class-3 cadre, especially HGA, remain unfilled. Some modifications / waivers would help the employees to get promotions. The EDP informed that any changes in promotion policy needs amendments and would have to be approved by the Government. He however assured to look into the issue with all seriousness.

Individual Issues: The delegation of AIIEA brought to the notice of the management several individual cases for resolution such as – age waiver cases pending for more than considerable time regarding compassionate appointments; MBA allowance payment in Satna Division; disciplinary cases. Etc.

AIIEA delegation meets Executive Director (OS): The delegation of AIIEA met Sri S. Dasgupta, ED (OS) in the evening and had meaningful discussion on issues pertaining to employees. The delegation enquired about the release of payment instructions regarding arrears to retired employees. ED (OS) replied positively and explained the stages involved under each category of retired employees and assured that very soon the instructions would be released as they had almost completed major part. The delegation enquired certain clarifications regarding income tax related matters on payment of arrears to retirees. ED (OS) informed that they were in touch with taxation cell of F&A deptt. and also Personnel Department and would issue clarifications soon.

AIIEA assures the employees that all the issues will be followed-up in right earnest till their logical conclusion.

With Greetings,

Comradely yours,

General Secretary