GIST OF TALK WITH ED Personnel,LIC CO Mumbai ​17 January ,2025.

GIST OF TALK WITH ED Personnel,LIC CO Mumbai 

​17 January ,2025.

.1)Repeated attempts to reach Sri A.Sarkar,ED Personnel could not succeed. After big timegap, I tried his Mobile.Luckily he picked up.As Govt Parliamentary Committee Meeting was in progress ,he stole some time to return to his chamber.I thanked him for the opportunity,as Landline from Chennai near impossible,we exchanged pleasantries, greetings for a Happy, Prosperous New Year 2025,I said Pensioners Fedns fervent hope for Positive settlement of Many issues & grievances pending for long time, some presumably as hinted in earlier Meetings by Fedns ,few gained acceptance from MOF,some a favourable nod & as good time has elapsed,CO TOP Mgt must release solutions  so that Pensioners will be grateful for such noble empathetic solutions sooner now.  

   I   told EDPer, he must have gone through my Email to MD Sri SatPal Bhanoo who listened fully to my presentation of issues needing urgent attention & closure favourably. I reiterated

i)Seniors age-related, valueadded Rise in Basic Pension at ages 80,85,90,95 & 100 by 20%,30,40,50 & 100 % ,as last discussions  months before ,indication given of Govt favourable acceptance, a determined final CO Circular will gladden the hearts of Aged Pensioners,languishing with poor,meagre pension must be a boon. FURTHER, the outlay on this count ,when we worked out ,is app Rs100-120crpa. I urged EDPer to hasten this solution

    Please appreciate  how many Aged Pensioners,these Super Senior Citizens would have passed away & not only that: when for CGovt & others  enjoy this avowedly practical Enhancement Agerelated stepup of Basic Pension last 2 ,VI & VII PC ,how much LIC Similarly placed Seniors lost heavily !! 

  Kindly take decision to release this very soon,for which we all shall be grateful

ii)I depicted the harrowing experience of Pensioners ,who deprived of Domiciliary, are seeing big erosion in their pension, as high expenses are involved for Consultation, injections, medicines, Dental cost formidable & total de nial ,Self & Spouse,2nd time to visit Doctor for full cure,muliple expenses,need not be told

   All are aware, Pensioners need CMB Cash Medical Benefit Yearly as is being offerred to Employees & more richly deserving,Rs16,250pa for Class 3 & 4,Rs20,300 for Class 2, & for  Class 1,upto Basic Pay Rs1,63,950, CMB Rs32,400 & others above this BP, Rs48,500

    Here again,as EVERY Wage Revision,amounts of CMB Revised reasonably, HOW MUCH Pensioners would have been deprived can easily be Appreciated . 

   GOOD SENSE  should prevail on MGT to ALLOW SAME CMB for Pensioners too without delay. We may point out that our reasonable calculations show only  Outlay ranging from Rs100 to 120 crores.Majority fall in Lesser CMB Groups,PLUS Family Pensioners have jumped to high 50% of Regular Pensioners ,as compared to earlier years %

iii) Sir, when Retirement age was raised from 58 to 60 years,normally Automatically,Issue of Family pensioner,who earlier were getting Pension of RP till age 58+7 ie 65,should have been stepped up to Age 67.Not done so far,

Please allow this Humanitarian facility legitimately to wipe the tears of widow.for them to enjoy higher RP till extended age

iv)Please issue instructions to ALL Offices to allow EXGRATIA  amount specified ,not as really Wrongly disbursed ,taking into account Basic lower cadre from which he is promoted,NOT allowing higher Exgratia amount, though for all practical purposes,all other benefits the New fitment higher cadre is computed.All Fedns have appealed to CO ,even referring to earlier CO Personnel circular ,where detailed account is given of benefits           flowing & 

we sincerely appeal to your good sense,as Numbers are few & not large,& even on basis of ethics & empathy,Difference can now be paid, for which SUCH beneficiaries will remember with gratitude..

v)Mr Sarkar,Life Certificate(LC),is a burning issue in August every year,all mechanisation ,New Jeevan Sakshay ,as long as internet is slow & many places active & fast after 3/330pm robs us of delay,nuisance.PLEASE allow VIDEOCALL  from Pensioner to ZO/DOPCell Sy/ASy/AO thorough  to verify Authenticity,photo,SR or PFileNo or even Aaadhar or PANcard No. quickly 100s can be attended & disposed.When it is allowed for Pensioners in foreign countries,all the more India here can fruitfully be Allowed,& not PENALISE pensioner Withholding pension,sad & hurting will it be.

vi) MD Sri SatPal Bhanoo ,when I spoke to him was so courteous on issues& problems of pensioners to be disposed & finalised soon .PLUS you recall ,when I spoke at length with him ,on Family Pensioners to join Group Mediclaim,as then August,September,October over, BUT still November Premium can be deducted & FPs be allowed,he had open mind, no default can be there,asked me he will convey.I then spoke to Personnel & as EDOS was not there, to ChiefOS & lo, they agreed & VERY NEXT DAY,COCircular flashed allowing this extension & to utilise it to maximum.I profusely thanked then & now also ,as not only ZO,DO1,DO2 Chennai But all over India ALL ZOs/DOs would have benefitted  

vii) Earlier CO Circulars of Personnel & OS used to be forwarded on same day to all  Pensioners Fedns but after 5 years stopped.We have been repeatedly requesting to RESUME the good practice of bridging communication gap & pensioners alerted at the earliest.

    SUCH SIMPLE user-friendly issues must be Restored immediately,please..

viii)Kerala HC Judgement in respect of ClassI Officers retired between 1/8/1992 to 31/3/1993 ,numbering as few as 350 app all over India,on the basis of earlier victory in respect of RM Rtd,Sri MCJain,Jaipur,reports & Calculations of arrears from that period to say 9/2024 or so,small amounts only.Fedns represented to ZO/DOs Pension Cell to verify the accuracy, as Number of Months hover around 4 decades from 1993  plus some months based on final date of calculation 

  We plead with you,Sir,to find out,ensure no damage done to the Oldest Group of Pensioners,Many might have died,then Efforts be made to pay to Nominee/Alternate Nominee.Reasons such as NO Pension File cannot be an answer. Pensioner & Family are involved,we should not brush it away  .

  As he had to go back, few more issues could not be taken up.Covenient date/s must be fixed up after Top Mgt primary concerns are over.31st January ,then Budget day 1st February 2025 vital.All eyes on high GST on life insurance policies 18%,GST on Health insce too  final decision ,whether being reduced to 5% or NIL

       Greetings & Regards,

        R.B.KISHORE,EDRetd, PATRON RIEA CHENNAI,

      PATRON,AIRIEF