Working & Retired Bankmen Issues.

भारतीय मजदूर संघ

BHARATIYA MAZDOOR SANGH 

Dattopant Thengadi Bhawan, 27, Deendayal Upadhyay Marg, New Delhi-110002 Tel-011 23222654 Fax: 91-11-23212648 Website: www.bms.org.in E-mail: bmsdtb@gmail.com

Ref-BMS/C-25/044/2024

 

To, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman Ji,

Hon'ble Minister of Finance,

 Govt. of India,

New Delhi,

 

Date-20-01-2024

 

Sub: Working & Retired Bankmen Issues.

 

Respected Madam,

We thank you very much as some issues, listed in our memorandum dated 27.7.2023, given to you in person, like 100% DA, pension option to Resignees and Wage Revision settlement have been settled only in 10/11 months of talks and without any deadlock.

Despite the above positive outcomes, no solution has been found to some burning issues, due to which disappointment continues. We, therefore, seek your kind intervention in the following issues:

1. Pension updation:

It was expected that this time most burning issue of Pension Revision would be resolved. Despite your due emphasis in this regard, it is surprising that it has not been resolved this time too. Though, Pensioners do appreciate the Govt gesture of extending some interim relief through ex-gratia initiation, but they don't treat it as justice done to them. They hold Pension Updation on RBI line as their right. In MOU dated 7.12.2023 there no indication as to when the Pension Updation would finally be done. We solicit your benign intervention in this matter, so that Pensioners can get their due.

2. Health Security of Pensioners:

According to the Khandelwal Committee Report, 25% of the Welfare Funds allocated to Banks are to be spent on the Health Security of Pensioners. Banks are not complying with this. More than 5 lakh Pensioners are without Health cover.

3. Special Allowance:

In the 10th, 11th & 12th Wage Settlements an element of Special Allowance has been created by cutting 7.75% to 27% of Basic Pay, making it ineligible for Pension calculation. By order of Hon'ble Supreme Court, about 12 writs pending in various High Courts have been handed over to the Honorable Delhi High Court for hearing.

Since it's segregated from Basic Pay with malicious intent to deprive one from Pension, no court will hold it right. At present it's a cause of great frustration among Pensioners. In case Honorable Court repeals it, then Banks will have to spend thousands of crores in giving Pension arrears to Pensioners from November 2012. This is a fatal decision. Please take this seriously and advise concerned authorities to take corrective measures.

4. 5 Day Banking:

This issue has been recommended by IBA for the approval of the Government. We urge, it may please be approved at the earliest.

5. One final Pension Option:

The Pension option was given many times in RBI. In other Banks the option was given only once in 2010. We request you to please consider giving one last chance for Pension option to the remaining Retirees, who unfortunately failed to avail Second Pension option given in 2010.

We strongly believe that, like before, you will consider sympathetically the above issues of the Bankmen and make all possible effort to resolve them, thereby sending a big message of positivity among the Working and Retired Bankmen regarding the image of the Government

To elaborate further, we shall be grateful if you very kindly permit us to meet at your convenience.

With Best Regards.

Sincerely yours

Girish Chandra Arya,

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