KHODA PAHAD NIKLI CHUHIYA VO BHI MARI HUAI

7TH CPC REPORT THROUGH THE EYE OF A PENSIONER

1.Except for recommending OROP which too is subjected to Govt. acceptance which after promises & promises could not correctly implement OROP for Defence Personnel & economists are already up against it and pensioners may have to struggle hard to get it implemented. 7th CPC has disappointed pensioners on all other issues of theirs.

2.Common multiplication factor of 2.57 fitment benefit which in fact is squeezed portion of DR for the past long 10 years fall short of 40% given earlier through 5th & 6th CPC. DA/DR given to C.G. employees & pensioners is never sufficient since the very method of calculation of inflation index is fraught with discrepancies. As of now against actual inflation of 250% at ground level only 119% is compensated.

3.Enhanced gratuity of 20 lakhs will only benefit the higher echelon.

4. Medical facilities for pensioners: Conveniently overlooking the Honorable supreme court pronouncement in the case Consumer Education and Research Centre & Others vs Union of India (AIR 1995 Supreme Court 922)

“the right to health to a worker is an integral facet of meaningful right to life to have not only a meaningful existence but also robust health and vigour. Therefore, the right to health, medical aid to protect the health and vigour of a worker while in service or post retirement is a fundamental right-to make life of a worker meaningful and purposeful with dignity of person. Thus health care is not only a welfare measure but is a Fundamental Right”.( Article 21 read with Article 39A, 41, 43, 48A and all related Articles)

Similar to earlier Pay comm. 7th pay commission recommends Medical Insurance which inspite of decade's effort Govt. could not implement .

The major issues with Insurance scheme for pensioners' are 

(1) Coverage of existing disease

(2) OPD facilities

(3) Amount of coverage for a family

(4)Amount of Premium and its yearly payment. Pay comm. has chosen to remain silent. On pooling of different existing schemes to increase coverage & easy accessibility, VII CPC has left it to be investigated by Govt.

Similarly on the issue of smart card for cashless treatment for all pensioners in all empanelled hospitals 7th CPC has not come out with forceful recommendation and has out rightly rejected enhancement of FMA.

However, the recommendation regarding withdrawal of discriminatory orders of MOH &FW regarding Postal Pensioners & merging of all postal dispensaries with CGHS is welcomed .

7th pay commission has either rejected or left unaddressed the issues like:

1. Ratio between min & max. paid to be brought back to 1:8

.

2. Upward revision of pension to 67/65% of last drawn.

3. Need for downward revision of 100yrs age for additional pension, additional pension to start from the age of 65 yrs.(This issue is rejected merely because Defence ministry did not accept it)

4. Removal of discrimination with those who retire on 31.12 & 30.06. Modification of NPS to ensure Family Pension as per pre 2004 rules & that min pension shall not be less than 50% of last drawn.

DR merger with pension whenever it goes above 50%

5.7th CPC recommendations should apply to BSNL pensioners since governed by CCS(pension rules).

6. Defence civilian pensioners should get ex-service men status.

7.Full pension for 20yrs QS to pre 2006 retirees.

8. Commuted portion of pension to be restored in 12yrs,Gratuity w/o any restriction of max. limit ,full pension to family pensioners for 10 yrs w/o any cutoff date &discrimination.

9.Pension to be tax free.

10.Periodical revision of CGHS rates to match market conditions.

11. Regulatory authority for healthcare facilities.

12. Improvement in grievance redressal mechanism etc.etc.

Country's finance are on solid footing as stated by Hon'ble MOS Finance Sh Jayant Sinha in his statement on 19.10. Indian Govt. Still if Govt. does not fulfill minimum aspiration of pensioners i.e peaceful, healthy life with dignity.

Then persuasion & negotiation is the only way-out for Pensioners. Pensioners power of negotiations with this & all other future Governments will depend on their unity, strength on social media & power of Vote.

After going over the length & breadth of the country & interacting with different organizations I realize that less than20% of pensioners have joined one or the other organization out of which not even1% are active participants. Most of the organizations have not developed 2nd line of leadership & are running the risk of going down the drain. Due to lower fitness, immobility & old age disabilities at National level we are not in a position to gather few thousand civil pensioners for protest march etc. At local level also this strength gets limited to few hundred only.

It is therefore suggested that each one of the pensioners’ organization launch membership campaign to persuade more & more pensioners to join hands, more & more pensioners should be encouraged to join social media sites to shatter the misconception, divide and the wrong perception against pensioners being created by misinformed media & economists. Every organization should strive to develop internet savvy 2nd line of leadership. At National level BCPC need to be revived to provide a common platform to all Federations, National/state/district level pensioners organizations to come together. Additionally as a long term measure all pensioners organizations are requested to consider adoption of 4 "C" formula i.e. Communicate, coordinate, consolidate & contribute.

In the days ahead, like minded organizations, should play a big role in forging unity amongst all superannuated persons and in consolidating Elderly Vote Bank through 4 C action plan as a long term solution.

Through Social media Pensioners should convince the civil society and the Govt. that we have been asking only for which we have contributed , which is in accordance to our service conditions , is provided in the country’s constitution & pronounced by the Supreme Court of India. Pensioners need to convince the civil Society that our Pension is not a burden on them but is our deferred wage and that even today we pensioners make endless contributions to families, communities and the society. We contribute as family care givers, as workers, consumers, volunteers and taxpayers. Stand shoulder to shoulder with fellow citizens in distress. Even in death, give life & vision to the needy through organ donation.

There are enormous challenges to pensioners that need to be faced. Overcoming age discrimination rampant in society, ensuring adequate income security and good health care are few important challenges. Keeping pace with time, while seeking support from the Government in deficient areas , Pensioners organizations should strive to develop systems which enable all of us to act as one family with mutual confidence, support and growing interdependence.

The most powerful weapon of pensioners is their vote. So if we wish our voice to be heard, let's strive to consolidate elderly vote power. Pensioners organizations need to continue struggle for pensioners cause with “Samanvay” of traditional & modern technological methods.

The four "C" action Plan

1. Communicate: World has changed & is constantly changing we too need to change ourselves. Even developed countries have realized that moving alone is not possible anymore and have started communicating with other countries. Same is true for pensioners organizations instead of wasting time & energy in raising new or reviving dormant organizations we need to form strong conglomerate of existing live Federations and Associations. As main aspirations i.e. Financial, Social security & healthcare are common, this is possible. To achieve it communication is the basic tool . So communicate amongst yourself , with your members, affiliates, associates, MOU partners, with Civil Society , National / local leaders,with Media and with the employees retiring in next six months. Spread awareness about, what pensioners did for the country & are still doing for the civil Society. Apprise Civil Society about their service conditions, entitlements as per Constitution, Supreme court pronouncements . Empower Pensioners & Pensioners to be with information, knowledge & network to interconnect. Aggressively use Social Media & modern digital technology to interact among yourself & with the civil society to enable them to understand pensioners/family pensioner’s issues & the deficient areas.

2. Co ordinate: Coordinate not only to seek govt. support in deficient areas but to develop systems which may enable all of us to act as one family with mutual confidence, support and growing interdependence. Comrades, if we have to survive with dignity then such should be our system of mutual confidence, interdependence & coordination that none of us feel lonely &helpless.

Share information, technology and resources with Affiliates/Associates MOU partners/sister organizations &members. Coordinate and provide support to members, affiliates and associate associations. Coordinate & stand shoulder to shoulder with the administration & fellow citizens during National emergencies and natural calamities. Launch and participate in welfare activities such as organ donation for the good of civil society.

3.Contribute whatever you can your ideas,knowledge,experiences efforts & of course money to make the project succeed.rs . Let us blend old & new techniques, strengthen presence on social media to highlight pensioners issues & deficient areas . Streamline & inter- link available resources like publications, websites, Blogs, Groups, Face book, Twitter, You Tube etc.

Due to age & ailments, traditional agitational methods like Dharnas, Demonstrations etc are losing sheen for pensioners . Let us blend old & new techniques, strengthen presence on social media to highlight pensioners issues & deficient areas . Streamline & inter- link available resources like publications, websites, Blogs, Groups, Face book, Twitter, You Tube etc. BPS has launched a pilot project 'PENSIONERS OWN MEDIA' under which publications of likeminded Pensioners organizations who willingly provide us their publications in pdf format upto 5MB are being uploaded on BPS website, Blog, Face book, Twitter & BPS 1955 yahoo group.BPS 'Bharat Pensioner'(monthly publication) has touched a circulation of 64000 pdf copies through Social media & e.mail.

4.Contribute whatever you can your ideas,knowldege,experiences efforts & of course money to make the project succeed.

Let us make best use of modern technology /opportunities combined with traditional methods to consolidate ‘Elderly Vote Power’, the ultimate weapon & panacea for all our ills.

Comrades, we are not a helpless , useless or a tired lot. Neither we are a liability to the society or a burden on the exchequer. We are an asset for the civil society & the Govt.

We can still turn the TIDES. With 'elderly vote power' we have the ability to change Govt. Even in our death we have the capacity to give life to 5 persons (by organ donation )

We may not live to see the end results but it is our responsibility to give correct direction & a road map to pensioners of tomorrow.