* CHRONICLE - PENSIONERS CONVERGE HERE, DISCUSS ISSUES OF THEIR CHOICE * CHRONICLE - WHERE EVEN THE CHAT COLUMN PRODUCES GREAT DISCUSSIONS * CHRONICLE - WHERE THE MUSIC IS RISING IN CRESCENDO !

               
                                   

Friday, August 29, 2014

Meeting with Shri Sandhu,Secretary (Finance)

DEAR EDITOR, 
PP Dhamija

RECENTLY SOME REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PENSIONERS ASSOCIATION MET SHRI SANDHU, SECRETARY FINANCE GOVT. OF INDIA, SHRI SRIVASTAVA, DIRECTOR INSURANCE AND SECRETARY PENSIONS (GOI) AND DISCUSSED THE CASES OF PENSIONERS. IT IS SURPRISING THAT THE GOVT. OFFICIALS WERE NOT KNOWING THE CASE OF LIC PENSIONERS AND THEY HAD TO TALK TO THE LIC CHAIRMAN ABOUT THIS. THAT THE GOVT. OFFICIALS GAVE A POSITIVE HEARING IS HIGHLY APPRECIATED. THE EFFORTS OF THE TEAM REQUIRE THREE CHEERS.

WE ALL KNOW THAT OUR LEGAL CASES ARE IN THE FINAL STAGES AND THE SUPREME COURT MAY TAKE UP THE APPEAL OF LIC AGAINST THE JUDGMENTS OF JAIPUR, CHANDIGARH AND DELHI HIGH COURTS AND TAKE A FINAL DECISION. AT THIS STAGE, MEETING WITH THE GOVT. OFFICIALS WAS A RIGHT STEP OR NOT IS TO BE SEEN. 


WHEN LAST TIME MR. G.N. SRIDHARAN MET THE SECRETARY, FINANCIAL SERVICES, THERE WAS LOT OF HUE AND CRY. WHY MR. GNS IS MEETING THE GOVT. OFFICIALS AND THE CHAIRMAN WHEN OUR CASE IS IN THE FINAL STAGE. LET THE PENSIONERS PONDER OVER THIS.

WHEN WE READ THE REPORT IT STATES —“WE SAID FOR THE PRESENT THE DA/DR ISSUE HAS BECOME STALE SINCE IT CAME TO AN END ON 31.7.1997”..... 

HOW THE CASE OF DA/DR ANOMALY CAN BECOME STALE WHEN THE INTEREST OF PENSIONERS WHO RETIRED PRIOR TO 1ST AUGUST’ 1997 IS INVOLVED. THERE ARE ABOUT 40% PENSIONERS WHO RETIRED PRIOR TO 1ST AUGUST, 1997 AND THEY ARE BEING PAID LESS DA/DR. THESE PENSIONERS ARE IN THE AGE GROUP OF 75 PLUS AND MANY OF THEM HAVE ALREADY LEFT THE WORLD WITHOUT GETTING THE BENEFIT. THOSE WHO RETIRED AFTER 31ST JULY, 1997 ARE GETTING FULLY NEUTRALISED DA/DR AT A HIGHER RATE. SO NO ONE CAN SAY THAT THE DA/DR ISSUE HAS BECOME STALE. THIS IS HIGHLY OBJECTIONABLE.

AGAIN THE REPORT READS—“ MR SANDHU ASKED MR. SRIVASTAVA TO LOOK INTO THE MATTER OF DA/DR ANOMALIES AND CLEAR THE SAME” THIS SHOWS THE MIND OF THE GOVT. OFFICIALS.

THE SECRETARY FINANCE TALKS TO THE LIC CHAIRMAN IN PRESENCE OF THE PENSIONERS’ REPRESENTATIVES AND ENQUIRES THE POSITION. THIS IS ALL A GIMMICK TO PLEASE THE PENSIONERS. WE ALL KNOW THAT NO ACTION WILL BE TAKEN TILL THE APPEAL OF LIC IS DECIDED BY THE SUPREME COURT.

THE NEXT COMMENT OF THE SECRETARY FINANCE “ BUT THE SAME WAS A WIDER ISSUE INVOLVING BANKS AND GIC PENSIONERS ALSO. LET US SEE AND WE WILL TRY TO FIND OUT A WAY” AGAIN SHOWS THE MIND OF THE GOVERNMENT. AFTER THE NEW GOVT. CAME INTO POWER, SO MANY ASSOCIATIONS HAVE GIVEN MEMORANDA TO THE MINISTERS. THOSE MEMORANDA MUST HAVE ALREADY BEEN IN THE HANDS OF GOVT. OFFICIALS. THE GOVT. MAY NOT TAKE ANY ACTION TILL THE SUPREME COURT DECIDES THE APPEAL OF LIC. WE CANNOT REJOICE ON WHAT THE GOVT. OFFICIALS SAY. WE HAVE TO WAIT AND WATCH.

THE CIVIL APPEAL OF LIC AGAINST THE JUDGMENTS OF JAIPUR, CHANDIGARH

AND DELHI HIGH COURTS IS LIKELY TO COME UP ANY TIME. THE DECISION OF THE SC MAY BE:

1. DISMISS THE APPEAL OF LIC AND ADVISE FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BOARD DECISION.
IN SUCH A CASE WE KNOW THE MIND OF LIC AND THE GOI WHO WILL SIMPLY RELEASE THE DIFFERENCE OF DR AS HAS BEEN DONE IN JAIPUR AND CHANDIGARH.

2. DISMISS THE APPEAL OF LIC AND ADVISE:
(i) REMOVE DA/DR ANOMALY IN RESPECT OF PRE AUGUST 1997 RETIREES AS PER BOARD RESOLUTION.
(ii) REVISE PENSION OF ALL PENSIONERS FROM 1.8.1997, 1.8.2002 AND 1.8.2007 AND SO ON AS PER DECISION OF THE JAIPUR SINGLE JUDGE DECISION ON THE SECOND WP.
THIS WILL CERTAINLY BE A WELCOME DECISION BY ALL.

3. ALLOW THE APPEAL OF LIC IN RESPECT OF SECTION 48 OF LIC ACT AND ADVISE THE PENSIONERS THAT THIS IS A MATTER WITHIN THE POWERS OF THE CENTRAL GOVT.
LET US KEEP OUR FINGERS CROSSED AND WAIT FOR THE DECISION OF THE SUPREME COURT.

LET THE ASSOCIATIONS WHOSE CASES ARE TIED UP IN THE SC APPEAL MAKE SURE THAT THEIR ADVOCATES SPEAK THE SAME LANGUAGE WHILE CONTESTING THE APPEAL OF LIC.

THEY SHOULD TALK TWO POINTS ONLY:
(A) LET THE LIC IMPLEMENT ITS OWN DECISION TAKEN IN ITS BOARD MEETING ON 24.11.2001.
(B) IMPLEMENT THE ORDER OF THE SINGLE JUDGE JAIPUR HIGH COURT ALLOWING THE SECOND WP ABOUT RAISING THE PENSIONS OF RETIREES AS AND WHEN THE GRADES ARE REVISED FOR IN-SERVICE EMPLOYEES.

THANKS.
P.P. DHAMIJA
RETIRED SR. DIVISIONAL MANAGER
09810186067