ALL INDIA INSURANCE PENSIONERS' ASSOCIATION
Bharat Insurance Building (Annexe)
133, Anna Salai, Chennai 600 002
Circular: Conference/Special – II 22nd October 2011
Fifth General Conference – Another Milestone in the Onward March
In our earlier circular, we had focused on the core decisions of the Conference and the points of views of certain leaders. Here in below, we have attempted to apprise our members of the equally important views of other Leaders and nuances of the decisions of the Conference.
Special Addresses
Elaborating that struggle for achieving demands should be an inclusive struggle against privatization with enlarged scope, Com. Chandrasekhar Bose, the Veteran Leader of the Insurance Employees' Movement, complimented the Comrades of Delhi for having undertaken responsibility of hosting two All India Conferences and successfully fulfilling the same. He felt Insurance Pensioners were getting a raw deal and to remedy the situation and to defend the right of pension, they should join the struggles of the Left Parties, as the Government has usurped the management's power in so far as they relate to service conditions.
Com. A. K. Bhatnagar, Joint Secretary, AIIEA from Northern Zone, complimented the Pensioners of Delhi Division who had come forward to contribute for the success of the Diamond Jubilee Conference of AIIEA and said NZIEA took a conscious decision to host the Conference of AIIPA, as they valued the sacrifices by the Pensioners. Castigating the Dr. Man Mohan Singh Government for the policies pursued, Com. Bhatnagar said, united struggles against these policies was the only course correcting measure.
Com. Bhagwan Swaroop Sharma, former Vice-President of AIIEA, dwelt at length on Sections 21, 48 and 49 of the LIC Act and said that all eyes were on this Conference, as Pensioners desired solutions to their problems and expected the Conference to come out with decisions for getting solutions. Averring that anyone can approach the Court, Com. Bhagwan said, the outcome cannot be predicted.
Citing the Residuary Provisions in the Pension Rules, he said that Civil Service Pension Rules were applied, where there was no specific provision in our Pension Rules, but even in RBI Case, the Government did not agree for updation.
Com Priyabrata Bagchi, Vice-President, AIIEA, explained difficulties in organizing employees especially in North Eastern States and dwelt on situation in West Bengal where more and more left cadres are getting displaced.
Com. R.C. Sharma, President, NZIEA said, it seemed the focus was on Jaipur Case and court verdicts were not followed in letter and spirit and cited a case in Rajasthan.
Com .S. Rajappa, former Vice-President, AIIEA, though did not speak, was there at the Conference to inspire the audience.
Debate on the Report – Total Unanimity of Understanding
Earlier, Com. K. Natarajan, General Secretary, AIIPA, had placed an exhaustive and comprehensive Report on the happenings and developments, both economic and political, in our country and the world over as also the efforts of AIIPA to find solution to the issues of Insurance Pensioners and activities of the Organization since the last Conference held at Vijayawada in 2008.
The Conference was attended by 247 delegates including three women comrades and some of the comrades had undertaken strenuous journey for long hours to reach Delhi. Some comrades had to cancel their trip due to uncertainties of train movements.
Thirty One Delegates, including two Lady Delegates, participated in the deliberations and all of them agreed with the formulations in the Report. Certain Delegates desired some improvements in MediClaim Scheme, enhanced Family Pension, improvements in the procedure for disbursement of pension, improvement in system of payment/recovery of MediClaim Premium, etc.
The whole discussion exhibited unanimity of views, showed the mature level of putting across view points and above all, the cohesion in the organizational set up of All India Insurance Pensioners' Association.
Kudos to Comrades of Delhi
When it was the occasion for the summing up of discussions, Com. K. Natarajan, General Secretary, rose to the standing ovation of the Delegates, Observers and Leaders. Beginning his reply with encomiums to senior experienced Comrades of Delhi Pensioners' Association and young, energetic Comrades of NZIEA for the manner in which arrangements had been made, planned and executed meticulously Com. Natarajan applauded their efforts.
The scores of volunteer comrades, comprising of Pensioners and Employees, deserved all praise for the commitment and dedication with which they carried out the tasks assigned to them, Com. Natarajan said. Appreciating how all aspects of the arrangements were planned well in advance, how every minute detail was taken care of and how everyone of the volunteers took upon himself the onerous task, Com. Natarajan complimented all of them. Com. Natarajan appreciated how fruitful it was to have stay accommodation, catering and meeting venues under one roof for sticking to time schedule. The General Secretary put on record the services of volunteers, who received the Delegates and Observers at various points in odd hours and how other volunteers attended to their needs when they reached the venue in untimely hours. Com. Natarajan pointed out that due to the disruption of train services, some Divisions could not make it up and he said the Conference missed them.
General Secretary's Reply
Talking of the Organisation, the General Secretary said, we have grown in numbers with membership at 19400, an increase of 1345 since the last Conference held at Vijayawada and most of the units were functioning effectively and there was still scope to improve further.
On the specific issue of Full Neutralisation, Updation, Increase in Ex-Gratia, Com. Natarajan said that the Organisation had been following up vigorously and it could achieve a near breakthrough, though nothing concrete came out, presumably because of exterior circumstances.
Com. Natarajan said that the benefit of Pension being enjoyed, had come through a Notification under powers vested with the Government and modifications and improvements also had come through Notifications and even the LIC's Board Resolution of November 2001 talked of implementation after Notification by the Government.
AIIPA cannot compete with others but will have to take a rational decision. Others outside our fold are spreading all sorts of news and our Organisation cannot and will not respond to every such news.
Com. Natarajan said, effective pursuance of issues with the managements urging them not to procrastinate in the garb of court cases, effective use of our friendly forces to focus the issue before the Government and mobilizing of our members behind the Organisational efforts were only the surest means to get solutions to the issues of the Insurance Pensioners..
Com. Natarajan suggested observance of All India Demands Day on December 17, 2011 with Gate Meetings, Submission of Memoranda etc., by Insurance Pensioners. In case of any difficulty to observe the day on that day (being Saturday), General Insurance units may observe it on 19th December 2011.
Pointing out that struggles for safeguarding Public Sector LIC and GIC should be combined with our struggles on demands and broader struggles with other Financial Sector Organizations and joining in struggles with Left and Democratic forces would usher in an atmosphere wherein our demands would get favourable solutions, Com. Natarajan said.
The House, after reply by Com. Natarajan, General Secretary, unanimously adopted the Report. The House also adopted unanimously, Audited Statements of Accounts for three years (2008, 2009 and 2010) and appointment of Auditor for the ensuing period.
Intervening during the deliberations, Resolutions were adopted unanimously and the details of some of the Resolutions are given below.
- Against Economic Policies of the Government
- Demanding increase in Ex-Gratia of pre-1986 retirees
- For resolution of long pending issues of Insurance Pensioners
- Grant of difference in Gratuity to GIC officers (Retired) and Grant of Pensionary Benefit to SVRS optees
- Increase in Family Pension
- Improvements in Group Mediclaim
The Conference elected Office Bearers and Central Committee Members for the ensuing term.
| President : | <><> Com.M.L.Setiya (Delhi) | <><>
| Vice-Presidents : | <><> Com.Pabitra Mukherjee (Kolkata) Com.G.P.Chandolkar (Raipur) Com.K.N.Bajpai (Kanpur) Com.G.N.Mohanty (Cuttack) (General Insurance) * | <><>
| General Secretary : | <><> Com.K.Natarajan (Chennai) | <><>
| Joint Secretaries : | <><> Com.V.Devanathan (Chennai) Com.J.R.Mehta (Delhi) Com. R.Janardhan (Machilipatnam) Com.M.J.Damle (Mumbai) (General Insurance) * | <><>
| Treasurer : | <><> Com.V.Ranganathan (Chennai) | <><>
The Names of Central Committee Members (elected) will be intimated separately.
The 5th General Conference will be another milestone in the history of AIIPA and will be remembered and cherished by all those who attended the same.
LONG LIVE AIIPA !
With Greetings,
Yours Comradely,
(K.NATARAJAN)
