AR MENON'S "SELFISHNESS"!

My life, my struggles.

Early Eighties witnessed dawning of a new era  to LIC and its employees. These years surely promised a bright future to the institution and to all of us in the organisation.

But, of course, there were fears and prejudices.  Hot discussions.  Employees at all levels had fears.  And naturally they took part in heated 'debates'. It was all about OIC.  

We believed, OIC was another trap.  We believed there was a calculated attempt on the part of the management to entice employees.  Entice them by offering more promotions! 

But I got interested in the work reduction methods adopted by OIC.  I started working on those lines.  And introduction of these sets of forms was no problem at all for me.  That was the greatness of a person under whom I worked then. Yes he was Shri AR Menon, a direct recruit. He allowed me to work.  Permitted to introduce whatever I prepared.  He would come out of his cabin and sometimes tell me, he is changing a word in the letter put up for his signature.  I always wondered why he came out of his cabin to tell me about a small correction in a letter and  seek my 'permission' to correct the same.

LIC CLASS I OFFICERS ASSOCIATION MEETS ED(P)

Refixation of pension for officers with first of calendar month as their date of birth:-  Director (P) indicated that payment of one month's salary was under active examination.  It therefore follows that if a decision is taken, the consequential refixation of basic pension can also be expected soon.

Refixation for retirees of the period 1-8-1992 to 31-3-1993:-  The management is examining the matter and it might take some time for a decision to be taken.

Medi-claim:-  The grant of floater cover is under active consideration and LIC is in touch with the General Insurance Companies.  On the question of reimbursement of domiciliary treatment expenses, the Director (P) explained that a special fund may have to be constituted about which no decision has been taken so far. The management is considering recovery of medical premium by 12 monthly installments instead of recovery in 3 or 4 months as is being done at present.

Pre-1986 retirees/family pensioners:- Some additional monetary grant for this category is under active consideration.

(RIGHT TO INFORMATION !  Pensioners have a right to information to know what pensioners' associations are discussing with management. Different associations may be discussing the SAME  points.  We have a policy of neutrality in publishing the details of discussion.  - EDITOR)

 

The Petitions filed by the Federation of Retired LIC Class I Officers Associations seeking transfer of pending writ petitions in Delhi and Kerala High Courts came up as scheduled in Supreme Court.  The Hon'ble Judge started with the remarks that since cases have been pending for more than 10 to 12 years in the Supreme Court itself, the Court would not like to disturb the schedule of the High Courts in the matter of disposal of petitions pending before them.

It was argued on behalf of the petitioners that the same issue of implementation of LIC's Board Resolution is involved both in the WPs and the SLPs pending before the Supreme Court.  The likely beneficiaries are now already in the age group of 74-80.

During the course of arguments, a point arose on other options available  but on behalf of the petitioners it was mentioned that they can only seek implementation in the pending SLPs.

Filing of transfer petitions was part of continuing organizational efforts to bring early relief to the pensioners and efforts in this connection will continue, it is assured.

YOGAKSHEMA GOLDEN JUBILEE ISSUE

YOGAKSHEMA SPECIAL ISSUE.

A proud, rare and great moment

My life, my struggles.

I proudly say, I could become a part of the Golden Jubilee celebrations of Life Insurance Corporation of India. 

My interview with Prof. Ishwar Dayal earlier published by 'Yogakshema', the prestigious publication of LIC of India, was selected for inclusion in 3 pages in the Special Issue of 'Yogakshema' brought out in connection with the Golden Jubilee celebrations. 

an humble contribution

That is indeed a proud and great moment for a person who has received many bouquets and brickbats for choosing a different life. If the whole aim of serving an institution is to earn money, I did earn money and at the same demonstrated that as an employee I too could light a little lamp in my own humble way.

This is a cherished moment for me. Please permit me to preserve this Special Issue of 'Yogakshema' Golden Jubilee Issue for the rest of my life as a great souvenir.
.

P.G.Gangadharan, Editor, 'LIC Pensioners Calicut'

" AR MENON WILL BURN HIS FINGERS!"

MANUAL PREPARED
WITHOUT "INJURING
FINGERS"!

My life, my struggles.

Shri Mathulla, AO was right and justified in his fears that Shri "AR Menon will burn his fingers" for allowing an Assistant to prepare a housing loan Manual of about 200 pages and publishing the same.  

Shri PG Gangadharan, author
'OYH" Admn.

It was published as an official Office Manual.  Shri Menon would have been held squarely responsible for the mistakes in the manual.  The poor Assistant could escape as he was, after all, an Assistant.

The year was 1983.  The only office manual available was MANUAL FOR MORTGAGES.  And those who enjoyed working with dusty cyclostyled forms stood solidly behind Shri Mathulla.  They wanted to see Shri Menon injured.  But their prayers did not yield fruition.

AN UNTOLD STORY...

My Life, My struggles...

Calicut City Branch No.1. Staff members have left the office.  AO is busy completing his work. An evening scene in any Branch office. 

Suddenly a person enters the office from outside. 
AO: "You are promoted, isn't it? Posted to this Branch!"
HGA-designate: "But sir, one stagnation increment is due within 20 days.I will draw it. Then join".

AO: "Yes,yes....it's only natural.  Anybody will try to protect  it.
Afterall, I cannot give an increment to you...
you take your time and join.

BREAKFAST GIVEN BY INSPECTION TEAM !

ya..  you..  inspection team...  you want to talk to me at your Hotel
Room.. tomorrow... over breakfast...  that's nice sir.
of course I will come there sir.... sure sir!

MY LIFE AND STRUGGLE.

Strange things were again happening.  One day I received a telephone call from the Inspection team which was inspecting the L&HPF Dept. I was then working in Calicut Branch No.1.  Transferred to this Branch on promotion.

Voice from the other end told me:"We are staying in Alakapuri Hotel.  Can we meet you.  What time will be convenient.  We saw your work.  Can we meet you... and discuss about your work in L&HPF here. Can you come... tomorrow morning Alakapuri Hotel.  .... have breakfast together!" 

I was 30 years younger then.  Still an Assistant.  Prof. Ishwar Dayal's Reorganisation Scheme was very much in the air. Atmosphere was charged with tension.  People talked of their fears. There was resistance.  For valid reasons of course. Having joined and retired too in the same post, there was no wonder, people believed Re-organisation Scheme was another trap.

I had joined a new Dept.  Yes, L.& HPF.  I had new ideas drawing inspiration from certain formats produced by 'OIC' team.  Slowly I started working on those lines. Shri AR Menon, Manager, was also new to the Dept.  He supported me while AO Shri  Mathulla said: "Menon will burn his fingers."

.

MG DIWAN

I am making a reference to Shri MG Diwan.  This is not  the only one and the last.  There are several references to be made.

At Calicut it was Shri AR Menon who has helped me.  Shri Menon was never a spokesperson of the conventional group in LIC.  Those following the conventional theory of office working would sanction passenger train fare for travel to Mumbai if original ticket is not produced.(Referred in my Post titled " 'Received' Rs.42/- from LIC of India".)  The bureaucrats at the Southern Zonal Office did exactly the same thing to me.  Do they have an ‘audit’ mind there!

AWAIT...  more Posts on dignitaries like 

Prof. T.V. Rao, renowned management expert in the Organisational Behavioural Area, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.

Shri V.K.S. Menon, Chief Technical Advisor, United Nations Industrial Organisation.

Union leaders Shri A.V. Nachane and Shri R. Govindarajan, 

Top management men like Shri J. Purushothaman, Shri S. Narasimhan...

list of more dignitaries will follow.

.

.

SPECIAL LEAVE PETITION - random thoughts.

A reader from Visakhapatnam writes:-  He saw a news item - Justice NV Ramana was appointed Judge of AP High Court - SC collegium had twice rejected his candidature - but he was appointed as judge at the instance of Ram Jethmalani,then Law Minister - Now one Manohar Reddy challenged this appointment.  Ram Jethmalani appeared for the petitioner as Sr. Advocate.  -   SC bench objected to this appearance by Ram Jethmalani as he was himself a party to the appointment of Ramana etc. Now Shanti Bushan has come forward to present case against Justice NV Ramana.

Readers doubt -  SC did not allow Ram Jethmalani on the ground that Jethmalani was a party to appointment of NV Ramana as a Judge - As such he can not now

 plead as lawyer against the appointment - 

Similarly LIC having taken 'decision' to rationalise D.R. formula, updation of pension etc. can not pursue the case to annul their own decision - Since GOI remained indifferent and did not "raise the matter at SC level also,they should not be allowed to be drawn into the case" -  Matter should be treated as "abdication of authority or waiver of authority by the Government." -  These are some of the arguments of this reader ... - Copies of his mail have been marked to Shri Asthana, Shri RB Kishore and a few others. 

LIC DEPOSITS RS.12 LACS WITH HC REGISTRY.

LIFE INSURANCE CORPORATION OF INDIA has deposited  in Rajasthan High Court Registry on 10-12-2012 only about Rs.12 lacs in compliance of the Supreme Court orders as per reports reaching us.

Highest amount deposited in respect of an individual is Rs.1,01,555 after deducting amount already deposited.

In the order, S.No., Name, Amount payable and amount now deposited after
deducting amount previously deposited.

In respect of Shri KML Asthana, total amount payable is shown as Rs.87,053 and LIC has deposited Rs.64,546 being balance amount, after deducting amount already deposited.

.

LOST...BUT NOT WON

PG GANGADHARAN
Editor

 

 

 

Let me quote from 4 POSTS this blog has earlier published and now reproduced as below:-

       “Please desist from implead move and save the pensioners!" was the slogan of a section of the pensioners. They wanted that Shri Sridharan should abandon his idea of getting transferred his petition to the Supreme Court. He should desist from implead move…"

      “ As to what impact the transfer of writ petitions to the Supreme Court will have on the SLP which is pending disposal in SC, there is a thinking that it will not interfere with the SLP and would perhaps hasten…"

       “ Shri Asthana also agreed, nothing is going to adversely affect our case with the mere transfer. But the background cannot be lost sight of. Once the cases are transferred, then only application for clubbing the same with the SLP will be moved…"

       “ AS EXPECTED, SRI GNS TRANSFER PETITIONS 1514 and 1515/2012 HAVE BEEN DISMISSED. VAINGLORIOUS ATTEMPTS LIKE THESE MEET WITH WATERLOO ONLY, SUPREME COURT HAS PROVED SC IS INDEED SUPREME… “

This Editorial contains
only three sentences.

I only wish to add here that this is not the time to feel we have won any battle.  Somebody has lost, it is true.  But we have not won…be warned.


.         


                      

Obituary

TRANSFER PETITIONS DISMISSED

AS EXPECTED, SRI GNS TRANSFER PETITIONS 1514 & 1515/2012 HAVE BEEN DISMISSED.

VAINGLORIOUS ATTEMPTS LIKE THESE MEET WITH WATERLOO ONLY,  SUPREME COURT HAS PROVED SC IS INDEED SUPREME. 

 

 

LET US SALUTE JUSTICE,LET US PAY TRIBUTE TO SRI ASTHANA'S CALM COMPOSURE

LET US CONCENTRATE ON TASK AHEAD TO WIN THE PREFINALS & FINAL BATTLE IN SC

LET NOT ANY EVIL DESIGNS BE CONCOCTED TO ATTEMPT TO SABOTAGE AGAIN WITH A VILLAINS CR

LET US AWAIT FINAL VERDICT IN SRI ASTHANA'S CASE & SLP

LET US PRAY THAT, AFTER ALL, IF ALL PENSIONERS OF ALL WAGE GROUPS & ALL CADRES BENEFIT TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT,THAT IS THE WISEST WISDOM & ALL MUST RESPECT WITH FOLDED HANDS

ATLEAST NOW & HEREAFTER TILL THE CONCLUSION OF OUR CASE.

NOBODY IS AGAINST ANYBODY, BUT WE CERTAINLY ARE AGAINST BAD PRINCIPLES & ILL-CONCEIVED.

BROTHERS & SISTERS OF ENTIRE PENSIONERS FRATERNITY SHOULD BE UNANIMOUS IN UNDERSTANDING THIS ISSUE, SUPPORT THE JUST CAUSE & REMAIN AS ONE SINGLE LARGE FAMILY.

 

LETTERS TO EDITOR

Sir,   

 AFTER HEARING THE SUCCESS  STORY OF  SRI  ASTHANAJI, I  STUDIED  THE L.I.C  ACT  AND  OUR  PENSION  RULES.  I AM CONVINCED  THAT  H.C RAJASTAN  JUDGEMENT  IS  BASED  ON  SOUND  LOGIC  AND  NATURAL  JUSTICE.

I  FEEL  MOST  OF THE  PENSIONERS  DO NOT  KNOW  THE  INJUSTICE  PERPETRATED AGAINST  THEM.  I AM UNABLE TO  UNDERSTAND  WHY  THE  MILITANT  ORGANISATIONS OF L.IC  EMPLOYEES   IGNORED  THE ISSUE  OF IMPLEMENTATION  OF THE  L.I.C. RESOLUTION   FROM NOV.2001  TILL  2007  WHEN  SRI ASTHANA  INITIATED  THE  LEGAL BATTLE  AT  JAIPUR,  MORE SO WHEN  THE PENSION RULES  THEMSELVES  PROVIDED FOR UPDATION  UNDER  RULE 56.    

I MUST THANK SRI GANGADHARAN  FOR  GIVING  ME THE  OPPORTUNITY  TO EXPRESS MY  VIEWS  THROUGH HIS  BLOG .   KINDLY  FEEL  FREE TO COMMENT ON  MY  VIEWS  SO THAT  WE DISCUSS.  NOW  I  FEEL  THERE  IS  URGENT  NEED  TO  PUT OUR  BRAINS  TOGTHER TO  COUNTER  THE POINTS  RAISED  BY  L.I.C  IN  THEIR SLP,  ESPECIALLY  ITEM  (S) AND (T)  ON CUT  OFF DATE  NEEDS  SPECIAL  ATTENTION.  PRIMARILY  WE  SHOULD CONVINCE  THE S.C   THAT  S.L.P.  SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED.

C. MARTIN

I loved meeting people.  Travelling across India I met senior executives and union leaders in LIC and a number of intellectuals outside.  By and large I had good exposure.  I have covered such interviews in various journals.  I am a freelance-journalist.  It is a work I enjoyed doing then and even now.

When I visited LIC Housing Finance corporate office in Mumbai, I sought an appointment with Shri C. Martin who was General Manager there.  Just a personal visit.  

During an earlier personal visit to Southern Zonal Office in Chennai, a staff member of L&HPF there had informed me, he heard a casual discussion about my work by RM(L&HPF) with Shri Martin. This was the reason why I wanted to meet Shri Martin thinking that he knew me earlier because of this reference in Chennai.

The lady executive in the front office had taken a visitor's slip and asked me to wait.  After a while, she took me to Shri Martin’s cabin.  Believing that everything has been arranged by her, I mildly opened the door. 

What a reception!  I was rudely shocked.  Even before I could say something, Shri Martin got angry.  He might have taken me for a real estate dealer.  Although he angrily asked me to wait outside, my mood was so disturbed that I could not do so.

MEDICLAIM PREMIUM CONTRIBUTION FOR DISABLED CHILDREN

LIFE INSURANCE CORPORATION OF INDIA, CENTRAL OFFICE

DEPT. PERSONNEL  

HAS ISSUED CIRCULAR NO. CO/PER/ER-A/011/2012 DATED 27-11-2012

REGARDING CONTRIBUTION OF MEDICLAIM PREMIUM

FOR DEPENDENT DISABLED CHILDREN

OF RETIRED EMPLOYEES.

 

 

 

GN SRIDHARAN

Of late Shri G.N. Sridharan is very much in the news.  'LIC pensioners Calicut' has published a lot of controversial materials depicting Shri Sridharan in poor light. In an earlier Post, Shri Prakasarao has described him as the General Secretary of "an organisation".  He did not want to say that Shri Sridharan was the undisputed leader of Class I Officers in India. 

I have interviewed leaders of LIC employees unions like Shri N.M. Sundaram, Shri Govindarajan and Shri A.V. Nachane and also many others in LIC in connection with a project I had undertaken in the early Nineties with the blessings of LIC's top management.  The project was to convene a meeting at Calicut of all trade unions in LIC.  It was my idea to conduct this meeting under the auspices of Calicut Insurance Institute and Insurance Institute of India on the subject "Need for change in LIC". 

I was to approach Shri Sridharan also for an interview.  I had interviewed Shri N.M. Sundaram on three occasions for this purpose.  Shri Nachane also helped me a lot by allowing an interview in Mumbai.

But I didn't approach Shri Sridharan because even before I could do so, a local 'actuary' SDM had sabotaged the move to conduct the all India conference at Calicut.

Shri Sridharan has worked for a short duration of 3 years at Calicut.  I also worked under him just for a couple of months.

What rents the air these days is the accusation that he has played into the hands of LIC etc.  There are many such accusations which I have published.  In legal matters we beg to differ.  It happens here also. Some of us who are very anxious to win the case are losing temper. How the pensioners petition should be successfully fought out is the crux of the matter.

But I remember, Shri Sridharan was a straight forward and honest gentleman. He has only suffered like many other union leaders in LIC and retired to my knowledge as an unconfirmed SDM.  It is not a crime to have a different view in legal matters. He speaks out because he has the courage of his conviction to do so.

When I am just closing these lines, I hasten to add, and thankfully so, that he had given a pen as a gift to all of us in the Legal Department at Calicut as a parting gift.  Normally parting bosses did otherwise.

He is a man with a difference. 
________________
* On the 'transfer issue',of course, we should have more arguments!


.

S.C. KAPOOR

 Scene-1. 

A cold winter morning.   Place:  Ahmedabad City Branch No.7/839, then housed on 1^st floor, Nirmal Building,
Tilak Road. 

An Officer, on CL that day, suddenly appears on scene and rushes towards his seat.  He sees an Assistant sitting in his chair searching for proposal papers. 

Officer: “What are you doing here?” 

Assistant stands up.  Meekly replies him, he is searching for a proposal paper. 

Officer: “Let it go to dogs.”

Scene-2.

Same office.  Staff members arrive as usual. They witness a signal change.  A sign board hangs in front of ladies toilet room: “OFFICERS AND LADIES”. 

A second toilet room is earmarked for male staff members.   No lady officer in the office.

May be a question of ‘ego’ of an officer.  He would intrude into privacy of a Ladies toilet rather than sharing a general toilet room.   

Scene-3.  

Same office.  Sign board still hangs there but a staff member has played a joke. 

Sign board now reads: “ OFFICERS’  AND   LADIES ”.

_____________

* a Delhi-ite, forty years younger then.
....unacceptable behaviour patterns.  ....something odious and unpalatable.
Incidents that disturbed my mind are recollected.   

THE PLIGHT OF LIC PENSIONERS (PART II)

                 V.S. Prakasarao, Visakhapatnam            
prakasarao1942@gmail.com

 

In Part I of his write up, Shri V.S. Prakasarao asked why Shri GN Sridharan seeks

transfer of Writ Petitions to SC. "Will he contest the SLP of LIC and support the

pleadings of Shri Asthana?"  -  Briefly discussing SBI staff agitation, he said, "strike yielded

good results to SBI pensioners.  In LIC "it fell on the lot of Shri Asthana" to

initiate legal battle and Shri Prakasarao goes on to raise doubts

about conflicting styles of behaviour of LIC

management in different matters.

 

 

Now read:  PART II 

IMPLIED APPROVAL - The LIC found deficiencies, discrepancies, hardships in the implementation of the Pension Rules.  So much so they intended to rectify the matters and sought formal approval of the GOI as per Rule 55A (Power to relax) the G.O.I. should have given the approval.  This is a positive rule and should not be used to perpetuate the hardships and deprive the pensioners the benefit to them.  Any delay in this regard shall mean implied approval.  Or it amounts to abdication of its authority.  Thus the long silence by G.O.I. should be taken as approval.  The Rajasthan H.C. opined accordingly.

What for the Rule 56 was framed.  Who has to implement it and when.  It is the responsibility of the Chairman as per Rule 55. Further the G.O.I.  by Notification dated 20-6-2000 empowered the Corporation to  amend the relevant provisions to determine the amount of minimum pension, Dearness Relief and Family Pension.  So the power to amend was delegated to the Corporation again. The last sentence of the Explanatory Memorandum to the Pension Rules states “it is certified that no employee of the Corporation is likely to be affected by the introduction of the Pension Scheme with retrospective effect.”   As such the LIC pensioners has valid ground to get the benefits in terms of the Board’s Resolution dated 24-11-2000. 

Rule 5 of the Pension Rule says that it is the responsibility of the Management to provide sufficient funds to enable the trustees to disburse pension.  G.O.I. has no financial burden in the pension scheme.  The G.O.I. very recently issued Notification u/s. 48(g) whereby the Corporation can now purchase shares of a company up to 30% of the total number.  Hitherto it was only 10%.  So the G.O.I.  is helping business people.  How about the poor pensioners who created the wealth for the LIC and the U.O.I. (Union of India).

CAN THE UNIONS  REMAIN MUTE SPECTATORS

TO THE ONGOING DEVELOPMENTS.

SUCH UNIONS ARE

DOING GREAT DISSERVICE TO THE PENSIONERS.

(Concluded)