CLARIFICATION ON LIMIT OF MAXIMUM AGE UNDER GROUP MEDICLAIM SCHEME

Dear Sir,

In view of queries received by us, we would clarify that limit of maximum age, i.e. 90  years upto which mediclaim cover can be provided under our Group Mediclaim Scheme covering employees and retired employees has been removed from the Mediclaim Policy year 2012-13.

Aruna Seth

ER Department, 

LIC OF INDIA, Central Office

MUMBAI

PB & HARYANA HC ORDER

FRIENDS,

GIVEN BELOW IS THE ORDER OF HON JUSTICE MAHESH GROVER PUNJAB & HARYANA HIGH COURT CHANDIGARH IN THE CONTEMPT PETITION NO. 2975/2013 ON WEB SITE OF HC.

AS PER VERBAL INFORMATION FROM THE PENSIONERS PRESENT IN THE COURT LIC ADVOCATE HAD PLEADED  AND ON HIS REQUEST, BEFORE ADVOCATE OF PETITIONERS COULD SAY ANY THING,   HON'BLE JUDGE  ADJOURNED  THE CASE TO 7TH JULY,2014.

WITH BEST WISHES AND REGARDS TO ALL

HK AGGARWAL

COCP No.2975 of 2013

Sanjeev Gandhi and ors. v. RK Takru and ors.

Present: Ms.Alka Chatrath, Advocate

for the petitioners.

Mr. BR Mahajan, Advocate

for respondents No.2 to 4.

 ..... 

On request of learned counsel for respondents No.2 to 4,

adjourned to 7.7.2014.

26.3.2014 (MAHESH GROVER)

dss JUDGE

EXPECTATIONS TRAVEL FASTER

Pensioners are not confused; their expectations 

travel at a faster pace than the pace at which the legal process 

moves, writes Shri CH Mahadevan

CONTEMPT PETITION IN PB & HR HIGH COURT

THE CONTEMPT PETITION HAS BEEN ADJOURNED TILL 7TH JULY,2014 PROBABLY ON THE REQUEST OF LIC ADVOCATE.

HK AGGARWAL

IT IS BUT NATURAL THAT WHENEVER THERE ARE ANY ORDERS FROM SC OR ANY HC, WE PENSIONERS GET ANXIOUS TO KNOW THE IMPACT OR IMPLICATIONS OF SUCH ORDERS. MANY QUESTIONS AND QUERIES ARE BEING RAISED AND IT IS  A GOOD SIGN OF OUR PENSIONERS AWARENESS AND CONCERN. AS A LAYMAN I AM OF THE OPINION THAT WE WILL HAVE TO WAIT FOR  PB & HRY HC   PROCEEDINGS AND ORDERS TILL TOMORROW. ANY THING IS POSSIBLE.

HOWEVER ANALYSING THE SC ORDERS (PUBLISHED ELSEWHERE) IT IS CLEAR:-

• 1. CONTEMPT PROCEEDINGS WILL CONTINUE. ( as LIC LA for  stay dismissed)
• 2. LIC HAS BEEN GRANTED LIBERTY to raise all their contentions in the contempt petition which are pending before the High Court in accordance with law. 
• 3.WHAT MOVE LIC TAKES TOMORROW CANNOT BE PREDICTED.  THERE ARE RUMOURS THAT LIC MAY DEPOSIT SOME AMOUNT TO SAVE CONTEMPT AND/OR PROLONG PROCEEDINGS AS THEY HAD DONE IN JAIPUR. THERE IS ALSO A NEWS IN THE AIR THAT SOME OFFICERS OF LIC FROM CO/ZO ARE IN CHANDIGARH TODAY.

ANYWAY WE HAVE TO WAIT AND WATCH.   

WITH BEST WISHES AND REGARDS,

HK AGGARWAL

MOHALI.

Shri HK Aggarwal adds:-

CONTEMPT PETITION IN PB & HR HIGH COURT 26-3-14.

DEAR FRIENDS

THE CONTEMPT PETITION IS LISTED AT SR. NO.230  ON 26.3.14 IN THE PB & HARYANA HC CHANDIGARH

IN THE COURT OF HON'BL JUSTICE MAHESH GROVER

WITH BEST WISHES TO ALL

HK AGGARWAL

• REALLY it was a great moment in the history of the newly created Panchkula AIRIEF Unit of L.I.C.Retired Class I Officers Association, which came into existence just 3 years ago and was founded by Late Sh.M.L.Gandhi, when our Stalwart Sh.R.B.Kishore  fighting for all L.I.C Pensioners for last 17 years visited us on 23rd March,2014, Sunday, to address our members at a lunch meeting organised in Hotel Pallavi, Sector 5, Panchkula. Sh.B.Angurajan Organising Secretary AIRIEF also accompanied Sh.Kishore Vice President AIRIEF.

A RECORD attendance of 43 members including a few members from adjoining Chandigarh Unit was registered out of a total base of just 50 members in our unit.

SH. B. ANGURAJAN focused on Acheivements of AIRIEF besides activities undertaken by him ever since his election as organising secretry in 8th G.C of AIRIEF on 03.11.2012 at Ahmedabad.

• SH. RB KISHORE who was in his best form addressed our members for about  90 minutes touching all minute details of our legal battle, a vision for future course of action and revised medi-claim scheme for retired persons with floater limits. He also highlighted that LIC was totally unfair to very senior pensioners who sacrificed their youth while laying foundations of LIC as a result of which LIC has secured great heights.

SH.KISHORE also answered questions from our members after his speech.

WE EXPRESS our heartfelt thanks to both Sh.Angurajan as well as Sh.R.B.Kishore for their great efforts to motivate all the members in this meeting.

B.R.Mehta, Vice President, Unit Panchkula

SUPREME COURT ORDER

Supreme Court - I.A. NO.3 OF 2014 IN CIVIL APPEAL NO(s). 6995 OF 2013 - 14.3.2014.

ITEM NO.64 COURT NO.9 SECTION IV

 S U P R E M E C O U R T O F I N D I A

 RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS

I.A. NO.3 OF 2014

IN

 CIVIL APPEAL NO(s). 6995 OF 2013

LIFE INSURANCE CORP. OF INDIA & ORS. Appellant (s)

 VERSUS

MADAN LAL GANDHI (D) THR. LR. & ORS. Respondent(s)

(With appln(s) for and office report ))

Date: 14/03/2014 This Appeal was called on for hearing today.

CORAM :

 HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE GYAN SUDHA MISRA

 HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE V. GOPALA GOWDA

For Appellant(s) Dr. A.M. Singhvi, Sr. Adv.

Mr. Ashok Panigrahi, Adv.

Mr. Santosh Kumar, Adv.

Ms. Ashmi Mohan, Adv.

Ms. Pavitra Warrier, Adv.

For Respondent(s) Ms. Sushma Suri,Adv.

 UPON hearing counsel the Court made the following

O R D E R 

We see no reason to entertain this application for

staying the contempt proceedings pending before the

Punjab and Haryana High Court. The Interlocutory

Application No.3 of 2014 is dismissed.

However, the applicants are at liberty to raise

all their contentions in the contempt petition which are

pending before the High Court in accordance with law.

(Neetu Khajuria)

Sr.P.A.

(S.S.R. Krishna)

Assistant Registrar

____________________

Readers may recollect, we had published the following notes on 15th March 2014 at 11 AM.  We add no further comments now. -Editor

LIC PENSIONERS A CONFUSED LOT ?

adjournment after adjournments,

several hustings to different

corridors of justice with

the final verdict still eluding

the ageing, ailing pensioners in the twilight of their life 

makes the pensioners to retrospect and ponder.... 

no confusion says shri Rao

" LIC pensioners are a confused lot these days. 
They have lost  sense of direction.

It is time LIC PENSIONERS ASSOCIATIONS

SIT TOGETHER AND THINK OF THEIR

FUTURE STRATEGIES... "

QUOTING THE ABOVE SENTENCE FROM THE LAST POST, SHRI LSR KRISHNA RAO ARGUES THAT THE THE PENSIONERS are marching ahead towards final victory.

right path,right path...

I am able to find this suggestion (that is,'LIC Pensioners associations sit together to thrash out future strategies') from one or two known and one or two unknown.   You are well aware of the strategies  of all the pensioners’ associations/ federations. Shri K M L ASTHANA is only supporting the cause of pensioners i.e. DA Neutralisation and revision of pension stage to stage where as others are asking only DA  neutralisation. In such a situation there cannot be any possibility of common understanding.

aiiea - down,down...

The AIIEA included in the charter of demands submitted by them to       L I C OF INDIA that the employees who retire from LIC from 

01 08 2012 should have revision of pension in the next wage revisions, thereby the present employees could not support the cause of existing pensioners struggle, in any way.   In such a background the pensioners have no option than to support Shri Asthana in his judicial process. Majority members of AIIEA are aggrieved and they are supporting Shri Asthana and his federation by all means where as in the Banks the existing employees are supporting the pensioners and it is lacking in the so called AIIEA which has become a corporate trade union.  Judicial system has its delays and we cannot change its process.

Shri Rao sees a vibgyor in the horizon...

We know from our past experience in Bonus case that judiciary will consume time. Ultimately truth will triumph.  We are marching ahead for a final and perpetual victory of L I C pensioners. We have no confusion.  I am able to see from the horizon the VIBGYOR in true colours. It is not too far.  We are not in a confused stage, there bound to be twist and turns and there won’t be a strait-jacket to wear.  Finally, the truth will triumph and every pensioner when he gets his arrears will be happy and his family will also be happy.  That day is not far off.  I wish victory to all the pensioner friends at the earliest.

WITH GREETINGS,

L S R KRISHNA RAO

calm, serene and tranquil days ahead for all lic pensioners...

        
Reading the news, a member of a LIC Pensioners Fedn quipped: "No one is ready and willing to focus on Supreme Court where the remedy lies. We need help from those who can accept this challenge..."

• Ans. "There is no second opinion that the final solution lies in SC only and every one is anxious. Please do not suggest only but as a beneficiary you also have the right and liberty to approach Supreme Court ...."

confusion...

LIC pensioners are a confused lot these days. 
They have lost  sense of direction.

It is time LIC PENSIONERS ASSOCIATIONS

SIT TOGETHER AND THINK OF THEIR

FUTURE STRATEGIES...

RAILWAY RULES :

AMENDMENT TO CANCELLATION OF TICKETS FROM 01 03 2014

 

From March 1, passengers who do not undertake journey after booking tickets will not be paid any refund.

Refund will also not be paid to those who have booked tickets as a part of a group and decide not to travel for any reason.

The new rules come into effect after the railways modified its scheme on grant of refund from public reservation system (PRS) on cancellation of tickets.

Central Railway senior divisional commercial manager (Sr DCM) Dr Sumant Deulkar confirmed that Railway Board vide a circular issued on February 21 to all general managers has intimated to implement the decision from March 1.

In partial modification under 'Computerized Coaching Refund Scheme', the Railway Board has decided that refund across the counters will not be granted in case of passengers who do not turn up and less number of people travelling in groups.

However, refund under this system will be granted for reserved and RAC tickets in cases of lower class travel, failure of AC in coach, discontinuation of journey by passengers due to dislocation of train services, accommodation not provided and cancellation of trains. For wait listed tickets, refund will not be granted under this system but will continue to be granted as per existing rules.

CRIS has been asked to make necessary software modifications. Necessary instructions have been issued to all staff immediately, says a circular issued by Rohit Kumar, deputy director traffic commercial, Railway Board.

Earlier, if the ticket was presented for cancellation up to two hours after the actual departure of the train irrespective of distance, the cancellation charges were 50% of the fare subject to a minimum of the cancellation charge referred.

(Times of India)

LEGAL EXPENSES

INFORMATION ABOUT LEGAL EXPENSES INCURRED BY LIC SINCE 1998-2013 ON LEGAL CASES OF RETIRED EMPLOYEES IN

DIFFERENT HIGH COURTS AND SUPREME COURT 

WAS SOUGHT UNDER RTI ACT 2005.

LIC SAYS THEY DO NOT HAVE ANY SUCH INFORMATION BUT YEARLY EXPENSES  SINCE 1998 T0 2013  UNDER THE HEAD LAW CHARGES HAVE BEEN PROVIDED.

IT IS REALLY DISGUSTING, STRANGE & WEIRD THAT DESPITE HIGH COURT's FAVOURABLE ORDERS IN 2010 AND NOT STAYED BY SUPREME COURT, PENSIONERS ARE MISFORTUNATE AND DISAPPOINTED BY THE CRUEL & MALICIOUS BEHAVIOUR  OF  LIC WHICH IS DRAGGING THEM IN UNNECESSARY LEGAL BATTLE BY DILLY DALLYING THE LEGAL PROCESS TO THE DISADVANTAGE OF THE OLD PENSIONERS MANY OF THEM HAVE DIED WAITING FOR JUSTICE.

HK AGGARWAL

ADDITIONAL FLOATER COVER PREMIUM TO BE BORNE BY PENSIONERS

NEXUS BETWEEN BUSINESS PEOPLE AND GOVT. OFFICIALS

In recent years, although various economies around the world especially emerging countries have gained riches, this has been concentrated in the hands of a few people rather than benefitting the entire country. Indeed, cries of income inequality have become louder by the day. And billionaire lists published by magazines only underlines this widening income gap. Now the reasons for this have been plenty. But one of the reasons attributed to such wealth concentration has been 'crony capitalism'. 

As per Wikipedia, crony capitalism is a term describing an economy in which success in business depends on close relationships between business people and government officials. It may be exhibited by favoritism in the distribution of legal permits, government grants, special tax breaks, or other forms of state interventionism. The Economist has also coined another term called 'rent seeking', which is a special type of money making made possible by political connections. 

Crony capitalism is not a new phenomenon but has prevailed since quite some time and that too across nations. The emerging countries, particularly have seen instances of rent seeking rise in the last quarter of the century. For instance, surge in property prices have made developers rich especially those who rely on approvals for projects. Rent seeking has also been rampant in the commodities sector. The boom in commodities has fuelled the value of mines and oilfields and these sectors are ones where there is considerable government intervention. In China especially crony capitalism is quite visible given that one third of the billionaires in the country are party members. 

Crony capitalism has reared its ugly head in the developed world too especially since the 2008 global financial crisis. This has been quite apparent in the banking and financial services sector, which having burnt their fingers badly in the crisis, turned to the government to bail them out. 

India too is no stranger to crony capitalism. Rent seeking in the country is especially prevalent in sectors such as real estate, energy, mining to name a few. Not only is corruption high in these industries but there are vested interests for companies operating in these sectors as well. What more, it is hardly surprising that the level of corporate governance and transparency in these areas especially real estate is pathetic to say the least. 

Is there any reason to believe that crony capitalism is on the wane? We are not sure. However, the tolerance for the rising inequality is coming down. At a time when many countries are battling an economic slowdown, the need to fuel growth through effective implementation of reforms has become vital. The revolutions seen in many of the emerging countries also highlight the growing intolerance for an ineffective government. Moreover, investors are becoming more aware of the need of investing in businesses where corporate governance and transparency rate high. Hence, instances of crony capitalism in these times would come under scrutiny like never before. 

In India, eliminating crony capitalism entirely is not something that will happen overnight. But there are hopes that the coming general elections and a new government at the helm would go a long way in reversing the apathy that was displayed by the current UPA government. At least, we certainly hope so. 
From Equitymaster.com (Recd thro CH MAHADEVAN)

EXTRACTS FROM centralgovernmentemployees.blogspot.in

• Terms of Reference of the 7th Central Pay Commission.
• Implement One Rank, One Pension Soon, MoD Told
• Sanction of Pension Simplified and Streamlined
• Cabinet likely to approve Rs1,000/month minimum pension
• Expectations for 50% DA Merger and Retirement age turn into disappointments-Gservants
• PRESS NOTE REGARDING CASHLESS TREATMENT IN CGHS EMPANELLED HOSPITALS.

ALL THE 6 POINTS ARE RELEVANT & IMPINGE ON US ALSO IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER. 

GREETINGS RB KISHORE, VP, AIRIEF

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF POSTAL EMPLOYEES

Dated : 06.03.2014

The Secretary,Department of Personnel & Training,New Delhi – 110001

Dear Sir,

Sub : – Terms of Reference of the 7th Central Pay Commission.

I)  We have gone through the Terms of Reference of 7th Central Pay Commission approved and notified by the Government on 28.02.2014. We find that the Terms of Reference finalized by the Government is at variance in many respects to the Draft Terms of Reference the Staff Side had submitted to you on 25.10.2013 after holding in-house discussion on 24.10.2013.

At the conclusion of the meeting held on 24.10.2013, it was agreed that the Government would consider our suggestions in the matter and will convene another meeting with the presence of the Secretary (Expenditure) to iron out the differences, if any, and explore the possibilities of an agreement in the matter.

We regret to inform you that no such meeting was convened and no attempt was made by the Official Side to arrive at an agreed Terms of Reference. We find that the Government has rejected the suggestions of Staff side for either taking a decision in the matter of Interim Relief, Merger of DA, representation of labour nominee in the Commission itself, inclusion of the Grameen Dak Sewaks within the purview of the 7th CPC, bringing parity in pension between the past and present pensioners, covering the employees appointed on or after 01.01.2004 within the ambit of the Defined Benefit Pension Scheme, date of effect, settlement of the pending items in the National Anomaly Committee etc. or referring those issues to the Commission itself for an Interim Report.

Besides, we are to state that the existing Productivity Linked Bonus (PLB) Scheme, being a bilateral agreement, cannot be subjected to scrutiny and examination by the 7th CPC.

We, therefore request you to kindly convene a meeting of the Standing Committee of National Council (JCM) to discuss the issue, so as to make amendments to the Terms of Reference finalized by the Government arbitrarily.

Yours faithfully,

FNPO & Member, NFPE & Member

II) Implement One Rank, One Pension Soon, MoD Told

Defence Minister A K Antony directed his ministry’s accounts department to immediately take steps for implementation of the ‘One Rank-One Pension’ decision.

At a meeting chaired by him , he had assured the Armed Forces that the Centre was “fully committed” to implement the OROP policy, which was accepted to be implemented from the 2014-15 financial year and an interim budget of `500 crore was earmarked for the same. The policy, when implemented, would cost `1,800 crore in the next fiscal, with a 10 per cent increase in the pay-out every year hence.

Antony told the meeting to discuss modalities for OROP implementation that required funds would be made available for the scheme.

Chairing a meeting of Armed Forces top brass and MoD senior officials here, Antony pointed out that Finance Minister P Chidambaram had clarified that the `500 crore made available for the OROP scheme was only “indicative” of the government’s intent to implement the long-pending demand.

Minister of State for Defence Jitendra Singh, Defence Secretary R K Mathur, Secretary Ex-Servicemen Welfare Sangita Gairola, Secretary Defence Finance Arunava Dutt, the three services vice chiefs and Adjutant General from the Services headquarters were present at the meeting, a ministry release said.

It was noted that “OROP implies that uniform pension be paid to the armed forces personnel retiring in the same rank with the same length of service irrespective of their date of retirement and any future enhancement in the rates of pension to be automatically passed on to the past pensioners.

“This implies bridging the gap between the rate of pension of the current pensioners and the past pensioners, and also future enhancements in the rate of pension to be automatically passed on to the past pensioners.”

Antony told the Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA) to initiate immediate necessary steps in consultation with the three services, MoD Finance and Department of ESW to give effect to the decision.

III) Sanction of Pension Simplified and Streamlined

As a part of a larger mandate of streamlining and simplifying the sanction of pension and payment process, the Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare has taken steps towards minimizing delays in sanction and disbursement of pension, and making the process more transparent.

The objective is to simplify the forms as well as to do away with the requirement of submission of affidavit and to accept all information and documents on the basis of Self certification. 26 forms under CCS Pension Rules (1972) have been reviewed and modified where necessary. The revised forms have been posted on the website of the Department www.persmin.nic.in.

The Department proposes to dispense with the requirement of a number of nomination forms for various benefits like GPF, CGEGIS, arrear of Pension and commutation of Pension by the employees.Instead, an employee will be required to fill up only one Nomination Form during the service and another nomination Form at the time of retirement. Amendment to the Forms and relevant rules in this respect would be notified by the Department very soon.

Revision of Forms under General/Contributory Provident Fund Rules, Extraordinary Pension Rules and Commutation of Pension Rules is under process.The Department is also reviewing the Rules with a view to reducing the time prescribed for sanction of pension from the current 24-30 months to a more reasonable 12 months.

An online pension sanction and payment tracking system ‘Bhavishya’ has been launched, initially in 15 Ministries. This will enable retiring government servants to themselves track progress of sanction of pension and other retirement dues against the time lines prescribed.

IV) Cabinet likely to approve Rs1,000/month minimum pension tomorrow

Union Cabinet is likely to approve the proposal to ensure Rs 1,000 minimum monthly pension under the pension scheme run by retirement fund body EPFO, which would immediately benefit 28 lakh pensioners.

According to sources, the proposal is listed in the agenda of the meeting of the Union Cabinet scheduled.

The move to ensure Rs 1,000 minimum pension under Employees' Pension Scheme-95 will immediately benefit about 28 lakh pensioners including five lakh widows. There are about 44 lakh pensioners.

Earlier this month the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation's (EPFO) trustees had approved the proposal to provide an entitlement of minimum monthly pension of Rs 1,000.The Central Board of Trustees (CBT), the apex decision making body of EPFO had met on February 5, and decided to amend the EPS-95 scheme for the purpose.

The proposal would be placed before the Union Cabinet for its approval for the Rs 1,000 minimum monthly pension as the government would have to make fund provisions for the purpose.

The government would have to provide an additional amount of Rs 1,217 crore to ensure the minimum pension of Rs 1,000 starting 2014-15. Pensioners are, therefore, expected to get benefit with effect from April 1 this year. The proposal has already been approved by the Finance Ministry.

V) Expectations for 50% DA Merger and Retirement age turn into disappointments-Gservants

‘All Predictions are governed by the law of probability’. Based on this principle everybody started predict something about 50% DA Merger, Retirement Age and Interim relief. But none of which have materialized.

The print and e- media made the people believe that the central government had done lot of things including above for central government employees. But it was merely media hype. Apart from 7th pay commission approval government had done nothing for central government employees.

There is a saying “Never get too attached to someone, because attachments lead to expectations and expectations lead to disappointments”

But it is not true here in respect of central government employees. They are bound to expect something like 50% DA merger and interim relief from government, as the federations were assured by central government some of their demand would be considered. Based on this assurance they deferred their Strike call for which 85% of employees mandated.

So there is nothing wrong in their expectation from the central government for considering the demands of Merger of 50% DA and granting interim relief.

But central government made this saying true, “Expectations are setting one up for disappointment”

VI) PRESS NOTE REGARDING CASHLESS TREATMENT IN CGHS EMPANELLED HOSPITALS.

There have been reports in the Media that private hospitals on the panel of CGHS are denying credit facilities to the eligible CGHS beneficiaries for delay in settlement of hospitals bills. Lower package rates and inadmissible deductions etc. have also been reported to be the other reasons for withdrawal of agreed cashless /credit facilities.

In this regard, the CGHS beneficiaries are advised not to be guided by such misleading information. Delay in payments in the last quarter of the financial year due to budgetary constraints is not a new phenomenon and the hospitals are aware of it. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has taken special steps and the pendency is likely to be cleared within a week.

CGHS has already invited bids for revision of package rates through a transparent tender process. The last date for submission of bids is 10th March, 2014. Measures have also been taken to streamline the payment related issues in the ensuing empanelment process.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will ensure that the CGHS empanelled private hospitals continue to extend cashless /credit facilities to the eligible CGHS beneficiaries in compliance with the terms and conditions as laid down in the Memorandum of Agreement signed by them with CGHS. As per the information received by the Ministry, most of the private hospitals are continuing to extend the cashless facilities to the CGHS beneficiaries.