The Circle Working Committee meeting of AIPEU, Group-C begins on 21.09.2018 in Jiban Krushna Bhawan, NFPE, Office, Balasore. The meeting was inaugurated by Com. Niranjan Rout , Ex- Organizing General Secretary, AIPEU, Gr-C, CHQ, Ex-Circle Secretary and Ex-President..
The meeting was started with homage and condolences to the departed souls during the period under review.
The proceedings of the last CWC held in Bhubaneswar from 17.03.2018 to 18.03.2018 was adopted with active discussion amongst the members. The CWC first time witnessed participation of so many young comrades.
The introductory speech of the Circle Secretary is as follows.
Dear Comrade President,
All Circle Union Office Bearers, Divisional
Secretaries, Circle Councilors and invitees,
With strong revolutionary greetings
on behalf of the Circle Working Committee, we would like to extend you all a
generous welcome to this CWC and request your active participation and valuable
suggestions to make the Circle Union stronger for better and smarter
performances.
Comrades ! We are organizing this CWC
on the traditional New Year of Odisha known as Sunia or Vamana Jayanti, the day when Lord Vishnu
appeared as Vamana and gave a message to the mankind that excess of anything is
bad. Today, the Muslim community is also observing Muharram which is the
first month of Islamic Calender and celebrated to respect the sacrifice of the martyrs.
So
with warm greetings to you all on both the above occasions we expect at the
outset that Govt. and the Department will value the continuous sacrifices of
its employees failing which each employee will incarnate himself/herself as a
Vamana and bring an end to the excess exploitation.
We feel extremely privileged and honoured to present this Report on the
activities of this Circle Union and the developments / achievements on various
fields since our last CWC in Bhubaneswar from 17.03.2018 to
18.03.2018.
Comrades! We are holding this CWC – Cum-
CC meeting in a very critical juncture.
Starting
with our Departmental issues, we have our humble submission before this house
for a critical and serious analysis of all the burning issues to save this
Department and employees as well.
Recently, we witnessed the online Pan-India launching of India Post
Payments Bank on 01.09.2018 by Hon’ble Prime Minister of India in 650 branches
and 3250 access points including 33 branches and 165 access points in Odisha.
Each branch conducted grand meetings and colourful road-shows with distribution
of sweets. Huge amounts from the Govt. exchequer were spent lavishly on
advertisements through large size hoardings, banners from rural to urban and
postal employees were directly instructed to assemble in huge number in the
nearby branches / access points for successful launching of the programme and
to watch the live telecast of the Hon’ble Prime Minister for the purpose which
was never noticed before in the annals of the history of the Department of
Posts. To meet such additional huge expenses, on 29th August, 2018,
the Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister gave its approval for revision
of the Project Outlay for setting up of IPPB from Rs.800 crore to 1435 crore. As
declared, the additional sum of Rs. 635 crore in the revised cost estimates was
on account of Rs.400 crore for Technology Costs and Rs.235 crore for Human
Resource Costs. The objective of the
Project is to build the most accessible,
affordable and trusted bank for the common man, spearhead the financial
inclusion agenda by removing the barriers for the unbanked and reduce the opportunity cost for the under
banked populace through assisted door
step banking with a rich slogan “AAPKA BANK AAPKE DWAR”. The IPPB
will be scaled to all 1.55 lakh post offices by December 2018.
But,
the reality is that the
IPPB will provide bouquet of payments /financial services through its
technology enabled solutions which will be distributed by the employees of Department
of Posts especially through GDS transforming them from mail deliverer to
harbinger of financial services. The IPPB shall pay incentive / commission
to the last mile agents ( Postal Staff and Gramin Dak Sewaks) directly in their
accounts for providing IPPB services so as to motivate them to promote IPPB
digital services to the customers. A part of commission to be paid by IPPB to
Department of Posts will be used for increasing the wherewithal of Post Office
While
the Secretary General, NFPE and General Secretaries of all NFPE affiliated Unions
boycotted the programme at national level, the grass root level members found
no other alternative but to attend since ordered categorically. Entire India
witnessed a grand celebration of corporatizing India Post. 1st September, 2018 is
opined to be the birthday of the Corporate India Post.
Surprisingly, soon after the launch of IPPB, now,
our Hon’ble Minister, Communication has recently told PTI (Source
: https://www.theweek.in, dated
09.09.2018) that the Department
of Posts is working to set up an insurance company after launching of a
payments bank and the parcel directorate. “Departments of Posts is now reincarnating
itself. After diversifying its business with parcel directorate and payments
bank, the department has decided to set up insurance firm as a special business
unit in two years. The request for proposal to appoint a consultant for setting
up insurance unit will be floated in the coming week,” Hon’ble Minister
told PTI.
As
aware, the department offers one of the oldest life insurance schemes for
benefit of government and semi-government employees―Postal Life Insurance
(PLI), which was introduced in 1884. Rural Postal Life Insurance (RPLI),
introduced on March 24, 1995, provides insurance cover to people residing in
rural areas, especially weaker sections and women living in rural areas. As on
March 31, 2017, there were 46.8 lakh PLI and 146.8 lakh RPLI policies across
the country.
A
critical analysis of both the above aspects clearly indicates tactful implementation
of the recommendations of the Task Force Committee constituted
on 21.08.2014 by Modi Govt. soon after coming to power which was headed by
former Cabinet Secretary Shri T.S.R. Subramanian. The Committee submitted its
report to the then Minister for Communications and Information
Technology Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad in New Delhi on 04.12.2014
recommending creation of five subsidiary companies naming those as Strategic Business Units (SBU) in the name of
leveraging postal network. One company for looking after Savings Bank business
in the name of Post Bank of India. Another company to take over the insurance
business including PLI and RPLI. The third one to take over all the e-Commerce
transactions. Two other subsidiaries are
for distribution of 3rd party products and services like
providing e-services for general public for bill collections and providing of
application forms, documents and certificates on commercial basis. Another
subsidiary is for .delivery of government services like Aadhaar, ration cards,
Vikas Patras, etc. on agency basis. It was also proposed that each SBU will
have a separate independent board to operate commercially as a
profit centre. Each one of the SBU over the time may go for public
participation through public issue. It was proposed that a new postal law may
be enacted to give statutory basis for these operations.
It
may be recalled here that soon after the publication of the Task Force Report,
NFPE vehemently opposed its implementation organizing serious agitational
programmes and succeeded to some extent to keep its implementation in abeyance.
But now the recommendations are being implemented one after another. We could
not stop constitution of Post Bank of India which came to floor in the name of
IPPB. Now Hon’ble Minister has declared for creation of an Insurance company.
Already the nomenclature of the Post Office has been changed to Profit Centre
and Cost Centre under CSI. It clearly indicates in which way the Department is
moving ahead in the name of transformation and leveraging the postal network.
Analyzing the historic 164 years official
journey of India Post from DAKIYA
DAK LAYA to DAKIYA
BANK LAYA, we witness
that in the name of transformation of India Post, the problems of the postal
employees have been multiplied during the last two decades. With formulation of
National Postal Policy, Strategic Plan, Corporate Plan and introduction of
Project Arrow and I T Modernization Project, the employees are now treated in
similar nature prevailed during pre-independence era. With acute shortage of
staff due to arbitrary abolition of posts, increased working hours due to
down-sizing, additional pressure due to unachievable targets for POSB, PLI/RPLI
and business products, frequent system problems due to improper software,
inadequate professionals and outdated accessories, compulsion of cent percent
delivery in the absence of adequate staff and support system, introduction of
new products and services without proper education and training to the
employees and such other problems arising out of computerization and
modernization, the employees are suffering like anything. Concentrating our discussion to the Group-C employees, we should be very
specific that our Comrades working as SPMs in single / double-handed delivery
post offices are the worst sufferers.
Similarly,
in the name of Business Development unachievable targets are being given. Not
only the Group-C staff members, the GDS and postmen staff have been exploited
to the extent possible by the arrogant authorities in the name of business
development through collection of PLI / RPLI proposals, opening of POSB
Accounts etc. They are being forced with
threatening for prosecution to collect such business which compelled them to
work even beyond office hours and thus they are highly neglected, grossly
exploited and seriously depressed by the anti welfare policies of the
Government which is trying to get them as cheaper as possible. Though India
Post has registered nearly a seven fold growth during the period of last seven
decades, it has not been able to retain its monopoly in mail, finance/banking
and insurance sector. While emergence of electronic alternatives due to
continuing advances in Information and Communication Technology and presence of organized / unorganized couriers
for mail conveyance, increasing competition from the financial players like
banks and insurance companies and above all the challenges of globalization,
corporatization and liberalization are some of the important reasons, avoidance
by the policy makers of the Department to examine the ground reality inviting poor
and sub-standard after sale
services by India Post is a vital cause
for which customers are searching for alternative services rather than availing
postal services. To add more, we have also noticed several biased decisions,
lapses and hurriedness in implementing various policies / programmes and
unpreparedness in introducing a new product/service by the Department have
remained responsible for putting both the Department and its employees
frequently in troubles.
Besides, as you all know, attacks on
workers and peasants in general and the Central Government Employees in
particular are mounting day by day. Entire working class and
peasantry are on struggle path. The successful farmers struggle in
Maharashtra and sixteen days indefinite strike of three lakhs Postal Gramin Dak
Sevaks are the latest mass struggle.
None
of the 7th CPC related demands of Central Government Employees are
settled. The increase in pay of 14.28% was the lowest and worst in
the history of pay revision of Central Government employees. The
assurance given by the group of senior Cabinet Ministers of NDA Government in
the wake of impending indefinite strike from 11th July 2016
regarding increase in minimum wage and fitment formula is in paper even
after a lapse of 24 months. Now the Finance Minister had
replied in the Parliament that - “No change in minimum pay and fitment
formula is at present under consideration of the Government”.
Employees
who joined service on or after 01-01-2004 are retiring with a meager pension of
Rs.1000/- to Rs.2000/-per month only under the NPS scheme. In effect "New
pension system'' has become "No pension system''. As per RTI
reply out of 32 lakhs Central Government employees, as on 30-04-2018, 17,58,144
employees are covered under NPS. Uncertainty is looming large over their
retirement life. Every month 10 % of their salary (including DA) is
deducted under NPS, but as per PFRDA Act - "there shall
not be any implicit or explicit assurance of benefit, except market
based guarantee mechanism to be purchased by the subscriber.” 7th CPC
after hearing various stake holders of NPS has given the following directive to
the Government - "almost a whole lot of Government
employees appointed on or after 01-01-2004 are unhappy with the New Pension
Scheme, Government should take a call to look into their
complaint.'' Even though Government has appointed a committee for
streamlining NPS, the committee was not mandated to examine and recommend
''scraping of NPS” or ''minimum guaranteed pension'' ie; 50% of the last pay
drawn. Staff Side has placed the above demands before the
committee. Report of the committee, submitted one year back, is not
yet published. In short the discontentment among the NPS
employees is growing day by day and it may burst out at any time if the
Government refuses to revert back to the old defined benefit pension
system.
Six
lakhs posts are lying vacant for the last many years and now Government has
issued orders to abolish all posts lying vacant for more than five years. HRA
arrears, MACP Bench mark, MACP promotional hierarchy and date of effect from
01-01-2006, option-I for pensioners - Govt is not ready to reconsider their
stand. Three lakhs Gramin Dak Sevaks were compelled to go on indefinite strike
for 16 days for getting their legitimate wage revision approved by the cabinet.
Their demand for regularization, Civil servant status and implementation of
other positive recommendations of Kamalesh Chandra Committee are still
pending. Exploitation of casual and contract workers
continue. Equal pay for equal work is denied.
Large
scale outsourcing and privatization has become the order of the day. Foreign
Direct Investment and privatization of Railways and Defence and large
scale outsourcing of the work done by Defence Civilian employees are in full
swing. Government declared about 200 defence products manufactured by Defence
employees as ''non-core'' items and gave orders to private multinational
companies for their supply, rendering thousands of Defence employees jobless in
Govt owned 41ordnance factories. 12 out of 17 Government of India
presses are ordered to be closed. Same is the fate with other departmental
printing presses including Railway printing presses. Majority of the Autonomous
body employees and pensioners are yet to get their rightful 7th CPC revised pay
and pension due to stringent conditions imposed by Finance
Ministry. Compassionate appointment has become a mirage.
Trade
Union rights and facilities are curtailed and denied. Orders banning
dharna and demonstrations are issued. The draconian FR 56 (j) and
Pension Rules 48 are misused as a short-cut to punish and victimize
employees. Government sponsored unions are given undue
patronage. Recognition and trade union facilities of fighting
organizations are withdrawn and their leaders are transferred to far-off
places.
We
are aware that the policies pursued by the NDA Government including
non-settlement of genuine demands of Central Govt. employees, is directly linked
to the politics of those who are in power at the Centre and hence if Government
is not ready to change its retrograde policies we have no alternative but to
vote out those who are at the helm of affairs. Those who betrayed 32
lakhs Central Government employees and 33 lakhs pensioners have to pay the
price for it. 16 days historic indefinite strike of Gramin Dak
Sevaks is an eye-opener to all. There is no short-cut for realizing
our justified demands from a totally negative and unwilling Government.
Under this background, when we are
conducting this CWC, we have to show our every seriousness towards the
Resolutions and Declarations of the historic National Convention of the
Confederation of Central Govt. Employees and Workers in Hyderabad on 10th
June, 2018 with a series of agitational programmes culminating in one day
nationwide strike on 15th November, 2018.
In
this CWC, let’s discuss and debate if
India Post is moving ahead by the right persons in right direction adopting
right policies and decide together our future course of action to save the Nation
and our Department.
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