Friday 21 September 2018

The Circle Working Committee Meeting of AIPEU, Group-C, Odisha Circle begins in Balasore

         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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