NCCPA CIRCULAR ON LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

NCCPA CIRCULAR ON LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

NCCPA SG COMRADE KKN KUTTY ON LATEST DEVELOPMENTS RELATED TO 7th COC NEGOTIATIONS!

NATIONAL CO-ORDINATION COMMITTEE OF

 PENSIONERS ASSOCIATIONS

Secretariat Meeting decision

Dear Comrades,

The National Secretariat of NCCPA met at New Delhi ( AIRF Library hall) on 27.6.2016 as scheduled. The meeting was presided over by Com. Shiv Gopal Misra, President and Com. S.S. Roy, Working President.  The names of members who were present at the meeting are given below.  The following agenda came up for discussion.

1. Shiv Gopal Misra –Chariman,2.  KKN Kutty – SG  3. VAN Nambiidiri – Patron 4.  S.S.Roy – Working President 5.  Dhaktod – Vice President  6. C.L.Mathur – Vice President 7. T.S.Parameswaran – Vice President 8. Pavitra Ranjan Chakraborti – Dy SG. 9  K.Ragavendran – DY SG  10. H.L.Sidhu – Treasurer  11. K.G.Jayaraj – ASG  12 S.K.Sharma – ASG (SCOVA Member) 13.  Prabakaran Nair – ASG 14.  Ishwar Singh Dabas – ASG 15.  Somaiah – Organising Secretary.

Guests: Sahajan – Kerala CGPA – SCOVA Member;  K.B.Krishnarao – Karnataka P&T Pensioners Assn – SCOVA Member;  O.P.Mathur – Rajasthan;  S.K.Jaiswal  - Rajasthan

Agenda

1.       Review of the implementation of the decisions taken at the last meeting held on 7.2.2016 on all agenda items.

2.       The approach of the Department of Pension on the recommendations of the 7^th CPC on pensioners issues.

3.       Review of the deliberations held at the BCPC meeting at Delhi and the follow up action needed.

4.       Any other matter with the permission of chair.

Before the commencement of the meeting the AIPRPA Delhi (Unit ( Com. Rajinder Singh, President and Com. Deep Chand, General Secretary, presented complimentary executive files to all office bears. 

The decisions taken in brief at the meeting are as under:-

1.       The NCCPA Units and affiliates will organize a Dharna programme at all State capitals demanding that the Government must bring in parity in pension entitlements between the past and present pensioners as they have rightly awarded the one rank one pension to the Ex-servicemen personnel.  The members may be apprised of the decision of the Government, especially of the Pension Department regarding Option No.1. which is inimical to the interest of the pensioners.   The meeting must adopt the following resolution and the same may be sent to Shri Arun Jaitely, Honourable Finance Minister, Government of India, North Block, New Delhi.  110 001.

"This meeting of the pensioners held at…….. request the honourable Finance Minister  that the 7^th CPC  recommendations to allow Option No. 1 to the Pensioners may be accepted and implemented removing the words appeared in the Government Press Statement "subject to feasibility".  The pensioners are extremely worried that the said phrase, if included in the Gazette Notification  will be taken advantage of by the Pension Department of the Government of India to deny the legitimate benefit to the pensioners, even though the Government has decided to accept the recommendation made in this regard by the 7^th CPC. "

2.       The Pensioners Association at all Places will extend solidarity support to the working employees as and when they organize the strike action.

3.       A national convention against NPS will be held at New Delhi in the second fortnight of October .

4.       The NCCPA's next circular will have the list of all affiliates/units who are in arrears of payment of subscription.

5.       The postal registration for NCCPA Bulletin has been obtained.  The SG will go over to Kolkata to ensure that the jounal is published in page maker format.

6.       All affiliates and units will enroll more subscribers to the journal.

7.       The SG will take up the need for holding the GB meeting of BCPC with the President of BCPC.

8.       Com. S.S. Roy will submit a note on the attack on the Post office Saving bank scheme, which has been beneficial to the retired personnel.

9.       The detailed minutes of the meeting will be issued and circulated separately. 

7^th CPC recommendations and Latest developments.

                The Cabinet decision on various recommendations of 7^th CPC was made known by the Government through the Press Statement issued on 29^th itself.  The same has been widely carried by the Print and Electronic media.  We place for the benefit of our members the highlights of the Cabinet decisions.  The NJCA met on 30^th at 4.00 PM and deliberated upon the outcome of the Cabinet meeting of 29^th.  The Press Statement issued thereafter by the NJCA carries their reactions.  The same is also reproduced.  During the meeting convenor Com.Shiv Gopal Misra received an invitation from the Government over phone to meet the Home, Finance and Railway Ministers on that night itself.  The said meeting took place at 9.00 PM at the residence of the Honourable Home Minister, Shri Rajnath Singh.  We send herewith the Circular letter issued by the NJCA on Ist July, 2016.

                In this connection we are also to inform you that the undersigned who was a member of the delegation of NJCA took up the ambiguity in the decision of the Government in the matter of pension fitment formula recommended by the 7^th CPC.  The delegation pointed out to the Finance Minister that even though the Government has decided to accept the 7^th CPC recommendation to have two options for pensioners, it is qualified with the words "subject to feasibility".  The Finance Minister categorically assured the delegation that the Government has accepted the recommendation in toto and the Pension department has only been asked to sort out the difficulties in implementation of the Option No. 1., if any. 

Copy  of the Press statement issued by the NJCA on 1st July, 2016.

NJCA

National Joint Council of Action

4, State Entry Road, New Delhi – 110055

                                                                                                                                                                             July 1, 2016

Press Statement

After Seven months of the submission of the report by the 7^th CPC the Government has now announced its decisions.  Government has rejected almost all demands raised by the employees organizations vide their letter dated 10^thDecember 2015. The Press Statement issued by the Govt after the Cabinet meeting on 29^th June 2016 is an amalgam of facts, untruths and fiction. The National Joint Council of Action had demanded, for legitimate and cogent reasons an upward revision of the minimum wage recommended by the 7 CPC.

The Central Govt employees at the lowest level as on 1.1.2016 receive a salary of Rs. 15,750/- (Pay 7000 + DA 8750). A paltry sum of Rs 2250/- is given to them on account of this revision. This is just 14% increase, the lowest ever by any CPC in the past 70 years. Had the recommendation of the 7 CPC been accepted and implemented in respect of insurance premium and its coverage, there would have been only a net increase of Rs.555/- in the take home salary.

The minimum wage computation made by the 7^th CPC adopting Dr. Aykhoroyd formula was incorrect as they doctored this formula itself and prices of the commodities taken were unreal and imaginary. The NJCA demanded correction thereof, whereby the actual minimum wage shall be not less than Rs. 26000/-. The Government refuses to make this correction.

The one and only recommendation of 7^th CPC which was considered by the employees and pensioners as positive was the pension fitment formula (option No. 1). Even though the Press statement indicates that the Government has accepted the said recommendation, the implementation thereof has been deferred. The Pension Department in their internal note had already rejected this recommendation on the ground that it has no document to act upon this recommendation. The pension Deptt. will delay the implementation of this vital recommendation for unlimited time and ultimately reject it. The demand for parity in pension between the past and present pensioners thus stand rejected.

The NJCA expects the Government to settle the following issues immediately.

(1)     The minimum wage to be raised to Rs 26,000/-. Accordingly, the fitment formula and the pay matrix must be revised.

(2)    The option No. 1 recommended by the 7^th CPC for the pensioners as a fitment formula must be implemented without any ifs and buts.

(3)    The Committee that is set up to go into New Pension Scheme must have a specific terms of reference for the grant of guaranteed minimum pension in respect of all subscribers.

(4)  The recommendations in respect of HRA and Transport Allowance must be delinked from the committee set up by the Government to review the allowances. The revised rates of HRA and TA must be granted with effect from 1.1.2016.

(5) The Government must come forward to hold meaningful negotiation with National JCA on the 11 point charter of demands

(6)n The Government must take immediate steps to revive the functioning of the JCM at all levels.

The National Joint Council of Action met on 30^th June 2016  with the representatives of the following organizations and decided to go ahead with the strike decision commencing from 11^th July 2016 for which notice has been served on 9^thJune 2016.

All India Railwaymen Federation.

National Federation of Indian Railwaymen.

`                               Confederation of Central Government employees and workers

All India Defence Employees Federation

Indian National Defence Workers Federation

National Federation of Postal Employees

Federation of National Postal organizations.

Shiv Gopal Misra.

Convenor. 

The NJCA delegation with Shri Rajnath Singh, Hon'ble Home Minister, Shri Arun Jaitley, Honourable Finance Minister, Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu, Railway Minister, Shri Manoj Sinha, Minister of State for Railways.

The NJCA delegation ( from left to right) Shri K.K.N. Kutty (Confdn), Shri M. Raghavaiah,(NFIR) Shri Shiv Gopal Misra,(AIRF) and Shri C.  Sreekumar.(AIDEF)

The Circular letter issued by the NJCA on 01.07.2016

Dear Comrades!

We are to inform you that the NJCA had a discussion with Government of India, i.e. 30.06.2016 over certain demands contained in our Charter of Demands. In the meeting following Ministers were present:-

Shri Rajnath Singh, Hon'ble Home Minister
Shri Arun Jaitley, Hon'ble Finance Minsiter
Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu, Hon'ble Railway Minister
Shri Manoj Sinha, Hon'ble MoSR

On behalf of the NJCA the following participated in the discussion:-

Shri Shiva Gopal Mishra, Convener NJCA
Shri M. Raghavaiah, Chairman NJCA
Shri K.K.N. Kutty, Member NJCA
Shri C.Srikumar, Member NJCA

The government has proposed to refer the issue of Minimum Wage and Fitment Formula to a committee for reconsideration.

The NJCA will await communication in this regard from the Government.

The NJCA will again meet on 6th July at 11:00 hrs, in JCM office, 13-C, Ferozshah Road, New Delhi, for taking appropriate decision.

With Fraternal Greetings !

Highlights of the Govt. Decisions on 7^th CPC Recommendations

GENERAL FEATURES

| Recommendations of 7th CPC on pay and pensionary benefits will come into effect from 01.01.2016| 7th CPC recommendations are being implemented within 6 months from the due date.

Arrears of pay & pensionary benefits to be paid during FY 2016-17 itself, unlike past when parts of arrears were paid in the next FY.| Award of 7th CPC approved by Cabinet will benefit over 1 crore employees including over 47 lakh central government employees and 53 lakh pensioners, of which 14 lakh employees and 18 lakh pensioners are from defence forces.

PAY

Separate Pay Matrices for Civil, Defence and MNS   | Minimum Pay increased  from 7000 to 18000  | Fitment factor of 2.57 to apply for pay revision of all  employees| Rate of annual  increment retained at 3%.  | Two dates of increments in place of existing one : 1st January &  1^st July  

 | Improvements made in Defence Pay Matrix:

Index of Rationalisation for Brigadier  increased  from 2.57 to 2.67.  Additional stages provided in Levels of Lt. Col., Col & Brig.

PENSION

|General recommendations of Commission on pension and related benefits approved | Both options of Commission regarding pension revision accepted subject to feasibility of their implementation.

| Revision of pension using second formulation based on  fitment factor of 2.57 shall be implemented immediately. | Committee to address the implementation issues anticipated in first formulation.  | First formulation to be made applicable if its implementation is found feasible after examination by  proposed Committee which is to submit its Report within 4 months| Gratuity increased from 10 to 20 lakhs.

 ALLOWANCES AND ADVANCES

| Committee headed by Finance Secretary to examine recommendations on Allowances in view

of significant departure from existing system and demands from employees for review| Report of Committee to be submitted in 4 months| Pending final decision based on the report of the Committee, all allowances to be paid as per existing rates in existing pay structure | Interest bearing advances – HBA and PC advance retained. HBA ceiling raised to 25 lakh from 7.5 lakh| All interest free advances abolished except for –medical treatment, TA on tour/Transfer, TA for family of deceased employee and LTC to avoid hardship to employees

OTHER ISSUES

| The f existing rates of monthly contribution towards Group Insurance - CGEGIS to continue.| MoF to work out a customized group insurance scheme with low premium and high risk cover.| Ex-gratia lump sum compensation for civil and defence forces personnel payable to Next of Kin enhanced from 10-20 lakh to 25-45 lakh.| Military Service Pay increased from  1000, 2000, 4200 & 6000 to 3600, 5200, 10800 & 15500 respectively | Terminal gratuity for Short Service Commissioned Officers exiting between 7 and 10 years of service increased to 10.5 times reckonable emoluments. | All administrative issues other than pay, pension and allowances to be examined by concerned Ministries/Departments| Two separate Committees to be set up to  suggest measures for streamlining the implementation of National Pension System (NPS); to look into anomalies likely to arise out of implementation of the Commission's Report.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

| Additional financial impact, as per 7th CPC, account of implementation of all its recommendations recommendations for 2016-17 will be  1,02,100crore (including Allowances)| Additional implication of  12,133 crore on account of payments of arrears of pay and pension for two months of 2015-16.

Comradely Yours,

(KKN.Kutty)

Secretary General

K.Ragavendran                                                                                        Y. NAGABHUSHANAM

General Secretary AIPRPA                                                              General Secretary AIPRPA- AP STATE