Mon, 9 August, 2010 10:35:18 AM
AIRIEF Suggestions to Ministry of Pensions & PWelfare
Dear Director,
Memorandum F41/14/2010-P&PW(Coord) dt 12 ,July,2010
1)At the outset, we thank you for eliciting our views & suggestions on the proposed finalization of the Strategic Plan for next 5 years under Result Framework Document .This needs more time to be given to stakeholders and a mere one week may be very insufficient. We are sure you will process all suggestions received till the end of August ,2010.
2)Ours is also a duly registered All India Retired Insurance Employees Federation,(AIRIEF) functioning from Dec 1996.It is essential such Memorandums are outlined in brief ,even in newspapers ,soliciting views on certain matters from Pensioners’ Federations & other Associations. We are not able to see detailed release of Personnel Management System (PMS) & the outlining of Objectives, Plans, and Policies & Projects in the website referred to by you. You have also mentioned about the Success Indicators you are formulating to implement the schemes with fullest devotion & dedication to all pensioners’ fraternity in relation to Action Plan envisaged earlier.In fact, Success Indicators, when circulated, will lead to a sense of optimism & rekindles hope to solve pending issues with a missionary zeal within stipulated Deadlines.
3)While determining the Outcome of any Action Plan to be followed up is laudable, it is essential to formulate in clear-cut terms the main objective on behalf of pensioners, the present situation obtaining therein, the grievances narrated , the response mechanism instituted, the face to face grievance procedure machinery functioning, whether periodicity is adequate, whether it functions in a democratic manner, if minutes are maintained, circulated, followed up, feedback given, remedial measures instituted to alleviate the problem, etc. Only then PMS as a broad Framework can succeed. Mere lip service won’t help. Enunciating high sounding goals without proper mindset or wavelength with Elders, Senior Citizens & Pensioners need different nuances of grace, empathy, values, high degree of morals & morale.
4) It will be a sound practice to evolve a YARDSTICK, based on specific DATA to be received from Organisations , say on Quarterly /Half yearly basis.
We are outlining some items of information ,which must form the basis of continuous cultivation & follow-up by your esteemed Ministry of Pensions & Pensioner Welfare .You have to be congratulated for including Welfare, not as an appendage but as a vital part of pensioners’ life & living, post-retirement with rights & dignity. Even in the Citizens Charter for Pensions in your website,though SCOVA is mentioned , we find no SCOVA meeting for Central Govt Pensioners’ Federation took place in the last 2/3 years, whereas earlier, that used to be a regular feature. How else then, one can hope for a brighter Vision, Mission and Objective announcement, as such noble announcements are immediately guillotined by the other hand, for what reason, we are unaware. Grievance Redressal Machinery is the be all & end all for Managements to ensure that pensioners are not left in the lurch; they are looked after; there will be ever so many requests & grievances; we can measure attended & unattended ; we can find out the RESPONSE TIME; we can easily assess true practices & if at all DEADLINES or TIME SCHEDULES are only in theory .Such a forward-looking step you propose to take must gather all such tendencies & normal behaviour exhibited towards pensioners & then your Result Framework Document will have some life to breathe & change the way Government or Institutions tend to deviate from normative behaviour & not to treat pensioners with a casual attitude bordering on carelessness, indifference, insensitivity & disdain, uncalled for in an egalitarian & democratic society.
5) Towards this end, parameters & data can flow like this, to test Govt or Institution’s true intentions on the touchstone of real issues being resolved amicably. You can evolve one or circulate to us for amendments & suggestions giving 20 days time for a neutral & impartial Questionnaire to be generated, pooling such ideas.
i)Name of Organisation :
ii)Total No of Employees :
iii) No of pensioners as at 1/4/2009:
---Do----------- -as at 1/4/2010
iv)Total Wage Bill as at 31/3/2009:
----Do-----------as at 31/3/2010
v)Pension Bill as at 31/3/2009:
----do---------as at 31/3/2010
vi) NPS from which Date:
vii) Apart from Basic Pay,DA,HRA,CCA,
ANY Extra allowances given to Employees:
(Mention them & amounts spent) as at 31/3/2008:
----Do ---------------------------------as at 31/3/2009
-----Do---------------------------------as at 31/3/2010
viii) Any Incentive Scheme for Employees
(Mention name, amount spent) as at 31/3/2009:
-----do---------------------------- as at 31/3/2010:
ix) Names of Pensioners Federations in your organization :
x) Do u have Consultative Committee to meet & process grievances etc?
If not, reasons?
xi)Have you computerized all data relating to Pensioners ? :
xii) Are you able to release ALL Statements of Pensioners? :
on time for further action, eg Age, Commutation Restoration date etc
xiii) How much time you take to process death information :
& grant Family Pension?
xiv) Have you taken precautions to include Nominee wherever needed?
to avoid harassment to widows/claimants
xv) Are ALL pensioners covered under MediClaim Scheme? :
State the Numbers
xvi) What are the facilities you have granted for Employees?
which are not given to Pensioners ? :
xvii) Are you sending Circulars affecting Pensioners to Central/Zonal/Divisional
Pensioners’ Federation for their information? :
xviii) Do you have specific Pensioners Magazine from Corporate/Zonal Offices?
xix)Do you celebrate World Elders Day?
Do you call Pensioners for any meetings? :
xx)Have you arranged any pensioners meet for education on Health,Diet,Yoga etc?
xxi) How do you act upon Resolutions passed & sent to you?
after EC/GC meet of Pensioners’ Federations? :
xxii) Do you issue Identity Cards to pensioners? :
xxiii)Have you released ZO/DO wise Pensioners Directory with
full information? :
xxiv) What are the types of requests, complaints and grievances you have received from Pensioners in the last 3 years? :
xxv)Do you discuss Pensioners data,problems,complaints in OS Conferences to sensitise
6) While the replies to the above may give the general direction of treatment to pensioners ,sensitivity etc, more broader issues are relevant ,now, like
a)widening anomalies & discrepancies ,after wage revision, pension revision not taken up at all for years & decades,
b)vast disparities amongst Govt/Orgns/ Insurance/Service Sector etc in the quantum of pension. Here too, some parameters have to be evolved so that some sense of uniformity will emerge, within a range of 5-10 % & not more
c)Value-added % of Basic Pension at ages 80,85,90,95,100 for Central Govt pensioners must be made applicable to all types of pensioners
d)The spate of activities,suggestions, Idea Bank that is evolving with active ,committed, dedicated All India Sr Citizens’Confederation & other agencies must be given the attention it deserves to cure many ills afflicting Sr Citizens & Pensioners & critical issues outlined therein for the emergence of a New NPOP—National Policy on Older Persons must have sharp focus with deadlines to be followed scrupulously, with responsibility & accountability.
7) National Litigation Policy is announced on 23 June, 2010.The directions must be implemented in letter & spirit.It is mentioned that where a Court has delivered a judgement in favour of pensioners, no appeal lies , especially when it covers Retiral/Pensionary benefits. Your Ministry would have done yeoman service,if it scans all such cases & issue Directives to Respective Institutions to honour the verdict & withdraw appeals,if filed contrary to such sacred provisions
8)Your futuristic thinking is to be appreciated.You desire to evolve a proper Roadmap to plot pensioners problems, grievances, protect them, promote their welfare.This you aim to do with an Action Plan under Results Framework Document(RFD).Please inform us the outcome of the many suggestions you receive.These suggestions & ideas are well-intentioned & must form the bedrock for the emergence of a sound plan with appropriate strategies to feel the pulse & impulse of pensioners, who, in the twilight zone of their lives count on your Esteemed Ministry for quicker resolution of all outstanding problems & the variegated issues submitted to you with modesty & humility .
Yours faithfully,
044-28155810
098403 40591
R.B.KISHORE
ED(Retd),LIC
VP,AIRIEF
