Bank Pensioners Latest News : Forum of Bank Pensioner Activists Open Letter to PM Narendra Modi

 Bank Pensioners Latest News : Forum of Bank Pensioner Activists Open Letter to PM Narendra Modi 

फोरम आफ बैंक पेंशनर एक्टिविस्टस्
Forum of Bank Pensioner Activists
PRAYAGRAJ
कामये दु:खताप्तानां प्राणिनाम् आर्तिनाशनम् ।
OPEN LETTER TO:
HON'BLE PRIME MINISTER:
Sri Narendra Modi Ji,
Hon'ble Prime Minister,
Govt of India
New Delhi
narendramodi1234@gmail.com
privateoffice@govmu.org

"Sometimes in recent past, he was Premier of country for 10 consecutive years, apparently looking calm & composed, what were the pains in him, never surfaced, none knew that, neither he could express nor he wept out.

Take it as outrageous behaviour of time; one not in a position to reveal his own story. Strange is this, the God did write his story from a pen dipped in his tears. His life is a lesson to those who weep in hide out to keep covered the hurts at their heart, pagale! it's a land of stones, here none is yours."

Having recalled an instance, perforce, above in mind- pinjare ke panchhi re, tera dard n janey koe- and heart filled with emotions. There is difference, in passed off yesterday and running present. Yesterday, he was doing the same with others and now others repatriate the same.

Problems of Pensioners, in last 6/7 years, made us run to knock the doors of countless people at the helm of affairs like His Excellency Presidents of India, Vice Presidents, Speakers, Lok Sabha, Dy Chairmen, Rajya Sabha, Governors of States, Hon'ble Prime Ministers, His Lordships of Supreme Court of India, Cabinet Ministers. In addition, we called on many eminent Parliamentarians. Few of them responded, while others remained onlookers.

We felt, it's the system of governance that country has, wherein every governments, ministers, bureaucrats, politicians etc talk of common people, but voice of same common people rendered futile, breaths last in a corner of time. Indian politicians, as trained professionals, use the same common people to reap the votes to gain powers and once it is attained, idiot common men are dropped in some side lane pits or dustbins. And, the common men see it, hear, understand, tolerate, forget and continue to flow with time wave. It's the fate of rolling stones, which have no count.

In this continuation, we saw all limits blown up, when we learnt from most reliable source that our Hon'ble Prime Minister don't give cognizance to Hon'ble Former Prime Minister letters, not even acknowledged by a Under Secretary level official of PMO. Government is government. After independence the pattern of governance, whatever was adopted, that still continues. Prime Ministers are changed, but not the governance patterns, that's the same what was established right from Nehru the great to great Man Mohan Singh.

We don't know, is there any protocol to deal with Former Prime Minister. But, we don't take it as an issue of protocol or of some privilege. Instead, we take it as a matter of ethics of morality, since Former Prime Minister is provided with official residence, office and staff. That way, he is still a public servant and one should not behave with him otherwise.

He has every right to hear public grievances and seek redressals from the government in public interest. The Government must listen to his views. Onus lies on Hon'ble Prime Minister of great Republic of India to preserve the values of institutions enshrined in our Constitution. He is different to other PMs, shouldn't care how else did in past. Country men take him as their ideal.

Under given situations a question arises as to with whom Former Prime Minister should interact on issues in govt? In our view, he should interact with PM directly and we understand that he was doing it, but when he saw no cognizance taken, his letters not even acknowledged, he started sending letters to concerned Ministers under impression to have some reply.

Hon'ble Prime Minister himself may take cognizance of letters of Former PM and his concerns and advices concerning public good must be heard. People look to such ideal situation in present Govt.

In the aforesaid background, former PM wrote a letter on 18.1.2020 in Bank Pensioners matters to Smt. Nirmala Sitaraman, Hon'ble Finance Minister requesting Pension Revision of Bank retirees. The Finance Minister replied his letter on 4.3.2920, stating that bank men pension is self funded and bank men are getting pension as per agreement between IBA & Unions.

This is a very stolid & unnoted reply, dismaying even a common man, then how it might had caused pain to Former Prime Minister. Neglect is very painful for a honorable person.

Such shallow replies are doled out since long. Right from Parliament to country, in Bank Pension revision matter people are misled by giving baseless stories. And, now the situation has come to such a stage that even Former Prime Minister, who served this country as PM for 10 years and Pension was introduced in Banking while he was Finance Minister, is being misled by such 'chaloo zabab'. Dr. Manmohan Singh is amongst few learned people of India, served country as good bureaucrat and regarded as eminent economist. It's another matter that he fell in wrong company and in greed & lust of power he surrendered first his self-pride on the feets of dynasty and latter turned his eyes and let his government people plunder the nation under his premiership. Despite all this, Hon'ble Finance Minister has no right, while on constitutional job, to disregard or undermine constitutional values.

Self funded Pension Schemes do exist in RBI, NABARD, then how were it revised? RBI Pension Scheme-1990, NABARD 1992 and in other PSBs Pension Scheme-1993 are one and identical, all are operative replacing CPF from 1.1.1986 in these Institutions.

In Pension Agreement it is clearly written that in Pension Scheme of PSBs all terms and conditions, including revision would be as, as it existed in RBI Scheme. Bank Pension Agreement was signed on 29.10.1993 under section 2(p) & 18(1) of Indian Dispute Act, 1947 read with I.D. (central) Rules, 1957, thus it's legal agreement binding on parties to settlement. Clause 12 of Agreement in question reads as under:

"12. Provisions will be made by a scheme, to be negotiated and settled between the parties to this Settlement by 31st December, 1993 for applicability, qualifying service, amounts of pension, payment of pension, commutation of pension, family pension, updating and other general conditions, etc. on the lines as are in force in Reserve Bank of India."

Under above clause, uniform Bank Pension Regulations, 1995 was framed for all Bank.

Hon'ble Finance Minister might be aware that it was Modi Government, who revised RBI Pension from March, 2019. She must remember, just in NABARD too, Pension is revised on RBI lines from August, 2020.

Hon'ble Finance Minister must look into her Ministry records, affidavit in Bombay High Court in RBI revision matter and the file notings pertaining to RBI Pension Revision, where in status report of Pension Agreement dated 29.10.2020 has been clearly recorded that it's a legal agreement, still stands and in it it is clearly stated that all terms and conditions including pension revision would be as in RBI Pension Scheme.

Hon'ble Finance Minister should have not misled Former Prime Minister. It was a below status treatment. Former Prime Minister exactly wanted to say that if RBI Pension has been revised, agreement in other Banks matter must be honored and pension of other PSBs may please be revised, because that has lawful binding.

Hon'ble Prime Minister, the unsolicited behaviour of people at the helm of affairs, tarnish the image of your government of which you are the Prime Minister. Your Ministers shouldn't do an act which amounts unbecoming.

Hon'ble Prime Minister, Bank Pensioners are demanding for whatever they are legally entitled. RBI's all Pension rules including revision are applicable to bank men and now since RBI Pension is revised, why in their case it is held up? Whether for all matters and particularly in those which are legally obligatory and Banks are not agreeing to implement, is it necessary that people go to court?

Bank men's hundreds cases are in courts and banks are wasting money like water. Bankers are just carving litigant image of your government.

With folded hand our request is that government should not be a litigant. Bank men Pension please be revised, to which they are entitled. Government should ensure compliance of letter dated 24.2.2012 of Department of Financial Services, MOF, to address Health Insurance. For over 8 years it is uncomplied.

On these issues, Bank Pensioners have written you their representation on 15.9.2020, which might be receiving your kind considerations.

We anxiously await your kind words at your earliest possible.

Respectful Regards,

(J. N. Shukla)

National Convener

Categories: BANK PENSIONERS