08 Feb Articles
Legal Battle for Pending justified SAB Benefits for BSNL Recruits
AIGETOA Members filed a legal suit requesting for the long pending SAB benefits for BSNL recruits at Honourable CAT, Ernakulam.
The grievances are related to the denial of superannuation benefits in BSNL in line with the directions of DPE/DoT - Govt of India i.e. 30 Percent SAB from date of joining and creation of Post Retirement Medical Benefit Fund as defined contribution
The case came up for hearing today and the respondents have been directed to file their reply.
Our association was continuously pointing that, in CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972 Rule 37A - Sub Rule (23) clearly states that BSNL shall devise it own pension scheme and make arrangements for funding and disbursing the pensionary benefits for its directly recruited employees. This was denied till 5/5/2016 and then only a part is allowed (3%) further a mere increase to (2%) from 1/4/2017, due to various organisational efforts from this association, in tandem with others. It is worth mentioning here that the BSNL recruited employees, who are recruited as Public Sector employees, has administrative and service guidelines different from that of DoT absorbees.
The second PRC streamlined the Super annuation Benefits as defined contribution to 30% of Basic + DA and salary package implementation in a stage wise manner where retiral benefits stand above Perks & allowance realisation. In BSNL the defined Contribution towards SAB was confined to 16.8% - i.e.12% towards EPF and 4.8% towards gratuity initially and has been enhanced now with 5% as Pension scheme called Superannuation Fund - which should be effectively from date of joining. Astonishingly, rest 8.2% is still in darkness. The matter was, therefore, being taken up continuously by AIGETOA alone from the Day-1 and collectively further, still we have miles to go to get the things in true spirit. In between, many of BR brotheren met untimely death, without the rightful due realisation which is very much painful to each one of us.
We are sure that the legal battle along with organisational support from each of BSNL recruits and our well wishers will lead us to the accomplishment of genuine rights which has been delayed badly.
The PRMB envisaged in line with SAB, should be a defined contribution scheme - which BSNL is yet to create.The defined contribution scheme is the way to ensure the delinking from company status/health wrt to employee retiral life.
The fight is to provide for 30% of the basic pay + Dearness Allowance towards the superannuation benefits head viz EPF, Gratuity, PRMB and Pension scheme as defined contribution with effect from the date of joining of the respective for BSNL recruits; We Appeal all BSNL recruits to be a part of this unified battle in the respective fronts.