As we usher in the New Year 2022, we should expect the changes, that have become an inevitable part of life. The old adage, ‘the old order changeth yielding place to new’, is bound to be on us, whether we like it or not. As for our LIC, the Organization that brought us together in one bloc, would for sure change its shape and character in this New Year, with the IPO on the cards.
On matters of results we await as a class of retired people, I would personally put Family Pension improvement on the top of my list of expectations. Yes, we as pensioners of LIC, have a sacred duty to safeguard the family we cherish so much. When we are fighting for improvement in the Pension amount we now draw, should it not occur to us too, that the Family Pension amount that is so low as of now, would put the family to great privations should there be a sudden change-over in status to Family- Pensioners. This change to improved levels should be coming in sooner than later.
It is believed that the undue delay in the Notification by the Govt. on this Family Pension matter for us in the LIC, has to do with the General Insurance Retirees too being included in the picture of change that is in prospect. It is the process of the General Insurance Companies putting up their case through a Board decision to the Govt. that is seen to be at the bottom of the delay.
As we had already indicated in our earlier communications, we have written to the Ministry of Finance to also include the Pre-1986 retiree group of Family Pensioners, for a substantial improvement in their current low Ex-Gratia family Pensions they now draw. Since they are not covered by the Pension Rules 1995, any change for them has to be on a stand-alone basis, providing relief to them, on an improved level, in keeping with the market changes.
Our Case in the SC is still not seen to be coming up, though the computer listing indicates a date in the second week of Jan 2022. As I have said earlier too, the postponements of the Hearing, by months each time, seem to be at the informal behest of the Govt., which it may be believed, is looking at offering some solution for updating Pensions, in their own methodology, and a Court Pronouncement meanwhile, might disturb their plans.
With so much of time that has been thrown in, in the interregnum, the leaderships of the Pensioner Groups have been sharpening their points of view, to believe that our case is rock-solid, and we do stand to get the best results out of our Case in the SC, rather than some possible one-time solutions that the Govt. might come up with. But then, we can never quite expect the Courts to align themselves with our thinking, as they can suddenly lock in to some technicality of Rule, or the lack of it, and give a verdict that is totally out of our thinking now.
We may recall the 31st March 2016 judgment of the Chief Justice Sri Deepak Mishra, on whom we placed great expectations, which threw out the up-gradation claim since there was no rule which had supported such a change-over. It was, however, in one moment of careless generosity as it were, when on the submission, at that late stage, by our counsel Sriram Panchu, that he afforded us one additional opportunity to live on some hope, by hiving off for fresh assessment by the Delhi High Court, on uniform DR neutralization, and along with it the other claims too. It is that dropped chance , which is still keeping us alive with the SLPs in the SC!
Our Associations have been doing a good job by conducting their over-due Annual General Meetings, even though the situation in the external Environment has not quite cleared up, in the way one would have expected. Our Guwahati Association AGM was held on the 17th of December and their new Team of Office-bearers has been announced. The Chennai Association too, held its AGM, though on a slightly abridged basis, on the 29th of Dec 2021, with a big change of leadership, of the haloed President Sri G N Sridharan, yielding place to a newer name, Sri K Sridhar (Retired MD), which incidentally, is only letters short of the earlier name, of a near similar description!
It is now the turn of the Federation to hold its over-due General Council meeting early in the New Year. Again the threat of a third wave, and the resultant precautionary restrictions being brought back by the Governments, puts doubts in our minds, as to whether it is the right stage to think of making members travel to some destination for the event, if organized shortly from now. We are still in the process of keeping a close watch over the developments on this front, and shall take an appropriate decision, having due regard to the safety and security of our people involved.
I am beholden to the Association Units which have already made collections from the post- 2017 Retirees out of the Arrears received by them. The latest is a remittance to the Federation account, of Rs 1.5 lakhs by the Kolkata Association. It is our hope that some other Units that have not sent in their collections, would also do so in the near future. As you may realize, our real strength as Retired People, lies in the Money we are able to gather, for any eventuality of a Court battle, should we be forced to it, on matters affecting our interests. Hence the importance of such collections.
So, with lots of hopes of solutions for our matters being achieved in the New Year, and with our Greetings from here, to all members all over the country, for a
Happy and Healthy New Year
D.Krishnan
FEDERATION OF RETIRED LIC CLASS I OFFICERS' ASSOCIATIONS
|
Acting President : P.P.Dhamija R-6/104, Raj Nagar, GHAZIABAD – 201002. Tel: 0120-4107104 / 9810186067 Email Id – premdhamija38@gmail.com |
General Secretary : D Krishnan No.6/1, Sreshta Riverside Apartments, Wood Creek Road, Nandambakkam, Chennai - 600089 Tel : 9176635967 / 044 42850049. Email Id - dkrishnan1@gmail.com |
E circular No.DK/80 31-12-2021
Dear Friends,
Reg: Hopes Around the New Year…
This communication is the last official one for the year 2021 that’s just running out. I thought I must wish all of you a very Happy New Year 2022. The wish is for a year that would bring us results on the various important issues that we as a class of Retired people, have been eagerly awaiting. In fact the wait has been a bit too long already, and the hope is, that our patience will not be put to an extended test as the New Year dawns. Also, the hope is, this New Year will see the world getting rid of the fear of the virus that’s been haunting people all over.
As we usher in the New Year 2022, we should expect the changes, that have become an inevitable part of life. The old adage, ‘the old order changeth yielding place to new’, is bound to be on us, whether we like it or not. As for our LIC, the Organization that brought us together in one bloc, would for sure change its shape and character in this New Year, with the IPO on the cards.
On matters of results we await as a class of retired people, I would personally put Family Pension improvement on the top of my list of expectations. Yes, we as pensioners of LIC, have a sacred duty to safeguard the family we cherish so much. When we are fighting for improvement in the Pension amount we now draw, should it not occur to us too, that the Family Pension amount that is so low as of now, would put the family to great privations should there be a sudden change-over in status to Family- Pensioners. This change to improved levels should be coming in sooner than later.
It is believed that the undue delay in the Notification by the Govt. on this Family Pension matter for us in the LIC, has to do with the General Insurance Retirees too being included in the picture of change that is in prospect. It is the process of the General Insurance Companies putting up their case through a Board decision to the Govt. that is seen to be at the bottom of the delay.
As we had already indicated in our earlier communications, we have written to the Ministry of Finance to also include the Pre-1986 retiree group of Family Pensioners, for a substantial improvement in their current low Ex-Gratia family Pensions they now draw. Since they are not covered by the Pension Rules 1995, any change for them has to be on a stand-alone basis, providing relief to them, on an improved level, in keeping with the market changes.
Our Case in the SC is still not seen to be coming up, though the computer listing indicates a date in the second week of Jan 2022. As I have said earlier too, the postponements of the Hearing, by months each time, seem to be at the informal behest of the Govt., which it may be believed, is looking at offering some solution for updating Pensions, in their own methodology, and a Court Pronouncement meanwhile, might disturb their plans.
With so much of time that has been thrown in, in the interregnum, the leaderships of the Pensioner Groups have been sharpening their points of view, to believe that our case is rock-solid, and we do stand to get the best results out of our Case in the SC, rather than some possible one-time solutions that the Govt. might come up with. But then, we can never quite expect the Courts to align themselves with our thinking, as they can suddenly lock in to some technicality of Rule, or the lack of it, and give a verdict that is totally out of our thinking now.
We may recall the 31st March 2016 judgment of the Chief Justice Sri Deepak Mishra, on whom we placed great expectations, which threw out the up-gradation claim since there was no rule which had supported such a change-over. It was, however, in one moment of careless generosity as it were, when on the submission, at that late stage, by our counsel Sriram Panchu, that he afforded us one additional opportunity to live on some hope, by hiving off for fresh assessment by the Delhi High Court, on uniform DR neutralization, and along with it the other claims too. It is that dropped chance , which is still keeping us alive with the SLPs in the SC!
Our Associations have been doing a good job by conducting their over-due Annual General Meetings, even though the situation in the external Environment has not quite cleared up, in the way one would have expected. Our Guwahati Association AGM was held on the 17th of December and their new Team of Office-bearers has been announced. The Chennai Association too, held its AGM, though on a slightly abridged basis, on the 29th of Dec 2021, with a big change of leadership, of the haloed President Sri G N Sridharan, yielding place to a newer name, Sri K Sridhar (Retired MD), which incidentally, is only letters short of the earlier name, of a near similar description!
It is now the turn of the Federation to hold its over-due General Council meeting early in the New Year. Again the threat of a third wave, and the resultant precautionary restrictions being brought back by the Governments, puts doubts in our minds, as to whether it is the right stage to think of making members travel to some destination for the event, if organized shortly from now. We are still in the process of keeping a close watch over the developments on this front, and shall take an appropriate decision, having due regard to the safety and security of our people involved.
I am beholden to the Association Units which have already made collections from the post- 2017 Retirees out of the Arrears received by them. The latest is a remittance to the Federation account, of Rs 1.5 lakhs by the Kolkata Association. It is our hope that some other Units that have not sent in their collections, would also do so in the near future. As you may realize, our real strength as Retired People, lies in the Money we are able to gather, for any eventuality of a Court battle, should we be forced to it, on matters affecting our interests. Hence the importance of such collections.
So, with lots of hopes of solutions for our matters being achieved in the New Year, and with our Greetings from here, to all members all over the country, for a
Happy and Healthy New Year
D.Krishnan
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