C

hange is the rule of Life. We have to adjust with and adapt to the changing situations. Some of us joined the P&T Department, moved to Department of Telecom and finally to BSNL. We joined Government Services and retired from Public Sector Company. These changes brought some problems too. We were assured on behalf of President of India, that Government would directly pay pension to us. At the same time, a mischievous thought clause was inserted in the rule that the company would share the responsibility to pay pension. Now, with annulment of 60:40 sharing ratio, it is 100% responsibility of the Government. First, the BSNL was considered as pension sanctioning authority. Now it is declared that CCA is the pension sanctioning authority for BSNL retirees. Naturally, CCA offices are directed to collect the service Books of all and keep them in safe custody. It is proposed that CCA offices shall directly credit the pension amount with DA in the accounts of pensioners. In short the CCA shall be Pension Sanctioning Authority, Pension Authorisation Authority and also Pension Disbursement Authority. BSNL has only to forward the documents to CCA at the time when a staff retires. Delay in Post Offices in granting revised rates of IDA can be avoided. In effect BSNL retirees are recognized as Central Government Pensioners.

We welcome these changes with some concern. Some CCA offices have exhibited their inability in handling such a volume of work. Large number of cases of pension revision with 78.2% IDA is still pending in some circles like NTR, Kerala, West Bengal. It is not because of in efficiency. Some of these offices intentionally floated the instructions from Directorate. Some showed extra efficiency in asking unwanted queries and the Directorate failed to intervene properly. Processing, sanctioning, and disbursing pension as well as up keeping the records of about 3 lakhs BSNL retirees and one lakh DOT pensioners shall be a major work of CCA offices. When additional work is given to them, sufficient staff should be provided. Proper training should be imparted to the Officers and Staff in CCA offices to take the challenging responsibility. Entire administrative set up in CCA offices has to be revamped. Prompt action should be taken to digitalise all documents concerning pension, which will reduce space problem. More than anything, the mind set up should be changed. We hope that Telecom Commission will urgently address these issues with due seriousness. It should be ensured that all its instructions are properly and promptly compiled with.

Courtesy: Pensioners Patrika Jan-Feb 2018 issue.