मंगलवार, 11 नवंबर 2014

Letter(s) to Steel Minister


FORSE/Steel/0216
15th Oct 2016
To

Sri Chaudhary Birender Singh,

Union Minister for Steel,
Govt. of India, Udyog Bhawan,
New Delhi-110107
     Sub: Appeal to reject the proposal to privatize 4 SAIL Plants.
     Ref:  Newspaper Reports    

        



Dear Chaudhary Birendra Singh Ji,
We would like to bring this to your kind notice that, at the very outset of our recent Apex Council Meeting at Bokaro o Sept 23-24, 2016, a proposal mooted by Niti Ayog to hive off four SAIL Plants-Alloy Steel Plant, Salem Steel Plant, Viswaswaraiya Iron & Steel Plant and Chandrapur Ferro-Alloy Plant to make SAIL economically viable/ profitable, as published in a Newspaper of the day was read out. Members including the Early and Pioneering batches of HSL/ SAIL, who had done the first spade work in the green field areas to set up these plants, condemned this utopian suggestion/ proposal of the Niti Ayog and adopted the following Resolution.
“After considering all the pros and cons of the Niti Ayog proposal to sell out the four SAIL Plants - Alloy Steel Plant, Durgapur(WB); Salem Steel Plant, Salem(TN); Viswaswaraiya Iron & Steel Plant, Bhadravathi (Karnataka) and Chandrapur Ferro-Alloy Plant, Chandrapur (Maharashtra) the FORSE Apex Council felt anguished and expressed, in no uncertain terms, that selling out of these Plants which have been running smoothly and making profits for years till the other day is no solution. In fact they are otherwise also very important as each one of them produce special / steel/ alloys /material for development of the Nation and they stand as poster figure of Public Sector steel behemoth SAIL. The Council felt that what the Govt is expected to do is to provide some input of thoughts, investment and improved co-operation and co-ordination between the Govt at the Centre, the concerned States and SAIL to make them profit making units.
The Apex Council further resolved to forward this Resolution to the Prime Minister; Chairman, Niti Ayog; Union Ministers of Finance and Steel, Chief Ministers of West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Maharashtra and Chairman, SAIL with a request not to privatize/ sell them but provide additional inputs in the form of better planning, co-operation, concessions and co-ordination.”
In view of the above we request you, Sir, to kindly disapprove such proposal, if any, to sell/ privatize the 4 SAIL Plants named above and provide required inputs under SAIL so that they can continue to avail the vast expertise available within SAIL. We can assure you that these Plants will be back on their feet in no time.
With thanks and kind regards,
Yours sincerely,


(V.N.Sharma)
Chairman
(Ram Agar Singh)         
General Secretary














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The above FAX was re-sent on Nov. 12, 2014

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e-mail: appointmentmosmle@gmail.com

No. FORSE/ Steel/ 1414
Oct 20, 2014
Sri Narendra Singh Tomar,
Union Minister for Steel,
Govt. of India,
Udyog Bhawan,
New Delhi-110011
     
Sub: Request for appointment for our Working Committee Members on or after 3rd Nov..2014 to discuss the issues in the brief at the end of the letter
Ref: Our email No. FORSE/ Steel/ 0714 dated Sept. 29, 2014

Hon’ble Ispat Mantri Narendra Singh Tomar Ji,
Further to our above letter we would like to request you for appointment for meeting with you, sometime on or after 03rd Nov. 2014 as per your convenience to help us, the Early Retirees of SAIL and Senior Citizens of the country, in getting us out of trouble at this age. This is required to discuss Issues before SAIL Retirees (the Senior Citizens) and settle them. We suggest 3rd Nov or after because the members of our Working Committee are spread around the whole of India and due to Diwali and Chhath rush in the trains it will take time for the Retirees and the Senior Citizens to make comfortable travel arrangements etc.

An early response will help us a lot.
With thanks and kind regards,


Yours sincerely,

(V.N.Sharma)
Chairman

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No. FORSE/ Steel/ 1314
Oct 15, 2014
Sri Narendra Singh Tomar,
Union Minister for Steel,
Govt. of India,
Udyog Bhawan,
New Delhi-110011
     
Sub: Request for appointment for our Working Committee Members on or after 3rd Nov..2014 to discuss the issues in the brief at the end of the letter
Ref: Our email No. FORSE/ Steel/ 0714 dated Sept. 29, 2014

Hon’ble Ispat Mantri Narendra Singh Tomar Ji,
Further to our above letter we would like to request you for appointment for meeting with you, sometime on or after 03rd Nov. 2014 as per your convenience to help us, the Early Retirees of SAIL and Senior Citizens of the country, in getting us out of trouble at this age. This is required to discuss Issues before SAIL Retirees (the Senior Citizens) and settle them. We suggest 3rd Nov or after because the members of our Working Committee are spread around the whole of India and due to Diwali and Chhath rush in the trains it will take time for the Retirees and the Senior Citizens to make comfortable travel arrangements etc.

An early response will help us a lot.
With thanks and kind regards,


Yours sincerely,

(V.N.Sharma)
Chairman

The Issues before SAIL Retirees (the Senior Citizens): A one page brief for your kind perusal
1.        SAIL did not have a Pension Scheme. (When people started retiring and pension proposals were made by the PSUs incl SAIL Govt declared EPS-95 under which retirees are getting a few hundreds only. This is redundant after 2006 due to new pension schemes in the PSUs)
2.      After considering a lot of representations, discussion points and appeals, SCOPE recommended and the DPE issued an OM in July 2009 asking Maharatna PSUs to create a corpus from 1.5 % of their Profit Before Tax (PBT) and prepare a post retirement benefit schemes for retirees.
3.      SAIL refused to follow the DPE OMs in this regard with the argument that they were already doing enough with about 2% of their PBT. This reasoning by SAIL is wrong as the Co. is not to bother about what they were paying under the prevailing arrangement but to follow this OM afresh and provide further relief. Other PSUs like Oil Sector, BHEL and Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd gave much more than 1.5% and have schemes for giving cash incentives incl Rs. 2 lakh for repairing houses under certain conditions.
4.      We wrote to SAIL for a meeting as well as preparing a Scheme under OMs as also to whole lot of Ministers, Officials incl. PM without any response. Recently during Elections we took it up with the President of India which got us the first ever reply, though –ve one, from SAIL
5.      We continued to request the SAIL Chairman and also sent a few letters to each of the PM, Finance and Steel Ministers recently since early June but without response. We requested several Ministers and MPs of BJP as also of other parties. Sri Nishikant Dubey, an MP from Godda in Jharkhand raised the issue in Lok Sabha and read our letter while his National Minimum Pension Bill was under discussion. It can be seen in  pp 397-8 in the link http://164.100.47.132/newdebate/16/2/08082014/5To6pm.pdf  .
6.      On the advice of your office staff we have sent a few request to your kind self  in addition to two FAX and e-mails for appointment in last 2 months. Nothing has worked.
7.      Recently I have drawn attention of SAIL Chairman + all 13 SAIL Directors by posting letters to them individually on 1st Oct and 7th Oct.2014. can be seen in http://sailex.blogspot.in/2014/09/letter-to-sail-chairman-sail-bod.html http://sailex.blogspot.in/2014/10/letter-to-chairman-sail-directors-to.html
8.      Pl. read complete coverage, if you so desire, in the attached file ‘SAIL ignoring its retirees’
9.      We expect you
a)      to advise SAIL to recognize FORSE and hold discussions on regular intervals and settle the standing issues of the retirees
b)      to implement the DPE OMs without further delay, if need be, by
                                             i.     Permitting transfer of unclaimed Provident Fund money to the sail corpus
                                           ii.     Transferring back 1% of the dividend money
                                         iii.     Starting a Fixed deposit scheme for retirees with ROI at par with the interest rates paid by SAIL on money borrowed from the market.
                                         iv.     Implementing afresh an effective, efficient and functioning Healthcare scheme at par with those available to current employees with or without Mediclaim Insurance with provision of annual increase in the cost of healthcare. 
Thanking you,


Yours sincerely,


V.N.Sharma 
Ph.No. 09431102680, 0651-2441524

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FORSE/Ch/S.Mahajan-1114
Oct.02, 2014
Smt Sumitra Mahajan,
Speaker, Lok Sabha,
New Delhi.

Sub: Request for helping us to get appointment with Sri Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Minister of Steel

Honourable Tai Sumitra Mahajan Ji,

I am writing this letter on behalf of over a lakh of the members (all 60+years) of the Federation of Retired SAIL Employees (FORSE) in distress and out of sheer desperation as we stand disowned by our company SAIL and also the Governments at the Centre for over 5 years. Details can be seen in the attached copies of the Resolution and SAIL ignoring its Retirees - Statement of Fact and Appeal for Action.

I am not sure why our appeal to Sri Narendra Singh Tomar the Hon'ble Union Minister of Steel for an appointment and advising SAIL to settle the issues of the retirees is not bearing fruit for last several months. We wrote a few letters by post, FAX and e-mail but all of them remained without a response, the last copy is attached herewith  

I earnestly appeal to your good self to put in a word to Sri Narendra Singh Tomar, the Hon’ble Union Minster of Steel, to give us a date for a meeting with him after 13th Oct 2014. The date is suggested because arranging for train tickets for senior citizens for a journey with relative comfort will be difficult for too close a journey date. 

With kind regards,


Yours sincerely,
(V.N.Sharma)
Chairman

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No. FORSE/ Steel/ 0714
Sept. 29, 2014
Sri Narendra Singh Tomar,
Union Minister for Steel,
Govt. of India,
Udyog Bhawan,
New Delhi-110011
     
      Sub: Request for appointment for our Working Committee Members on or after 13th Oct.
        Ref: Our FAX letter No. FORSE/ Steel/0514/ 0614 dated 2nd Sept. and Sept 16, 2014 respectively

Hon’ble Ispat Mantri Narendra Singh Tomar Ji,

Further to our above letters we would like to have appointment for meeting with you, sometime on or after 13th Oct, 2014 as per your convenience. It is because the members of our Working Committee are spread around the whole of India and due to Puja rush it will take time for them as Senior Citizens to make comfortable travel arrangements etc.

An early response will help us a lot.
With thanks and kind regards,

Yours sincerely,
(V.N.Sharma)
Chairman
Mob:9431102680
  

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FAX: 011-23711708  
No. FORSE/ Steel/ 0614
Sept. 16, 2014
Sri Narendra Singh Tomar,
Union Minister for Steel,
Govt. of India,
Udyog Bhawan,
New Delhi-110011
     
      Sub: Request for appointment for our Working Committee Members on or after 13th Oct.
    Ref: Our FAX letter No. FORSE/ Steel/0514   dated 2nd Sept. 2014

Hon’ble Ispat Mantri Narendra Singh Tomar Ji,

Further to our above letter we would like to have appointment for meeting with you, sometime on or after 13th Oct, 2014 as per your convenience. It is because the members of our Working Committee are spread around the whole of India and due to Puja rush it will take time for them as Senior Citizens to make comfortable travel arrangements etc.

With thanks and kind regards,
Yours sincerely,

(V.N.Sharma)
Chairman
"""""""""""""
FAX: 01123061395
No. FORSE/ Steel/ 0514
Sept. 02, 2014
Sri Narendra Singh Tomar,
Union Minister for Steel,
Govt. of India,
Udyog Bhawan,
New Delhi-110011
     
      Sub: Request for appointment for our Working Committee Members after 12th Sept.
      Ref: Our letter No. FORSE/ Steel/0414 dated 19th Aug 2014

Hon’ble Ispat Mantri Narendra Singh Tomar Ji,

Further to our above letter we would like to have appointment for meeting with you, sometime after 12th Sept, as per your convenience. It is because the members of our Working Committee are spread around the whole of India and it will take time for them to make travel arrangements etc.

With thanks and kind regards,
Yours sincerely,

(V.N.Sharma)
Chairman

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REGISTERED/ e-mail
FORSE/Ch/FH/0714
Aug 09, 2014
श्री निशिकांत दुबे,
सांसद ( लोक सभा) 
H-36, Lane no. W-10 C Sainik Farm,
New Delhi-110 062
       
       विषय : माननीय इस्पात मंत्री से हमारे प्रतिनिधियों को मिलाने का अनुरोध 
       सन्दर्भ : हमारा 26 एवं ३१ जुलाई २०१४ का पत्र संख्या  FORSE/Ch/ FH/0514
माननीय सांसद निशिकांत दुबे जी,
लोक सभा में हमारे पत्र को उद्धृत करते हुए National Minimum Pension (Guarantee) Bill, 2014, पर आप ने कल जो समापन भाषण दिया तथा मंत्री महोदय का ध्यान हमारी ज्वलंत समस्याओं की ओर आकर्षित किया उसके लिए हम अपनी और अपने सभी सदस्यों की ओर से आप का धन्यवाद करते हैं.  आशा ही नहीं पूर्ण विश्वास है कि मंत्री महोदय अपने वादे को निभाते हुए एक उचित कानून बनाएंगे जिससे सभी तरह के सभी सेक्टर के अवकाशप्राप्त लोग लाभान्वित हो सकेंगे।
जैसा हमने अपने पिछले पत्र के माध्यम से आप को सूचित किया था  SAIL हम रिटायर्ड कर्मचारियों से सम्बंधित सरकारी आदेशों को मानने से इंकार कर रहा है।  यहां तक कि SAIL के चेयरमैन तो 2009 में आये सरकारी आदेश के बाद पिछले 5 वर्षों से हमसे मिलने से भी कतरा रहे हैं तथा पूर्व इस्पात मंत्री और बाद में माननीय राष्ट्रपति जी के माध्यम से ध्यानाकर्षित करने पर उन्होंने गलत तथ्य भी पेश कर दिए .
ऐसी स्थिति में हमारा अनुरोध है कि आप हमारे प्रतिनिधियों को माननीय इस्पात मन्त्री जी से मिलाने और हमारी समस्याओं का समाधान ढूंढने में केंद्रीय भूमिका निभायें। हमने माननीय इस्पात मंत्री जी के नाम एक पत्र भी संलग्न किया है जिसे आप आवश्यकता अनुसार उपयोग कर सकें।आशा है कि आप हमारे सदस्यों की बढ़ती महंगाई, बढ़ती उम्र और इंवेस्टमेंट्स से कम आमदनी से उपजी समस्याओं से उन्हें निजात दिलाने में हमारी मदद कर सकेंगे। यह अतिशयोक्ति नहीं है कि हमारे कुछ सदस्य आत्महत्या जैसी कदम उठाने को मज़बूर हो रहे हैं. 
शुभकामनाओं सहित धन्यवाद 
आप का विश्वासी 

(वी एन शर्मा) 
चेयरमैन 
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e-mail: minister.steel@nic.in 
No. FORSE/ Steel/ 0414
Aug. 19, 2014
Sri Narendra Singh Tomar,
Union Minister for Steel,
Govt. of India,
Udyog Bhawan,
New Delhi-110011
     
      Sub: Request for creation of schemes for Pioneer & Early SAIL Retirees in distress.
      Ref: Our letters in http://sailex.blogspot.in/2014/08/e-mail-minister.html

Hon’ble Ispat Mantri Narendra Singh Tomar Ji,

We are grateful to you for accepting and supporting the basic tenets of the National Minimum Pension (Guarantee) Bill, 2014, moved by Member of Parliament Sri Nishikant Dubey, for pension of retirees of unorganized & private sectors. The initiative of Sri Dubey followed by your assurance in Lok Sabha on 8th Aug reflect the concern of BJP collective for the less privileged. It is also heartening to note that about 20 MPs cutting across party lines supported the Bill on the floor of the House.
On going through the detailed script of the debate, it can be seen in http://164.100.47.132/newdebate/16/2/08082014/5To6pm.pdf that there is a misunderstanding among MPs that “the retirees of unorganized and private sectors” are the ONLY ones who are not covered by any pension. You would be surprised or rather shocked to know that an arm of the Govt which is organized sector – namely Central PSUs - themselves have not implemented any scheme for the pension for those retired before 2007.  This is despite the fact that the 2nd Pay Revision Committee for PSUs appreciated the need to come to the rescue of the welfare of these pioneer retirees & recommended creation of corpus w.e.f. 1.1.2007 by PSUs contributing 1.5% of their Profit before Tax. This recommendation was accepted by the Govt & directions were issued by Dept of Public Enterprises of the Govt. of India. Since the corpus is to be created from Profit of PSUs themselves we would like to put it on record that No budgetary support is required. Further it may please be noted that as these pioneer retirees are 70 and 80 years old,  the corpus will not be required perennially.
We would also like to bring to your kind notice that these pioneer retirees had joined the Central PSUs during 1950s/60s when few heavy industries were being established. You would kindly appreciate that the strong foundation laid by these pioneers in the formative years (1950s/60s) and the commitment, hard work & contributions made by these retirees under very hard times (as these plants were being established then in undeveloped/non-developed areas with no infrastructure or facilities either for work or family) contributed to make these PSUs the pride of the nation as Miniratnas, Navaratnas & Maharatnas today. These are Ratna PSUs only by its virtue of consistent financial strength & its contribution to development of the country in various aspects. The Survey of PSUs for the year was recently tabled in Lok Sabha according to which these are their strength:
(i)     Net Profit during 2012-13: Rs.115,300 crores (The total Net Profit since 1.1.2007 is about is about Rs. 580,000 crores & PBT is Rs.850,00 crores)
(ii)         Reserve & Surplus till 31.3.2013: Rs. 623,671 crores.
(iii)     Contribution to exchequer during 2012-13: Rs. 162,761 crores (From 1.1.2007, it is about Rs. 970,000 crores. It has been around Rs.160,000 crores every year).
(These data are from web of DPEPublic Enterprises Survey 2012-13- Vol.1 for 2012-13. The figures for 2013-14 are not available yet & these corresponding figures will be much more).
In spite of these strong financial positions & directives by DPE, none of the CPSUs have created the corpus (except Oil sector PSUs which had implemented on its own even before the recommendation) and none of them are paying any pension to pre-2007 retirees. Since the principle of the creation of corpus for pre-2007 retirees is accepted by the Govt, no further approval of Lok Sabha is required and it requires only an Administrative decision for time-bound implementation. Time is running out for these Very Senior Citizens as they are in last phase of their life. These persons who are in their 70s & 80s had retired at a time when inflation was not a big menace and most of the banks paid a rate of interest which were  in the range of 12% to 14%, some investments also brought 17-18% return. But times have changed. Now the rate of interest ranges between 9-9.5%. They are put to lot of hardship at twilight of their life due to lowering of income from investments, astronomical increase in cost of living since they retired with meager sums besides increased expenditure on health care (beyond reimbursed amounts) due to old age ailments.
We would be grateful if you please invite us for a meeting so that  we can clarify the urgency in the matter and you can pass appropriate advice to SAIL for a discussion with us and immediate implementation of a pension scheme similar to one suggested in the proposed bill but expenditure on this count to be born by SAIL. We will be pleased to furnish further details if any required in this respect.
With thanks and kind regards,
Yours sincerely,

(V.N.Sharma)
Chairman

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e-mail: minister.steel@nic.in 


No. FORSE/ Steel/ 0314
Aug. 08, 2014
Sri Narendra Singh Tomar,
Union Minister for Steel,
Govt. of India,
Udyog Bhawan,
New Delhi-110011

     Sub: Request for creation of schemes for Pioneer & Early SAIL Retirees in                 distress.
     Ref: Our letter No. FORSE/ Steel/ 0114 dated June 07, 2014 (copy attached)

Hon’ble Ispat Mantri Narendra Singh Tomar Ji,

We would like to draw your kind attention to our above referred letter on the same subject .The letter explained the miseries faced by those belonging to the Pioneer batches who retired before 2007 from the services of Steel Authority of India Ltd, a PSU under the Ministry of Steel, and who are all around 70 years old and above- many amongst us are 75/80 years and above.  
We regret to say that we have not been heard by SAIL or the concerned department of the Government though we have been sending our representations individually as well as through various Unit forums for the last five years. Ever increasing cost of living and the higher cost of healthcare due to old age aggravates our miseries and some of our members are forced to commit suicide. We hope to be heard by you this time and urgent action taken. 
It is quite unfortunate for us that the present generation of Directors who are at the helm of affairs of SAIL had not witnessed the struggle, pain & strain undergone during 1950s & 60s by Pioneer & Early SAIL Retirees when they successfully laid the foundation of the Industrial Revolution for Steel making in India while leading an unsafe life in the unfriendly green-field locations.
Due to basic changes in post-retirement benefit policy for CPSE employees SAIL retirees are grouped as pre-2007 and post-2007 categories. This letter refers to the destitute living conditions of the former for whom the 2ndPay Revision Committee for PSUs recommended welfare benefits from a corpus created out of 1.5% of the Profit before Tax (PBT) from 1.1.2007 for the pre-2007 retirees. GOI issued necessary directions to all PSUs for its implementation. Oil companies and few other PSUs have already implemented the same whereas SAIL continues to ignore the Government order and leave us to face more and more miseries.
There is no visible reason for SAIL’s inaction and negative approach towards this issue because SAIL has been earning profit for more than 15 years and it is now a Maharatna company by virtue of its financial strength & its contribution to development of the country in various aspects.
In view of the fact that most of our members are in their twilight years the above scheme implemented under the Government advice will be a small time affair. SAIL will not require budgetary support for implementing the suggested scheme for their Early Retirees.
Government permission, as requested in our earlier letter, to transfer the unclaimed amount of Provident Fund deposits with SAIL to the proposed corpus may enhance the much needed financial benefits to the retirees.
We would also like to bring to your kind notice that SAIL or Government did not think for the need of a Pension scheme for hard working Steel makers of SAIL whereas many other PSUs and Banks formulated and implemented the pension scheme at later dates in their organization which takes into account the regular increase in even Dearness Allowances.
We are confident that with your positive approach to solve the problems of common man and quick decision making we will get some results sooner than later.
When approached through the UPA's Hon'ble Union Minister of Steel and later on through the Hon'ble President of India in the past SAIL has provided wrong information for not doing its work - implementing the Govt OMs. 

In view of the above we request you to kindly spare about an hour of your valuable time, as per your convenience, to listen to our stories of continued apathetic attitude of SAIL and to help us get rid of our miseries.
With kind regards,

Yours sincerely,

(V.N.Sharma)
Chairman

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SPEEDPOST
No. FORSE/ Steel/ 0114
June 07, 2014
Sri Narendra Singh Tomar,
Union Minister for Steel,
Govt. of India,
Udyog Bhawan,
New Delhi-110011
            Sub: Request for creation of schemes for Pioneer & Early SAIL Retirees in distress.
Hon’ble Narendra Singh Tomar Ji,
Kindly accept our heartiest congratulations on your taking over as the Steel Minister of India. We are sure the Steel industries will successfully be scaling newer heights, in the years to come, under your able leadership.
1.  We, the Pioneer & Early Retired Employees of SAIL and Public Sector Steel industries, retired before 2007 ie before implementation of 2nd Pay Revision for CPSEs, are in distressed condition.
2.  Majority of these early retirees are those who had joined in 1950s & 60s in green-field steel plants which were being established in remote & under/non-developed areas under the 1st industrial revolution of the Indian Republic. The steel plants are now under SAIL, a Navaratna company
3.  PROBLEMS.
(i) These pioneer retirees are now in the age group of 70s & 80s having retired in 1980s, 90s & before 2007. They are not covered by any pension scheme except EPS-95 for some post-95 retirees getting hardly around 1000/-.
(ii) Those who retired before 1998 (before implementation of 1st Pay Revision for CPSEs) at the age of 58 years. They were deprived of the earnings for two years & accumulation of CPF which would have multiplied in the last two years.
(iii) They retired in 80s, early 90s with a meagre sum of about Rs.90,000 by those in junior positions and about Rs. Three to Four lakhs by those in senior positions. Those who retired in late nineties from senior positions in SAIL or Steel PSUs got an amount around Rs. Five to Seven Lakhs.
(iv) They are struggling to make both ends meet with meager returns of 9% on the retirement benefits they received then. Apart from this, the medical expenses due to age-related problems at the age of 70s & 80s beyond the reimbursable limit (which is meager) is adding to their burden.
(v) Quoting from Journey of a Steel Man (p. 29) by Late Dr. P.L. Agrawal, one of the former Chairmen of SAIL” my total accumulated money from SAIL on the account amounted to Rs. 3 lacs including Provident Fund (normal and voluntary contribution) and gratuity after 28 years’ service in October, 1984, …….God had been kind to me.”
(v)   SCOPE, the pivotal organisation of PSUs, have also communicated to Govt vide their letter No: SCOPE-2011/DG/2278 dated Feb 21, 2011 their views including the need to take care of these retirees who do not get pension.
(vi)  After several rounds of discussion and debate by 2nd Pay Revision Committee for CPSEs with Association of retirees, group of retirees, SCOPE, various Ministries and CPSEs it gave a recommendation & DPE issued various OMs to give effect to the recommendations including those dated 08th July 2009 and 20th July 2011 to CPSEs for ‘creation of a corpus for retired employees of SAIL with 1.5% of the PBT to take care of those retired before 2007.
(vii)  SAIL refused to accept and implement the DPE OMs. In stead it has repeatedly been harping, including in the letters dated 3rd and 9th May 2014 through CPGRMS, on the long prevailing retirement and mediclaim benenefits given to its retired employees which has nothing to do with the OMs of DPE because they existed since the existance of SAIL.
(viii). Mediclaim. Every Retired Employee pays a part of the subscription for his Mediclaim Insurance. But the terms and conditions are decided by SAIL and the Insurance Company without involving the Retired Employees or their representatives in the negotiation, leading to an extremely negative terms and conditions of the Mediclaim policy under the agreement between SAIL and the Insurance company, like the low amount of coverage for both OPD and hospitalisation, and various tests, list of Cappings, important exclusions etc,, leading to misery though SAIL boast of its Healthcare mechanism for the retired employees. In reality it is a bad policy out and out and aged persons have to spend a lot out of their pockets.
(ix) All our communications to SAIL for a meeting to discuss the issues of post-retirement benefits including the enhancement in coverage and services under mediclaim insurance have met with a dead wall in last 5 years. No response, no acknowledgement is the end result.
4.        SOLUTIONS
(i)    Such Retired SAIL Employees, perhaps a miniscule minority numbering in just over a lakh. They do not have the monetary strength or vitality to fight for redressal.
(ii)  SAIL can easily create a corpus from PBT as suggested and by other means and this corpus will not be required perennially as these retirees are in twilight of their life being in 70s & 80s and will vanish gradually. The OMs are to be considered by SAIL as the commitment of the Govt. for the well - being of the Retired employee and senior citizens
(iii) The contributions, foundation laid & hard work rendered by the pioneer retirees with no facilities in those remote areas have also helped SAIL to reach the level of Navaratna company. Since it has been earning profit since long based on which it is Navaratna now, funds is not a constraint. Unfortunately, the present set of top management cannot appreciate the contribution of these elders. All Oil companies, have introduced schemes.
5. OUR APPEAL
A.  In view of the above, we submit the following suggestions for your kind consideration and acceptance.
a) To advise SAIL to formulate and implement schemes for various types of relief to the Retirees and their spouse in line with the Govt. advice given in the form of DPE OMs for ‘creation of a corpus for retired employees of SAIL with 1.5% of the PBT’.
b) To permit SAIL to raise the limit in the OMs of DPE from 1.5% to 3% for formulating better schemes.
c) To permit SAIL to transfer unclaimed money available with the PF Trusts of SAIL Plants and Units to the proposed corpus.
d) To advise SAIL to utilise the services of the physically fit Retirees as much as possible by giving them specific assignments on contractual basis. This can be done with the active help of the Federation (FORSE) or its Member Associations.
e) To advise SAIL to improve the Mediclaim policy with no sharing of the subscription by the Retired Employee, treat Retired Employees with or without mediclaim coverage at par with the working employees on Healthcare programmes and 100 % coverage like Oil sector companies do for their Retired employees.
B.  You are requested to tke up with the concerned Union Minister of Finance the following issues to resolve in our favour during the budget preparation (2014-15) and the years thereafter to help increase the financial income/ flow to SAIL retirees:
i.   Increase in the interest rate on Fixed Bank deposits for the Retirees.
ii. Transfer of unclaimed PF money lying with the Govt. to the PSUs for creation of corpus as stated above vide OMs of DPE for the Retirees.
iii. Action to enhance the facilities for Senior Citizens in Hospitals, transport, public utility services by incorporating newer policies.
We hope to have explained the basics of the issues quite clearly yet we feel a meeting may be necessary to expedite action and getting your favourable decision on the problems facing the SAIL retirees. We will be pleased to provide any further details/ data required. It would not be out of place to reiterate that a good number of us are in our twilight years and we are not left with sufficient time to wait and watch for the policy formulation and implementation with ease. A response by e-mail or Phone will help us a lot.
With regards, 

Yours sincerely,


(V.N.Sharma)


Chairman

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