Bank retirees needs Humanitarian Behavior An Appeal to Finance Minister by CBPRO,

We, the Bank Pensioners and Retirees are still under the spell of Your Heart Touching, Highly Compassionate and Humanitarian Assertion when You addressed the Annual General Meeting of Indian Banks Association on 10th November 2020 to consider the Long Pending Issues of Updation of Pension, Family Pension and proper Medical Relief and other issues of Bank Pensioners and Retirees on a note of urgency and care that a member of a Family gets like in the Defense Forces even after Retirement. Your message was loud and clear to the August body of Chairman, IBA, Members of the Management Committee of IBA ,Chief executive of IBA, Chairman and MDs of Banks .Hon'ble Minister Of State for Finance Shri Anura Thakur ji who also graced the occasion echoed the same sentiments about Bank Pensioners and Retirees Issues. Respected Secretary, DFS, Ministry of Finance was also present as a Dignitary. The audience was spellbound with Your oratorical analysis of the challenges the Banking Industry is facing in the emerging situation and the Pro-active HR initiatives including the concerns of Bank Pensioners and Retirees. Respected Madam, Your Historic Address is still ringing in our ears as after nearly 25 years such Solacing Assurances have come from a Leader of Great Stature who is in charge of a Very Crucial Ministry like Finance dealing with the Task of Reviving the whole Economy in this Pandemic gripped situation. In one stroke You made us , the Senior and Super Citizens of the Banking Industry happy and comfortable and also not to feel Orphaned or Neglected by assuring us that This Government truly means that the Fruits of Good Governance will be available to all including Bank Pensioners and Retirees especially taking into account the Glorious Services put in by Bank Men both Serving and Retired by shouldering the responsibility of Implementation of all the Socio-economic policies and Program of the Government. This good initiative has taken Banking to every House of this Vast and Great Nation making Banking a Great Phenomenon. Respected Madam, while we are highly enthused with Your Morale Boosting intervention in respect of our issues, we expected an immediate announcement of Improvement in Family Pension and Updation of Pension in line with the RBI. Unfortunately we do not have much time left at our disposal to wait because many of us are beyond 75 years of age and those retired in the 1990s are above 80 years of age. Tragically more than One lakh Bank Pensioners have passed away since 1990. Nearly the same number of Family Pensioners consisting of mainly Women Spouses of Deceased Pensioners are suffering as they are getting a pitiably small amount of Family Pension as compared with Government and RBI. We are sad that those Bank Pensioners and Retirees who left for their Heavenly Abode have left us with a feeling of unjust and humiliating deprivation caused to them despite their Entitlement of Pension and Periodical Updation of Pension as available to Government and RBI Pensioners. Pension is nothing but a Deferred Wage which is required to be revised along with Wage Revision for Serving Employees like in Government and RBI. Non Updation has resulted in a huge gap in Pension between those retired in earlier wage Settlements vis a vis those Retiring now to such an extent that a very Senior Retiree belonging to earlier Wage Settlement/Settlements draws less Pension than today’s very Junior Retiree resulting in serious anomalies. This can be set right only by giving an Updation with every Wage Revision. Improvement in Ex Gratia payment to Pre 1986 Retirees ( their number will be hardly any as they would be minimum 94 years old now if at all they are surviving, and of course very few surviving Lady Spouses) is requested purely on Humanitarian grounds. Respected Madam, in view of the reasonableness of our Main Issues of Updation of Pension ,Family Pension and Uniform DA Compensation to All Retirees ( All the Three as available to Government and RBI Pensioners) and also due to our Advanced Age and serious Health Issues We Very Fervently Appeal to Your Good Self to announce the Grant of Updation of Pension, Improvement in Family Pension and Uniform DA Compensation to All Retirees as a Good News before the close of Year 2020. We also request You to consider CGHS Model Medical Benefit Scheme for Bank Retirees or Payment of Medical Insurance Premium by the Banks. Your Government's gesture in respect of the above will go a long way in strengthening our Belief and Faith in the Inspiring Theme of Our Government "Sab ka Saath Sab Ka Vikas and Sab Ka Viswas. " We shall remain ever Grateful to Our Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji and to Your Good Self for Considering our Appeal. With Best Regards, Yours Sincerely, (A. Ramesh Babu) & (K.V. Acharya) Joint Conveners, CBPRO. ( Coordinated Body of Bank Pensioners Organisations )