Federation Of Retired SAIL Employees
An update on performance and major achievements of the Federation of Retired SAIL Employees (FORSE) since its inception in March 2014
1) FORSE is a registered organisation for SAIL Retirees with its registered office at Abasar Bhawan, Koel Nagar, Rourkela-769014 in the State of Odisha. It came into existence on 2nd March 2014. Presently it has 13 affiliated and one invitee member Associations belonging to all Units, Cities and States.
2) FORSE celebrated its Decennial (10 year) Anniversary (its 10 years of successful existence) on March 15, 2024 at Bokaro Club, Bokaro. Sri Rajan Prasad, ED (P&A), Bokaro Steel Plant was the Chief guest on the occasion.
Chief Guest Sri Rajan Prasad ED (P&A), Bokaro Steel Plant giving his inaugural speech
3) FORSE introduced the latest of communication technology and social networking sites like e-group https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/forsesail blog http://sailex.blogspot.in facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008763305395 and twitter https://twitter.com/forsesail in addition to e-group and WhatsApp and Telegram groups to keep the members abreast of the latest developments in any part of the world.
4) It has opened two Bank Accounts (1) A general purpose account in Punjab National Bank Sector-19, Rourkela Branch and (2) A special account in Punjab National Bank, Argora Chowk, Ranchi for Struggle Fund (EPS 95 case).
5) FORSE conducts its Apex Council meetings every 6 months to deliberate on the issues and grievances faced by Retirees and the ways to resolve them. (3 Online meetings were conducted during Corona pandemic) It has conducted 14 FORSE Apex Council meetings so far in various Units and courtesies like Rooms and Meeting Halls for free in addition to a free lunch/dinner or High Tea or financial assistance during meetings with Chief Executives.
6) FORSE brought about a lot of consciousness and hope in the lives of more than 1.30 lakh of SAIL Retirees and their families directly and through the existing Associations of SAIL Retirees.
7) Members/ Retirees/ spouse/ their children have benefitted and continue to benefit by free online consultancy, advice and support in the form of letters to various Govt., SAIL and Mediclaim Insurance Co. and other authorities.
8) Voice of FORSE was heard in Parliament as the issues related to SAIL Retirees was raised by a Jharkhand MP Sri Nishikant Dubey and obtained an assurance from the (then Labour &) Steel Minister for taking up the SAIL Retirees issues (can be seen in the link http://sailex.blogspot.in/2014/08/request-for-appointment-for-meeting.html or http://164.100.47.132/newdebate/16/2/08082014/5To6pm.pdf
9) Persistent communications by FORSE in the form of letters and more than 6-Dharnas in all the Units and one in EPFO offices by every unit led to improvements in SAIL policy towards the Retirees and resolution of issues at local level. Example in the link https://tinyurl.com/agjan20
Video link : Kolkata Dharna Video 310120.mp4
10) A 3 -day Dharna by more than 300 Retirees in SAIL Corporate Office Delhi by FORSE on Feb 07-09, 2017 and Meeting with concerned Ministers and Steel Secretary contributed to the approval and implementation of SAIL Pension Scheme for post-2006 Executive Retirees and post-2011 Non-Executive Retirees. http://sailex.blogspot.in/2015/03/proposed-sail-pension-scheme-for.html.
Addressing the participants during FORSE Dharna in front of SAIL Office, Lodhi Road Delhi on Feb 07-09, 2017.
11) As a result of struggle by FORSE SAIL is preparing uniform Leasing and Licensing policies for SAIL Retirees/ Employees in all SAIL Plants/Units Townships.
12) A consistent approach by FORSE led to opening SAIL Mediclaim policy for lapsed cases and for defaulters who never took the policy. http://sailex.blogspot.com/2015/06/one-time-opportunity-for-all-sail.html
13) Efforts by FORSE changed the Medical premium for 80 years plus reduced to Rs one hundred only. FORSE is further working on extension of this concession to 70 plus group.
14) FORSE is trying its best toallow reimbursement for treatment by RMP under OPD
15) Consistent effort and persuasive skill of FORSE led to increase in IPD limit from Rs.4 lakh to Rs.8 lakh for both Retiree and the spouse in SAIL Mediclaim Policy.
16) Our persistent efforts towards more improvement in Mediclaim scheme led to
a) Age related macular eye disease - cost upto Rs one lakh in a year which was earlier pegged at Rs 18000
b) Inclusion of Robotic Treatment
c) Payment on actual for ICU
d) Cataract eye surgery - Increase to Rs 26000 limit
17) We are making vigorous efforts towards
i. increase in OPD limit upto Rs 20000 for each in a year
ii. Free medical checkup once in a year
iii. Withdrawal of capping system
18) FORSE persuaded SAIL to stop deduction of expenses for the OPD/IPD treatment in SAIL Hospitals.
19) SAIL is seriously considering FORSE’s recommendation and convincing approach to provide medical facilities in SAIL Hospitals at par with regular employees.
20) Better communication has been established with the Insurance Co. and the TPAs which resulted in improved healthcare, admission into and release from Hospitals and settlement of Bills and release of payments etc. to Retirees.
21) FORSE is getting defacto recognition and is heard at the formal levels in SAIL Plants/ Units.
FORSE reps with SAIL Chairman Sri Anil Kumar Choudhary at MTI Ranchi on 29/12/2018
Sri A K Singh, ED (W) (6th from left) and Sri S.P. Singh, ED (MM) I/c (5th from left) ISP Burnpur blessed the occasion by their esteemed presence and addressing the inaugural session.
Dr V N Sharma presenting Memento to Sri Atanu Bhowmick, Director Incharge RSP & BSL, Sri B.K. Tiwari ED (Works) BSL and Sri Rajan Prasad ED(P&A) on 16/03/2024
22) FORSE also generated hope in large number of 50+ year old current/ regular SAIL employees incl. people in higher and responsible positions as many of them keep contacting the FORSE Office bearers and other activists and appreciate our efforts with some good advice on different issues.
23) More than 100 letters have been written to the President, PM, FM, Steel, Social Welfare and other Ministers, Floor Leaders in Parliament, MPs, SAIL Chairman and members of the Board of Directors; Chairman, SBI; Chairman, IRDA, SAIL Pension operating companies etc.
24) Our correspondence with Ministry of Finance and State Bank of India appears to have resulted in introduction of Sr.Citizens Saving Scheme at changing % in return in interest upto a maximum of Rs. 15 lakh for each husband and wife.
25) FORSE has doubled its efforts for implementation of financial benefits of Rs 5000/- with appropriate nomenclature like pension, ex-gratia etc to all pre-2007 SAIL Retirees in the form of Pension.
26) FORSE is pursuing improvements in Healthcare policy incl. implementation of 1978 SAIL-NJCS Agreement. https://tinyurl.com/sail-njcs78
27) FORSE strongly protested to the Prime Minister/ Finance Minister against the lowering of interest rates for deposits meant for Senior Citizens like Senior Citizens’ Savings Scheme, PPF and MIS. As a result, Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana was implemented through LIC.
Members participating in Agitation @ Ranchi on 24th
June 2019 in front of RDCIS Complex
28) FORSE is also pursuing with GoI for increasing Return on deposits and raising IT to higher level for Sr Citizens etc.
29) FORSE got Super Top - up Schemes introduced in SAIL Mediclaim Policy for coverage during Covid-19 pandemic
30) On initiative of FORSE MDIndia has introduced a system of Pharmacy Desk in Bokaro and Durgapur for Home delivery of medicines at concessional rates. MDIndia is further conducting study of quantum of business and financial feasibility in other places so that similar system can be implemented.
31) A system of E-Pharmacy and E-Consultany has been introduced since this year through FORSE’s initiative.
32) EPS 95 case: FORSE Chairman Dr V N Sharma was the 1st Petitioner for 108 organisations (Case No. 1134/2018) under National Confederation of Retirees for full pension under EPS-95.
The Supreme Court passed its order on the EPS 95 case on 04th Nov
2022, The SC judgement is of mixed type. They are favourable to post-
Sept. 2014 pensioners but opposed to the interests of pre- Sept. 2014
pensioners. Except that Exempted and Non-Exempted Establishments will be at
par, pre-Sept 2014 Pensioners are not benefited even after the Court said that
RC Gupta was applicable to all, as the cut-off date was not allowed to change.
The court has thus created disparity between pre- and post- 2014 retirees.
The Employees retiring after 31st Aug 2014 are
benefited to the extent that the cap on salary Rs.15000/- is removed and
additional contribution of 1.16% is removed. Those in service and retired after
Sep 2014 can do a joint option within the 4 months grace period given by the
court. (a) A few Review Petitions and Miscellaneous Applications including the
one V N SHARMA & others vs EPFO
& Anr (Diary No. 6998/2023, Case No. 241/2023) and (b) Contempt
Petition(C) No. 877 of 2023 in W.P. (C) No. 1134 of 2018 were filed
in SC on our behalf for the benefit of the pre-01/09/2014
ineligible pensioners. They were all
rejected by the SC.
33) In view of the ‘One Rank One Pension’ type arrangement recommended for employees of both defence and the civilian sector in the Report of the 7th Central Pay Commission submitted to the Govt. our demand of ‘One Rank One Pension’ and similar benefits to SAIL retirees’ stands justified.
34) FORSE is continuing its efforts for Gratuity payment wef 2017, its possibilities to revert back wef January 2017 instead of 28th March 2018. https://sailex.blogspot.com/2022/01/letter-for-gratuity-payment-wef-01012017.html
35) SAIL agreed to extend the facilities of travel tickets etc through M/s. Balmer and Lawrie for all retired Executives. Efforts are on to include Non-Ex. Employees also.
36) SAIL implemented FORSE demand to implement the CAT and HC order wrt payment of Perquisites to serving/ Ex-Executives of SAIL for the period 26.11.2008 to 04.10.2009.
37) Pursued vigorously with SAIL, SAIL units PF Trust and EPFO and its regional offices for issuance of Demand letters for PoHW and to start paying higher pension. Partial success achieved and efforts for full success continuing.
