शनिवार, 29 जुलाई 2017

Lok Sabha EPS 95 Debate links

Dear All,
Sri N.K. Premchandran, a Kerala MP raised today the issue of Pensions under different Schemes with some emphasis on Payment of enhanced Pension to Pensioners belonging to Exempted Establishments under EPS 95 as per SC decision in Lok Sabha quite aggressively. In fact he also threatened that he may have to approach SC if it is not resolved. 

Pl click on the relevant link below to read the text / listen / see the Video.

Text of the Debate:

Audio: 
(Pl use Windows Media Player if needed)

Union Minister of Labour Sri Bandaru Datattreya replied. Audio &  video recordings of the same are attached herewith. Although Minister did not commit to withdrawal of the EPFO letter dated 31st May he formed a High Power Committee which included Sri NK Premchandran.

Video:  

सोमवार, 24 जुलाई 2017

Draft letter for Individual to CBT Members

6/B, Leigh Barkatpura,
Hyderabad-500027.
EMAIL ID- intuchq@gmail.com
2.     Shri Virjesh Upadhyay,
Member CBT, H. No. 32A/1, Shiv Puri Part-II, Goyala Road, Deen Pur, Najafgarh, New Delhi-110043, EMAIL ID-v62upadhyay@gmail.com 
3.     Shri M. Jagadiswara Rao,
D. No. 31-3-3/2, Gowri Nagar,
Opp. All India Radio Station, Kurmannapalem
Visakhapatnam(AP)-530046,
4.     Shri Prabhakar J. Banasure,
Aakankash 21/1 Samarth Colony,
M.J. College Road, Jalgaon (Maharashtra)-425002,
EMAIL ID-pjbanasure@gmail.com, pjbanasure@bsnl.co.in
5.     Shri Ashok Singh,
No. 435, Vishwas Khand III,
Gomti Nagar, Lucknow (UP)-226010,
EMAIL ID- ashoksingh5319@yahoo.com
6.    Shri A. D. Nagpal,
1181, Sector- 43-B, Chandigarh- 160022,
EMAIL ID- hms1gs@gmail.com
7.     Shri A. K. Padmanabham,
B.T. Ranadive Bhawan,
13A, Rouse Avenue, New Delhi- 110002,
EMAIL ID- akpcitu@gmail.com, citubtr@gmail.com
8.     Shri Shankar Saha,
77/2/1, Lenin Sarani (1st Floor)
Kolkata-700013,
EMAIL ID- aiutuc@gmail.com
9.     Shri Raman Pandey,
Maruti Building,
12, Loudun Street, Kolkata-700017,
EMAIL ID- rpandey.unidoc@yahoo.com
10. Shri D. L. Sachdev,
35-36 Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg Rouse Avenue
New Delhi-110002,
EMAIL ID- aituchq@gmail.com
11.   Shri J.P. Chowdhary,
Prem Lata, 4th Floor,
39 Shakespeare Sarani Kolkata- 700017, 
EMAIL ID- jchowdhary@yahoo.com
12.  Shri Balasubrahmanyam Kamarsu,
15/270, Lodhy Colony,
Near Meharchand Market,
New Delhi- 110003,
EMAIL ID- bala.kamarsu@gmail.com
13.  Shri Rajinder Singh Maker,
17/03, World Trade Center,
Cuffe Parade Mumbai- 400005,
EMAIL ID- efisolar@gmail.com
14. Dr. U. D. Choubey,
1st Floor, Scope Complex,
7, Lodhi Road, New Delhi-110003,
EMAIL ID- scopedg@yahoo.com
15.  Shri G. P. Shrivastava,
5, Sardar Patel Marg, Chanakyapuri,
New Delhi-110021,
EMAIL ID- g.p.srivastava@assocham.com
16. Shri Sushanta Sen,
249-F, Sector-18, Udyog Vihar,
Phase-IV, Gurgaon (Haryana)-122015,
EMAIL ID- s.sen@cii.in
17.  Shri B. P. Pant,
V/5, NCERT Campus Aurobindo Marg
New Delhi-110016,
EMAIL ID- bp.pant@ficci.com
18. Shri K. V. Sekhar Raju,
C/o Spun Concrete Pipe Mfrs. Association of Karnataka,
B-5&6, Swiss Complex, 33, Race Course Road
Bangalore-560001,
EMAIL ID- kvsekharraju@yahoo.co.in
19. Dr. S. S. Patil,
8-1457, M/s. L. R. Patil Building,
Near APMC Office, Nehru Ganj
Gulbarga (Karnataka)- 585104,
EMAIL ID- patilgroup999@yahoo.in
20.Shri Ravi Wig,
House No. 618 Sector 21A
Faridabad (Haryana)- 121007,
EMAIL ID- wigindia@yahoo.com
Sub: Appeal to reject EPFO circular dated 31st May 2017 and help approve Payment of Pension to Employees of Exempted Established at enhanced rate as per Supreme Court Order dated 4th Oct 2016.
Respected CBT Members,
I would like to make a humble submission before you that I am aggrieved by the EPFO circular dated 31st May 2017 which is depriving us of the benefits of higher / full pension resulting from the Supreme Court Order dated 4.10.2016 in Civil Appeal No(S). 10013-10014 of 2016 arising out of SLP(C) Nos. 33032-33033 of 2015 titled R.C.Gupta & Ors vs RPFC & Ors is in favour of EPS 1995 members, irrespective of the fact as to whether they were from EPF exempted or EPF un-exempted establishments of EPFO. However, the last para of the 31st May circular which reads as “As decided in the 40th meeting of the PEIC the matter will be placed before the CBT” leaves us still with a hope that as a member of CBT you will come to the side of justice and help us get the full pension as ordered by the Apex Court. The following paragraphs have a few facts and arguments, for your kind perusal, to help decide the issue in our favour.
Ø  I belonged to an establishment, SAIL, which was Exempted for Provident Fund (EPF) but Un-exempted for Pension Scheme (EPS). There is no dispute in respect of Provident Fund (for which exemption had been granted by EPFO) but EPFO has without any logic issued the aforesaid directive dated 31.5.2017 debarring pensioners of establishments which had sought exemption for Provident Fund (EPF) despite the fact that these were Un-exempted for Pension Scheme (EPS).
Ø      Whereas, the other similarly placed pensioners from Un-exempted establishments who were also Un-exempted for Pension Scheme (like me ) have been granted the benefit of revision of their pension on actual salary after depositing the differential amount with interest in accordance with the various judgments of Apex Court. Thus, CPFC has superseded the equitable decision taken by the CBT & Government (which was circulated by EPFO itself vide directive dated 23.3.2017) by issuing the interim advisory dated 31.5.2017 by misinterpreting the Judgments dt. 31.3.2016, 12.7.2016 and 4.10.2016 of the Apex Court.
Ø     Separate legal entities have been created by EFPO itself by granting exemptions for Provident Fund (NOT FOR PENSION SCHEME) for its own administrative convenience in accordance with the provisions contained in the EOPF&MP Act, 1952 with condition that such exempted establishments (managing the fund through their Trusts) shall follow all rules & regulations of EPFO and the facilities & benefits available in the establishments exempted by EPFO shall never be inferior to those of Un-exempted establishments who were depositing the contribution with EPFO. However, after retirement, whole corpus with interest had been returned to pensioners by Trusts and EPFO to Exempted & Un-exempted Establishments respectively.
Ø     Union Minister of Labour and employment had assured on the floor of the Parliament on 23.3.2017 that the said benefit will be accorded to all thepensioners of EPS whether they were petitioners or not.
Ø     Union Minister of Labour and employment has confirmed on the floor of Parliament in his reply to question no. 427 that Private Provident Fund Trusts which have taken exemption under the Employees’ Provident Funds & Miscellaneous Provisions (EPF& MP) Act, 1952 are under monitoring and control of Employees Provident Fund Organization (EPFO).
Ø     It is a matter of record that EPFO has not taken such a stand prior to issue of interim directive dt. 31.5.2017 i.e. differentiation due to exempted/un-exempted status for Provident Fund to decide eligibility for the said benefit in hundreds of Civil Writ Petitions & LPA’s in various High Courts and also in the various SLPs in the Apex Court. How can they take a U-turn and deviate from their own stand now as if the exempted & un-exempted categories came into being after the Apex Court decision?
Ø     There is no issue/dispute regarding Provident Fund for which exemption had been granted by EPFO to such CPSEs whereas these were Un-exempted for EPS (Pension Scheme) but the benefit as accorded by the Apex Court is being erroneously and unlawfully denied for Pension Scheme by treating such establishments as Exempted whereas factually these are un-exempt for the Pension Scheme.
Ø     Now at this stage, EFPO cannot contradict its own creation and deny the benefits to pensioners of such establishments i.e. by refusing to grant the benefits equitably to both types of organizations following same rules and both under the control & monitoring of EPFO.
Ø     There is no reference whatsoever of Exempted or Un-exempted Establishments in SC judgments dated 31-03-2016, 12-07-2016 and 04-10-2016 thereby; EPFO is just trying to unlawfully misrepresent or twist the true spirit of judgments of the Apex Court and thus, unnecessarily forcing the Senior Citizens/ pensioners to approach Courts for seeking justice at the fag end of their lives which is even against the policies of the Government and also in violation of various judgments on the subject delivered by the Apex Court for avoiding unnecessary litigation (Refer order of Apex Court dt. 1.7.2015 in Civil Appeal no. 1123 of 2015 titled D.S. Nakara vs Union of India)
Ø     As all of EPS members/ pensioners of CPSEs are from un-exempted (for Pension fund – EPS) categories; the contents mentioned in the interim letter dated 31.05.2017 are not relevant & applicable by any stretch of imagination and are, thus, unlawful.
Ø     Entire contribution amount under EPS Scheme used to be remitted by such establishments directly to EPFO every month; hence there is no need for adjustment of contribution from Provident Fund to Pension Account. The differential amount along with interest is being got deposited from un-exempted establishments, the same rule may apply on the exempted establishments while granting the said benefits.
Ø     All EPS members of such establishments have been issued PPO (Pension Payment Order) by EPFO only and they are getting monthly pension ranging from mere Rs. 1000 to Rs. 2500 per month from EPFO itself. Hence they are covered and fully eligible for enhancement of monthly pension too as they were treated for enhancement of pension while extending benefit of 2 years weightage in pensionable service recently.
Ø     In view of above, it is clear that advisory dated 31-05-2017 issued by EPFO to their entire field offices denying the benefits to pensioners of EPF Exempted but EPS Un-exempted organizations is clear violation of all the judgments of Apex court and High courts and approval accorded by CBT/MOL&E/Government.
Ø     Further this benefits has already been allowed by EPFO in compliance of various Court judgments to pensioners of many exempted establishments in Kerala State like Instrumentation Ltd, ITI Ltd, Fertilizers & Chemicals of Travancore (FACT), AAI, KSCADB, KM&M, KNCO, KAMCO etc to name a few.
Ø     Such an action of EPFO also violates the Article 14 of the Indian Constitution which prohibits different treatment to equals or similarly placed citizens.
It has been learnt that this unlawful interim advisory dated 31.05.2017 issued by EPFO Head Office to all the field offices is likely to be placed by the EPFO before the CBT (EPF) in its next meeting which is likely to be held in August 2017 for ratification/ approval. You are requested not to be a party to the ratification of illegal, discriminatory, illogical, erroneous and inequitable decision taken by EPFO by misinterpreting and distorting the order/judgment of the Apex Court and misguiding the authorities.
I request you further that in the interest of justice & equity and as a welfare measure for poor senior citizens/pensioners like me, CPFC, EPFO may be advised to immediately withdraw its illegal & discriminatory interim advisory dated 31.5.2017 and implement the Supreme Court Order dated 04th Oct 2016 and its own equitable directive dated 23.3.2017 already issued by EPFO for all the EPS’95 pensioners irrespective of Exempted/Un-exempted category without any further delay as the same is in accordance with the true letter & spirit of the various judgements of Apex Court and approval accorded by the Government on 16.3.2017.
Thanking You,



Thanking You,
Yours faithfully
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