As you are aware that Shri R.Gandhi, Dy.Governor, visited Chennai to attend the 90th Anniversary of RBIEA, Chennai on 30th June 2014. The Office-bearers of the Forum of Retired Employees of RBI, Chennai met him and presented a memorandum seeking immediate revision (increase) in the ex-gratia paid to pre-1986 retirees. The text of the letter submitted is appended below for your information.
- Chandraiah
Increase in ex-gratia for pre-1986 retirees
We wish to bring the following to your kind attention for sympathetic consideration and favourable orders.
The pre-1986 retirees, all of them aged above 87 years, were the unfortunate lot left out of the pension scheme introduced by the Bank in 1990 with retrospective effect from 1986. The quantum of CPF and gratuity received by them was small and got eroded within a few years in meeting various family commitments. Considering the hardship experienced by them the Bank was gracious enough to grant them Rs. 300/- as basic ex-gratia irrespective of the cadre along with a cadre-wise differential sum as medical allowance with effect from 1.11.1997. The last increase in the medical allowance was effected from 1.4.2008. Since then the amount of ex-gratia has remained static. While the pensioners receive Dearness Relief once in 6 months in the ranging from Rs. 600/- to Rs. 1200/- approximately the ex-gratia beneficiaries get hardly Rs. 100/-. This is a pitiable situation considering the present high cost of living.
This issue of enhancement of ex-gratia has been pending for quite a long time. Com. Samir Ghosh, the Convener of the United Forum of Officers and Employees of RBI raised this issue with the then Governor Dr. D. Subba Rao during the Central Board Meeting held in Chennai on 4.7.2013. The Governor assured to look into the matter and do the needful. A memorandum dated 6.12.2013, signed by the Pre-1986 retirees was also submitted to the Governor. Com. Samir Ghosh wrote to the Bank on 27.3.2014 enclosing a chart from Chennai Office giving the relevant positions of ex-gratia amount drawn by the pre-1986 retirees and the pension amount drawn by the first batch of pensioners, the latter being vastly in excess of the former. The chart referred to above is enclosed for your kind reference. As per the chart the ex-gratia comprising Basic + DA + Medical Allowance drawn by the pre-1986 retirees cadre-wise and the pension drawn by the first batch of pensioners as on date are as follows:
Class IV – Rs. 6,163/-, Class III – 6,563/-, Gr. A, B & C – 7,163/-, Gr. D & E – Rs. 7,763/-, Gr. F & above – Rs. 8,363/- whereas the pension drawn by the first batch of pensioners ranges roughly from Rs. 13,000/- to Rs. 26,000/-. We are confident that your good self would agree that the above quantum of ex-gratia is inadequate to meet the ever increasing cost of living including medicines which is integral to their existence. In these circumstances, they are constrained to depend on their kith and kin to pull on the remainder of their life with a sense of shame and indignity.
As the pre-1986 retirees are very few in number -- the all India figure being 380 as on 30.06.2014, a sizable increase in the basic ex-gratia and medical allowance will only be a negligible burden to the Bank. Considering the major relief the senior retirees will get in the evening of their life it is not a burden but a noble and timely gesture from the great institution. The Bank should also take into account the fact that the Commercial Banks and the Government have recently enhanced the ex-gratia for their pre-1986 retirees/surviving spouses. Further, the Bank was beneficent enough to persuade the GOI to raise the family pension on par with the government’s family pension from 12.1.2013. Considering the fact that the number of pre-1986 retirees/surviving spouses is fast dwindling the increase in their ex-gratia has to be effected without further loss of time and without linking it to updation of pension.
These senior retirees served the Bank with dedication and toiled for its success in its initial years of existence despite getting less salaries during the entire period of their service with endless hours of work often extending up to midnight without additional compensation and therefore deserve more attention from the Bank.
We appeal to you Sir, to consider the plight of the senior retirees sympathetically and initiate necessary action at the earliest to provide a reasonable increase in their basic ex-gratia and the medical allowance. As the relief sought for is well within the powers of the Governor/Central Board, we anxiously and with great hope await the Bank’s early orders in this regard so that the senior retirees could spend their last days with peace and dignity.
Thanking you Sir,
Yours faithfully,
(A. MANOHARAN)
General Secretary
Khan has earlier worked as the RBI Executive Director, Regional Director of the bank’s New Delhi office and Principal, College of Agricultural Banking, Pune. Khan had his schooling in Bhubaneswar, graduation from the BJB Autonomous College, Master’s degree in Political Science from the Utkal University and MPhil in International Studies from the JNU, New Delhi. He had started his central banking career in 1978 as a Probationary Officer.
