GIPA NZ members meet Shri Amit Agarwal Adl Secretary, insurance Division

A delegation led by Shri U. Banerjee, Gen. Sec from GIPAIF along with Shri N P Upadhay, Working President, Shri Shyam Mathur, Dy Gen Sec, Shri V k Sharma Secretary and Shri Rajnish Pandey Org. Sec GIPA NZ met Shri Amit Agarwal Adl Secretary, insurance Division, DFS along with Dy Secretary and Under Secretaries on 24th September and discussed in particular what will be the future of Pensioners after GIBNA Act has been amended in Parliament particularly when declared one of the PSGI companies would be privatised. Additional Secretary assured whatever the existing system of paying pension with increase  Dearness Relief as per present practice would continue in every six months of course subject to increase in Consumer Price Index. As far as the privatisation of one of the companies, he explained a separate department in the name Disinvestment in Public Sector, who is dealing in this regard. On the issue of the increase of Family Pensioners whose minimum basic should be increased from 15% to30%as it is our demand for last more than five years, he clarified the solvency margin of three PSGI companies are less than 1.5% and they can not sustain any additional burden at this juncture. But he assured and said that the companies are improving their financial position during the five months of the current financial year and hopefully they will cross the minimum percentage of 1.5% as solvency margin. The government is showing its concerns as they have inducted additional capital of Rs 1,250 crores last year for three companies. Even employees' wage revision due from 01-08-2017 is stuck up because of weak financial conditions. However, he assured DFS is concentrating at this moment on how quickly they arrive at wage settlement of in-service employees. Updation of pension for the time being ruled out. We have to wait till the companies financial conditions improve. Regarding a few left-out TAC retirees when insisted they should be given one more opportunity to join 1995 pension scheme, he directed Dy Secretary to find out the status. We once again represented for exemption GST from Health Insurance premium. He agreed in principle but said they have recommended and it is lying with Revenue Secretary. We have pointed out that GIPSA should recognise our association and have some official correspondence and meetings. He agreed and told under secretary to have talks with them on this subject. The meeting was fruitful and lasted for 40 minutes. U. Banerjee. General Secretary.