The Hindu : A pension adalat with a difference

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 17, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh-Hyderabad

A pension adalat with a difference

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD Dec. 16. Pensioners and grievances go hand-in-hand. To find oneself in the lurch at the end of a long career is really an unpleasant situation. But there was nothing of the sort at the "Pension Adalat'' organised for retired railway employees here on Monday.

The all too familiar discordant note, a regular feature in the earlier adalats, was missing. None cried hoarse about a raw deal being meted out. Even leaders of the retired employees associations chose to drop their tough postures. Rather they gave full marks to the South Central Railway for resolving the grievances to the satisfaction of the pensioners.

The Rail Nilayam, the SCR headquarters, where the Pension Adalat was held, was abuzz with activity. The turnout at the three booths set up to look into the grievances was thin. There were more officials than pensioners. Reason -- railway officials have been regularly interacting with pensioners and settling their problems all through the year.

A total of 368 representations involving an amount of Rs. 10.93 lakhs were settled at the Pension Adalat. Of this the number of cases settled in the divisions of Secunderabad, Hyderabad and Headquarters were 239 involving an amount of Rs. 4.58 lakhs. The cases pertained to revision of pension, arrears withheld from gratuity, leave encashment and increment arrears.

Y.N. Shastry, president, All-India Retired Railwaymen Federation, complimented the SCR for the excellent work done in attending to the pensioners' problems. He, however, asked officials to interpret the rules to the advantage of pensioners. He cited some specific cases to show how the department had realised several years after an employee had retired that he had availed excess leave. In another case a huge amount was being recovered from a pensioner as he had been overpaid. "This is not fair. It also reflects on the functioning of the Railways'', Mr. Shastry said.

J.J. Rao, Advisor, All India Railway Officers Association, said SCR stood first in redressing grievances of pensioners. He was happy that most of the pensioners were satisfied with the action taken for settlement of their problems.

S.M. Singla, SCR General Manager, said multipurpose photo identity cards were being given to all the serving and retired staff.

The digitised laser printed ID cards will have pensionary and medical details. Laminated service certificates with key inputs for the benefit of retired staff and railway administrations were also being issued. He asked the pensioners to furnish their particulars so that ID cards could be given to them.

Mr. Singla said the staff who were the internal customers were equally important as external customers. But pensioners deserved even more attention as they had neither time nor energy to pursue their cases.

With the increase in life expectancy, the number of retired employees was expected to exceed the serving ones in the years to come. Therefore, looking after the pensioners was extremely important.

Malyadri, Financial Advisor and Chief Accounts Officer, said an amount of Rs. 6 crores of the retirees was withheld by the Railways for non-vacation of quarters and towards recovery of revised electricity and water charges. It was for employees to furnish details and get the money due to them.

Raj Kamal Rao, Chief Personal Officer, spoke.

A booklet titled "Know your retirement benefits'' was released on the occasion.

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