A meeting was convened by the management today to discuss upon the modalities of creating a benevolent fund for all the employees who met untimely death due to Covid.

AIGETOA was represented by ALL India President Shri Ravi Shil Verma and General Secretary Shri Wasi Ahmad. Other participants in the meeting were President SNEA, GS SEWA, GS and President NFTE and GS BSNLEU. From management side meeting was attended by Committee members i.e. Shri R K Goyal, PGM Pers, Shri A. M. Gupta, Sr GM Admin, Ms Anita Johari, Sr GM SR and Shri K.D Chirania, Sr GM Finance.

We put forward the following points before the committee:

1. Creating of a Corpus immediately to provide an adequate compensation to the family of the Employees who met untimely death in last one year and from hereinafter for all such cases. Management should pay and equal contribution matching to the contribution by Employees. This fund should be reviewed and recouped every time, there is deficit. We also suggested that this fund should be made operational permanently by making a monthly contribution by employees and employer. It was also told that the contribution by Employee should be refunded back to him at the time of retirement. This will promote maximum Employees to participate in the scheme.
2. To immediately restart the CGA appointment for all those who met death due to Covid -19, by considering this as death on duty.
3. To immediately pay the pending SAB and GPF contribution and make the fund Up to date.
4. To enhance the SAB Contribution for BSNL Recruits to 30% of the Basic plus DA.
5. Immediately disbursement of Salary and we put the displeasure of association on record that even during this critical time, the disbursement of Salary was not prioritised.

A broad consensus has been arrived at the following:

1. Family of the Diseased Employee should be extended with an immediate compensation of Rs 10 lacs. Currently it will cover death due to Covid to overcome the unprecedented emergency scenario. Employees will contribute ONE DAY salary and BSNL will contribute equally. This will be a voluntary contribution and those don’t want to be in the Corpus, may kept themselves out. If shortfall of funds occur, further contribution (one time/monthly) can be asked from Employees in due course of time.

Decision to include all deaths shall be taken subsequently once this emergency phase is over.

2. Proposal to reinstate the CGA appointment shall be conveyed to management for decision by the board.
3. Need for immediate disbursal of Salary to Employees shall be conveyed to management firmly.
4. The proposals suggested by AIGETOA and supported by other association and unions on SAB, EPF & GPF pending Payment and enhancement of SAB quantum will also be put up before the CMD/Directors.

We extend our thanks to the leaders, i.e. GS SEWA, President SNEA, GS BSNLEU, GS & President NFTE for support and arriving consensus for above measures. We acknowledge the efforts initiated by the management and hope that some tangible results will be visible on all points as mentioned above.