DEMONETIZATION (NOTE BANDI) CAUSE OF SUFFERING FOR PUBLIC
EDITORIAL POSTAL CRUSADER, DECEMBER 2016
The object of demonetization was stated by Prime Minister to combat corruption and black money .But without making proper preparations it’s implementation has caused suffering more to the public in general and Bank and Postal Employees in particular. All Government Employees, Workers, Farmers and small & big entrepreneurs are also suffering because of this. People start standing in ques in front of ATMs since early in the night. As the ATMs were not calibrated as per new notes of Rs.2000/- and 500/- so these notes are not being put in ATMs and 100/- Rupees notes are exhausted within a short period and remaining persons remain standing in ques. The decision taken in hurry is being changed frequently. Firstly it was ordered that anybody can change the old notes worth Rupees 4000/- from any Bank & Post Office, after that limit raised as Rs.4500/- and now it has been reduced to Rs.2000/- from the Post Offices or Bank where account stands.
`No employer is giving salary to his employees. Shops are being shut. The business in Mandis is getting stopped. Workshops and factories are being closed. Workers are returning back from Metro Cities to their villages.
The problems before farmers are aggravating. Now this is season of RAVI CROPS and Farmers are not able to purchase seeds and fertilizer besides having money. If it peasants come in distress it will adversely affect the economy of nation. Agricultural products like vegetables and fruits are not being purchased in Mandis. All the small enterprises, from brick Kilns to factories , who have to pay cash wages to workers have stopped working or not making full payment of wages as they have been allowed to withdraw Rs.25000/- . As per the RBI directives, distinct and primary co-operative banks which cater to millions of farmers are not allowed to exchange the votes. This has paralysed the banking operations causing hardship to farmer and rural population. Workers working in transport sector have become unemployed. The goods carrier vehicles have come to halt, as to operate these there is no money and it will result shortage of food items.
The Government has authorized all Hospitals to accept old notes but the private hospitals and Nursing Homes have not been allowed therefore people are not getting proper treatment and some have died due to lack of treatment.
Most of the work in this country is done by cash transaction. After barring 86% currency which was in the form of notes of higher denomination has caused suffering to the common man including labourers, farmers, entrepreneurs and government employees. The way in which this has been implemented adverse effect on livelihood of common man can be noticed.
The government is claiming GDP at the rate of 8% but now it may come down up to 5% and the economy will take more time to come up after bearing this blow.
The Government is claiming total removal of problem of corruption and black money after demonetization but experts are saying that there is only 6% black money in the form of cash and only 0.025% currency is fake. Rest 94% black money is in real estate, Share Market, Gold and Jewellery and foreign currency and so many other activities. For marriages, orders were issued to withdraw Rs.2.5 lakh but so many conditions have been imposed and fulfillment of these conditions is impossible and the people are committing suicide being aggrieved of it. To restrict withdrawal of its own money is clear-cut violation of constitutional provisions.
With this decision the postal employees have also been very adversely affected. There is no adequate infrastructure in Post Offices. In most of the post offices, notes counting machines and fake currency detecting machines are not available. About 10000 Post Offices are single handed and he has to do all other works besides this demonetization work. The Post Offices are being opened since 8 A.M. to 8 P.M. and being opened on holidays and Sundays and no extra remuneration is being paid in lieu of this extra duty work.
There are no proper security arrangements in Post Offices for cash remittance. Cash cannot be retained in Post Offices. To remit the cash from SOs to HO. The employees have to take risk. Banks are not ready to accept. The banned currency due to non availability cash from Banks. Postal employees have to bear the annoyance of public.
NFPE has raised all these issues before Postal Administration and other officers and accordingly Directorate has issued instructions to settle these problems but still this is not sufficient.
K. K. N. Kutty
National President, Confederation
It is now more than four months that the Government has held out the assurance to the leaders of NJCA that they would revisit the minimum wage determination and the consequent fitment factor of the 7th CPC. The understanding reached on 30th June, 2016 was that the Government would set up a high level committee to examine the complaint made by the employees organizations to the effect that the 7th CPC had not adhered to the norms of the Dr. Aykhroyd formula. The said decision was in the backdrop of the NJCA’s strike notice which was served on 9th June, 2016 and its resolve to go ahead with the said decision to organize the indefinite strike action from 11th July, 2016.
The employees had realized that contrary to the impression, the 7th CPC imparted to the leaders during their interaction with it, its final suggestions were extremely nugatory and were the product of pressure exerted by the Government on the Commission .at the fag end of its functioning. They found that the minimum wage determined by the commission was in violation with the agreed principles of wage determination in the case of civil servants, it had recommended the least quantum increase in the wages in comparison with all the earlier Commissions; it had reduced the rates of various allowances without any valid rhyme or reason; it had abolished certain allowances despite the continuance of the extra functions/circumstances for which those allowances were originally granted; had abolished all interest free advances; had withdrawn the existing benefits, perks and privileges which had originally granted to a section of the employees and officers taking into account the peculiarities of the assigned jobs to them etc. Naturally the disappointment that arose from such negative attitude of the Commission paved way for anger and consequent agitation, creating thus an atmosphere of confrontation.
The setting-up of a committee under the Chairmanship of the Cabinet Secretary was, therefore, seen as a step in the right direction. After about six months deliberations, the Committee seems to have given a report to the Government content of which was not made public. However, during its inter action with the Staff Side, the Committee had given the impression and indication that it would make changes to the quantum of minimum wage and fitment factor and the Fixed Medical Allowance of the Pensioners would be suitably amended. The Committee intimated the staff Side that the Government would set up separate Committees for allowances and advances to effect a relook into the matter in consultation with various nodal departments of the Government of India. In other words, the Government through the Committee headed by the Cabinet Secretary conveyed that it would create a conducive climate for a fruitful negotiation and settlement.
The 29th June proclamation in the form of Notifications was a bolt from the blue . Was it designed to discredit the NJCA leadership or snub the Committee headed by the Cabinet Secretary or reflection of the arrogance of the party in power was not discernible. It was in that background the NJCA met on 30th June and decided unanimously to go ahead with the preparation for the indefinite strike action. Undoubtedly the Government’s attitude had added fuel to the fire of anger and the leaders especially at the gross root level ,who had hoped that the Government would avert the situation of confrontation welcomed the decision of the NJCA wholeheartedly.
The late night discussions, the group of Ministers had with the NJCA leadership on 30th June, 2016 and the offer of a negotiated settlement of the core issues through the setting up of a high level committee was considered a step in the right direction by the NJCA leadership while accepting the offer of talks, though the State level leadership in quite a number of states felt that the Government was indulging in chicanery.
The time frame of six months for the Committee to complete its deliberations and make suggestions to the government on the core issues was over technically on 6th November, 2016 . The National Secretariat of the Confederation met and rightly decided to chalk out a series of programmes of action, the second phase of which would be carried out on 15th June, 2016 in the form of a massive march to the Parliament house. These programmes are to culminate in a strike action. Isolated action, the Confederation is fully aware is not capable of bringing about compulsion on the Government to revise their decisions promulgated on 29th June, 2016. Confederation is confident that the Defence and Railway organizations who are the predominant partners in the NJCA would realize the gravity of the situation and enliven the NJCA and spearhead the movement to its logical end. Isolated ventures will not be avoidable in certain exigencies, when demarcation in action becomes necessary so as to maintain the character and ideology of the organization and confidence of its members becomes paramount.
