Tuesday, May 1, 2012

MINUTES OF CWC MEETING HELD AT KHARAGPUR


MINUTES OF CWC MEETING HELD AT KHARAGPUR



The  Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting of our Association was held at KHARAGPUR on 22-02-2012.  Nearly 50% of the Central Office Bearers /CWC Members from attended the meeting apart from a host of members from the hosting division /zone  around. The notable among the participants were the Chief Guest and the Assosiation’s former General Secretary N.Srinivasan,AFA/MTP/MAS and Shri.Asim Halder, DYFA&CAO/SE Rly who was the Guest of Honour.



            Ms.K.Sudha Patraik WS/KGP, Ms.Rupa Patraik, WS/ KGP, Ms.Banti, MTP and Ms.Kanika,E.Rly/TA accosted the CWC members and received them with bouquets. The meeting started at 11 am presided by theWorking President Shri. Partha Bhattacharjee, Shri.Tapas Mukherjee,Vice –President, Kharagpur Unit welcomed the delegates. Shri Asim Halder, DyFA &CAO/SERly delivered the inaugural address. While delivering the presidential address Shri.Partha Bhattacharjee elaborated the efforts taken by AIRASA regarding various anomalies since last CWC Meeting held at Newdelhi in July 2011.MACP anomalies are being given top priority and at the same time when the Parliamentary Petition Committee met at Bhubaneshwar in September 2011 an opportunity was given to give oral evidence before them on the issue of grant of Group B status on par with other organized Audit and Accounts organizations , the same was utilized and the committee was briefed on the justifications of the demand by the team of Office bearers led by former GS Shri N, Srinivasan. He also announced the resignation of Shri, N. Srinivasan General Secretary consequent on his promotion as AFA and asked the CWC to decide on the adhoc arrangements to be made till next BGM. On concluding his speech, President invited the Zonal representatives to report on the functioning of their zone/ divisions and put forward their opinions and issues / problems they wanted to highlight. Accordingly Shri. Ganesh Biswas, Zonal President Eastern Railway spoke on the organizational matters..He also wanted the meeting to endorse the handing over of the responsibility of the General Secretary to M.S. Unnikrishnan, AGS holding the charge temporarily which was applauded by all. Then Shri. Ramesh Kumar,N.Rly,Secretary, Communication, AIRASA was invited to speak. He wanted a road-map for the Association to move forward. He also wanted the unity and strength of the Association to be maintained. Speaking among other things , he seconded the view expressed by Shri. Ganesh Biswas regarding looking after the duties of GS by AGS M.S. Unnikrishnan which the committee nodded with clap of hands. Then Shri Tapan Baisya rose to Speak. Referring to the portfolio of GS he said, it was automatic and concluded. Dwelling on the question of MACP he pointed out the injustice done to the CG II cadre and wanted to pursue the matter of considering JAA as entry level for all. Then Shri. Regi George, Secretary Finance detailed the financial crisis of the Association. He said the Association could not be run without collecting membership. He further expressed his anguish over the fact that certain units /divisions/zones who collected membership have also not remitted the Central quota. He further beseeched the members and office bearers of each committee at every level to ensure that funds are properly accounted and expenditure and bank statements are correctly maintained and shown/ accessed to members/ committees without giving room for misgivings. He also praised Kamal Gupta of Adra Division, a differently abled comrade who is moving with the aid of wheel-chair for having been more regular than many Central Office bearers in attending the meetings. Shri George also reminded the members that there was no ACP scheme in Accounts Dept except for the Group D cadre and Accounts clerks. In 2007 ACP scheme was introduced for the first time consequent on the incessant fight of AIRASA. Next, Shri. Kamal Gupta addressed the delegates and detailed the activities. He also handed over a brief to the General Secretary (i/c) for information and follow up. He also blamed the communication gap between the central / zonal leadership and the division/ unit level committees/members.

            Next spoke Shri Ashish Banerjee, Kanchirapara workshop (?) Eastern Railway. He appealed to Shri. N. Srinivasan, Ex.G.S.to remain as special Adviser to AIRASA. He also wanted AIRASA to project the cause of extending the benefit of CCL to widower/ sole-parent fathers who are destined to take care of their children due to the demise/disability of the spouse. He also cited the instance of an employed father who was struggling to rear the child in the absence of mother without having the benefit of maternity leave or CCL or any other relaxations. The delegates were moved and all agreed to make it a resolution and the meeting adopted the same.   Shri.K.C. Tripathy of ECo Rly who spoke next pointed out the grave anomalies of MACP scheme in Accounts. Shri.P.Suryanarayana of SE Rly wanted the CWC to meet once in 3 months and deliberate on the issues. He expressed concern over the decreasing strength of the lekha parivar and pointed out that there was no fresh recruitment after 1990.Then Shri N. Srinivasan , Ex.G.S /AFA/MTP was invited to address participants. Before beginning his speech he handed over the minutes book and other documents to the Acting General Secretary M.S.Unnikrishnan as a symbolic gesture amidst loud applause. During his speech Shri. Srinivasan revealed the days and the spirit of the struggle he spearheaded and recalled the efforts of many present and past Office bearers and asked the associates to follow the path of professionalism and humanism in official and organizational matters which the Association has always advocated and followed under his stewardship. Shri. Srinivasan also pointed out the ‘catch’ in the present pay structure which affords more by way of allowances and less by way of pay and increments resulting in less pension and hence lower life standard and style during the post-retirement period. He wished the Association all the best and offered all possible helps and continued guidance in the years to come for the career development of Accountsmen. After the erudite speech of the all time top functionary and ace General Secretary of the Association Sri. Srinivasan, Sri. M.S. Unnikrishnan, the General Secretary (in charge) rose to speak. After thanking for the faith reposed, G.S.promised all efforts and initiative to take forward the Association. The need for the membership campaign was also stressed. While emphasizing what secretary Finance has told, it was reiterated that the Association could not be run in this fashion without membership and offered to attend every zone /division as part of membership drive to receive funds for the central committee whenever invited. Shri.Debanto Bhattacharya of MTP/CAL who spoke next drew the attention of the CWC to the complaints related to the valuation of Appendix III A papers. He said destroying answer sheets were like destroying evidence. He said he himself was an affected person. He also cited the case of Shri.Biswas who eventually retired without a remedy or benefit. Shri. Debanto wanted transparency in the affairs related to the conduct of examinations and he wanted the conductors of Appendix III A to be employee friendly. Sri.Maruti Prasad, Divisional President / KGP wanted the CWC to organize agitations and liaison with Board pursuing the demands and urged for lobbying at MR level,if needed to materialise  the same. Shri D. Govindarjulu SC Rly, BZA expressed concern at the stagnations in Accounts cadre. Shri.Mohapatra/ ECo Rly, Khurda Road wanted AIRASA to pursue its old demand of merger of Accounts clerk and JAA cadre. He appealed to all to complete membership drive by the end of June and be ready with the list and central quota before the BGM. During the break GS consulted the available CWC members and after contacting zones announced that the Binniel General Body meeting would be held in South Zone at Madurai at the end of July. (The dates have since been decided as 23 rd and 24th of July 2012). It was also requested that the delegates at the BGM should submit the list of members and central quota before receiving the pass / badge for the Madurai conference as an organizational formality. Association’s internal auditor Shri. Nirmal Dev of CLW while speaking pointed out the anomalies in the MACP scheme and fixation problem. He cited the instance of the AGS Shri. Ashok Dwivedi who also encountered problem with his fixation. Shri.D. Nageswara Rao, SC Rly, Permanent invitee to CWC detailed the way we have crossed and the path ahead. He pointed out the present state of affairs and wanted things to change for the better and offered all help. Shri Abijith Roy, HWH Division wanted the Association to insist and fight for MACP to next departmental scale and cited the demand for progression from 4200 to 4800 and not to 4600 as is due in the departmental hierarchy. He detailed his struggle to get his Appendix III A paper for perusal by obtaining order from Delhi High Court and wanted the matter to be mentioned in Parliament. Next spoke Shri. DilipRoy of SE Rly who said the AAs should get Rs.6600 as III ACP to which Shri. N. Srinivasan clarified that the next GP available in the higher scale ie PB III is Rs 5400 only. Navakumar Chaterjee President of KGP workshop unit greeted the delegates and said the CWC should chart out a programme of action. Shri. Dilip Tamuli , NF Rly demanded that printing of membership book should be decentralized which the meeting discussed and left it to be decided by the next BGM. He said Association would fight for GP according to Departmental hierarchy which meant one stage higher. Shri. N. Srinivasan clarified the difference between ACP&MACP and said in simple terms ACP would afford the next higher departmental scale where as MACP would give only the next available grade pay. The CWC ended with the delegates in a positive spirit and the General Secretary (i/c) inducing more optimism while extending thanks to the participants and organizers.

            The CWC passed the following resolutions unanimously.

1.      The top Central Office bearers shall visit Newdelhi in the month of April to meet the new FC and follow up our pending demands.

2.      The next BGM will held at MADURAI in Southern Railway on 23rd &24th of July 2012.

3.       To appeal for extending the benefit of CCL to widower/ fathers who are destined to take care of their children due to the demise/disability of the spouse

                        After the CWC, open meeting was held at Durga Mandir,Gole Bazar,Kharagpur in the evening. Shri.A.N.Banerjee,Sr DFM/ KGP was the chief guests and Sri. Pranab Chaudary, AFA, Shri. S.Nanda DFM, Shri.N.Srinivasan,AFA/MTP/Chennai, Shri. R. Sarkar DFM  were guests of honour. Shri.Partha Bhattacharya in his Presided over the Meeting. Shri. M.S. Unnikrishnan, GS (i/c) detailed the deliberations taken place in the CWC. The co-operation of all FA&CAOs was requested to materialise the demands like one-time exemption  etc., It was also mentioned that Accounts fraternity expects much more from Smt.Vijaya Kant, the Hon.F.C. A true mother would pass the Solomon’s test and the expectation was expressed that Smt. Vijaya Kant would not fail in this regard. It was also mentioned that AIRASA could not get an audience with subsequent Railway Ministers after Shri. Nitish Kumar who in every respect proved himself a patron of Accounts fraternity and Railway Parivar in general. The reason behind this general trend was explained as a paradigm shift in the rulers who are after the market forces. It was also stated how AIRASA as the umbrella organization of lekha parivar took care of its leader Com.R.T. Agacy during his last days and last rites at Chennai and how an ailing child/daughter of a visiting SSO(A) from Central Railway to Trichy was provided medical assistance and care and similar such instances umpteen number of cases through out India.While eulogizing the services of its general Secretary N.Srinivasan it was vividly and emotionally detailed how the G.S gave his berth to the present GS (i/c) while going to Gorakhpur for meeting to accommodate an unwell then COS  unmindful of his own fractured hand sleeping near the doorway floor. Such was the care and attention Shri. Srinivasan had for his organizational colleagues and such were the hardships and sacrifices the leaders and cadres suffered and made during the days of the struggle for improved pay scales. It was added that Sri. Srinivasan will not be seen off; but a formal felicitation would be given at MDU. G S (i/c) concluded the speech quoting Walt Whitman, adopting a stanza from his Leaves of Grass’,modifying thus:

Camerado, this is no ordinary Association;

Whoever toucheth it

Toucheth the heart of Accounts man!

            Shri.N.Srinivasan, former G S and AFA/MTP/Chennai in his felicitatory address detailed the Association’s activities and the deliberations had at the Board level. He also briefed on the present position of the demands and the tribunal and court judgments on the same. Former GS also stated THAT THE NEED OF THE HOUR IS THAT ACCOUNTSMEN SHOULD COME TOGETHER AND TAKE THE STREETS NEAR PARLIAMENRT AND SHOW TO THE GOVT AND ADMINISTRATION THAT WE WILL FIGHT UNITEDLY TILL WE ACHIEVE OUR DEMANDS. He profusely thanked all for their co-operation and participation in the struggle and organizational activities during his long innings, first as President and then as General Secretary. He urged the members to continue the same spirit of activism and the feeling of human touch he always tried to cultivate. He appealed the fraternity never to let down the Association, offered all his help and guidance and wished them the best. While addressing the audience, Shri.A.N.Banerjee, Sr DFM/KGP praised the Association for their service to the Accounts staff and said that no other departmental staff can claim equality with the accounts staff. All other guests wished all success for the Association and accounts staff.  Shri. Suryanarayana proposed vote of thanks.

            The closing ceremony was a wonderful presentation of a cultural extravaganza led by Smt.Swagata Maji, wife of Shri.Tapas Maji of Workshop Accounts/KGP. If the rendering of old melodies by Shri.Pronoy Kumar Dutta,Sr.stock verifier (Accounts) was soulful, the Bharatnatya and Kuchipuri numbers of Smt. Swagata Maji,Kumaris V.Revathi, Neha Sharma,K.Swetha Y.Lavanya.Anitha Singh, Vaishali Sharma and Bagyashree were a feast for the eyes and ears. Swagata team, the SE Railway classical dance champions has previously won Inter Railway competitions in Bhavnagar (WR-2009), Chennai (SR-2010) and Mugulsarai (ECR-2011). Hence the Kharagpur CWC had a colourful end and created a lasting impression, thanks to the Zonal, Divisionaland Workshop Accounts personnel who organized the event under the leadership comrades Partha- Bhattacharjee and Suryanarayana. All delegates were appreciative and grateful to the hosts for their hospitality and arrangements.

                        While penning the heartful thanks to all the organizers of the event on behalf of the central-office bearers, General Secretary (i/c) personally records his indebtedness to the Associates of KGP and SE Rly for having made the event a pleasant and memorable one. It is also hereby communicated that our next BGM (Biennial General Body Meeting) will be held at Madurai on 23rd and 24th of July 2012 and all are invited. Let our get-together on Nag-Panchami day strengthen our Association.A souvenir will be issued on the occasion and your contributions,ads,articles and photos are invited.

                        And last but not the least, the membership drive requires momentum and we cannot function without minimum funds. Hence the MDU BGM should be members meet in every sense.



            AIRASA ZINDABAD

                                                (M.S.UNNIKRISHNAN NAIR)

                                                (General Secretary (i/c)


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