All India Audit & Accounts Association

The moves of the present day government on PFRDA Bill as well as allowing FDI to the tune of 51% in multibrand retail are follow up steps of 'principled' policy decisions of the AB Vajpayee led NDA government. The fact remained that NDA government before taking further steps on both these was forced out of government by the people while the UPA I government was forced by the left parties to abandon further steps on these.

PFRDA bill affects more than one crore employees and their families – with their livelihood and thus the self respect being at stake when they cannot work and earn. The denial of any assured, guaranteed income on superannuation is something that should worry anyone who depends on their salary for eking out a life.

The unfortunate part of the story is that the employee himself/herself do not appreciate the danger the PFRDA bill may wreak on his/her retired life. Any middle class or lower middle class employee may feel the pinch when it directly hit him/her. It may be too late by then.

In the case of FDI (foreign direct investment) in retail trade also, initially there may be boom that may be visible to the middle class – with the small retailers being ejected of the scene in a slow but steady manner. The farmer may get good remuneration initially till the retailer on your neighbourhood is totally perished and the farmer is fully dependent on the big time retailers. The true colour will be seen then. The vendor next door could be a story of the past.

The small time vendors and retailers have foreseen the danger and understood how the FDI in retail trade is going to be the beginning of their end. They came out in good numbers, mobilised and went on strike.

Normally trading communities dislike strikes – they curse who call for strikes. But with the attack directed against them the petty trader has also chosen the path of strike.

The political parties have come out in support of the cause of the retail trader – even those who initiated the idea of FDI in retail.

The government employees are more than a crore – it is nearly 4 crore voters with their family members, with ability to influence an equal number of voters. In many Constituencies the government employees are deciding factor. We have seen in the recent past, with state government employees overwhelmingly voting against, the government of the day get thrown out.

Then why the government employees are not able to mobilise and act decisively on PFRDA bill?

A small community of petty and medium traders can make the government of the day sweat; but much bigger number of government employees is taken for a ride by the party that heads the government and the major opposition party. ("It is a political commitment"- this is what was stated by Shri Yashwant Sinha, Chairman, Parliamentary Committee on Finance to some leaders who met him before the Parliamentary Committee approved the bill!)

Unless the government employees realise their potential and act decisively placing their interests on top we are bound to suffer – for long. We all have to exert pressure on the MP from area to protest against the PFRDA bill.

Every leader, activist and member should realise this, then only we can retrieve the best social security scheme that we have till this date preserved for future.

With regards

Yours fraternally

(M.S.Raja)

Secretary General

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Circular 29

Dear Comrades

Please find Circular 29-2011 posted below.

Yours fraternally

M. S. Raja

Secretary General

ALL INDIA AUDIT & ACCOUNTS ASSOCIATION

CSV WARRIER BHAWAN

15/1089-90, VASUNDHARA, VASUNDHARA (P.O.), Dt. GHAZIABAD (U.P), PIN-201012

Ph: 0120-2881727/4101593/ 0 – 98681 45667

E-mail: auditflag@gmail.com

Website: www.auditflag.blogspot.com

Reference: AIA/Circular-29/2011 Dated: 6^th December 2011

Unit Secretaries,

Members & Spl. Invitees – NE &

Members of Women's Committee

Dear Comrades,

MASSIVE MARCH TO PARLIAMENT

Nearly 30000 government employees and BSNL employees and pensioners gathered at Jantar Mantar at New Delhi at the call of Steering Committee of Organisations on PFRDA bill on 25^th November 2011 demanding scrapping of the bill altogether. One will have to accept that the wider unity displayed by organisations of government employees – state as well as central including railways and defence – and pensioners and BSNL employees is a welcome development which if nurtured could become a very potent force in the days to come.

Considering the number of organisations involved, the mobilisation could have been better.

A delegation consisting of Coms SK Vyas, Convener Steering Committee, KKN Kutty Secretary General, Confederation, Shiv Gopal Mishra, General Secretary AIRF, Sukomal Sen, Sr Vice President, AISGEF, SN Pathak, President, AIDEF, Rajendran General Secretary STFI met the Prime Minister and submitted the memorandum. The delegation was led by Comrades Basudev Acharya MP and Com Tapan Sen MP (General Secretary, CITU).

Confederation Circular is attached.

Signatures campaign, it should be accepted grudgingly, did not match the enthusiasm on 25^th November – hardly 21 lakh signatures could be collected of which Confederation share was 3.25 lakhs. Of these 21 lakhs of signature nearly 50% came from two states, Kerala and West Bengal.

Share of All Audit & Accounts Association in this whole mobilisation has improved compared to the participation in the March to Parliament on 23^rd February 2011, but nowhere near the quota allotted to the units.

Very few units have sent the report on the signature campaign but the reports received from the State Committees of Confederation on the role of many of our units are not at all encouraging.

Though many a stations were represented in the March to Parliament, units such as Orissa, Allahabad (UP), Gwalior (MP), Punjab and Haryana were absent in the Parliament March against PFRDA Bill. West Bengal (39), Shimla (HP) 20 and Chennai (Audit) 19 was the best mobilisation.

The March to Parliament has brought home a reality that many of the unit level leadership is yet to realise the danger of losing pension in the old age. This had a big impact on the overall mobilisation for the Parliament March on 25^th November 2011 and the signature Campaign against PFRDA bill.

These shortcomings are to be addressed and corrected for the movement to go on.

CETRAL TUs DECIDE ONE DAY STRIKE ON 28^TH FEBRUARY 2011

11 Central Trade Unions – including INTUC and BMS – have decided for a nationwide strike. The 11 central TUs re-iterated the five demands formulated earlier vis,

1. Concrete measures to contain price rise

2. Concrete measures for linkage of employment protection with the concession/incentive package offered to the entrepreneurs

3. Strict enforcement of all basic labour laws without any exception or exemption and stringent punitive measures for violation of labour laws

4. Universal social security cover for the unorganised sector workers without any restriction and creation of a National security Fund with adequate resources in line with the recommendation of NCEUS and Parliamentary Standing Committee on Labour and

5. Stoppage of disinvestment in central and state profit making PSUs.

In addition the CTUs also demand immediate action by the Government of India to ensure:

1. No contractorisation of work of permanent/perennial nature and payment of wages and benefits to the contract workers at the same rate as available to the regular workers of the industry/establishment.

2. Amendment of Minimum Wage Act to ensure universal coverage irrespective of the schedules and fixation of statutory minimum wage at not less than Rs 10,000/-

3. Remove all ceilings on payment and eligibility of Bonus, Provident Fund; increase the quantum of gratuity.

4. Assured Pension for all

5. Compulsory registration of Trade Unions within a period of 45 days and immediate ratification of the ILO Convention nos 87 & 98.

With regards

Yours fraternally

(M.S.Raja)

Secretary General

CONFEDERATION OF

CENTRAL GOVT. EMPLOYEES & WORKERS

A-2/95,Manishinath Bhawan, Rajouri Garden, New Delhi-110 027

Website:www.confederationhq.blogspot.com. Email:Confederation06@Yahoo.co.in

Tel: 011-2510 5324: Mobile: 98110 48303

Circular No: 23 Dated 03-12-2011

Dear Comrades,

The hard work put in by all concerned paid dividends on 25th November, 2011. There was impressive gathering of all sections of CGEs as also pensioners in the March to Parliament against PFRDA Bill. The rally commenced at 10.00 A.M and went on up to 3.00 P.M. The fog which had disrupted the train services, especially in and around Delhi created difficulties for those who came from distant destinations.

The steering Committee's ambitious objective to have 10 million signatures did not however come about. While Kerala and West Bengal did contribute immensely to the endeavour, in so far as Confederation is concerned the vigour and efforts were not so visible at other places. The target was not at all impossible. The idea was to make the campaign reach the grass root level workers and their friends and relatives. Had it been given a little more importance by our leaders and cadres, the target could have been achieved. The break-up of figures, organisation wise is as under:

AISGEF- 10,64,071, AIRF- 2,37,312, CONFDN.- 3,25,022. TEACHERS- 2,74,123. PENSIONERS, 97,864, AIDEF- 69,020, BSNLEU. 10,180. OTHERS- 1841. TOTAL- 20,79,018.

We enclose herewith the Press statement issued by the Convenor, Steering Committee on 25th. As you know, the Parliamentary Standing Committee had unanimously recommended for specifying a guaranteed minimum Pension to protect the subscribers and employees from the vagaries of equity market. The Cabinet had unfortunately rejected it. The delegation consisting of Com. Sukomal Sen (Sr. Vice President, AISGEF,) Com. S.K.Vyas, (President, Confederation and General Secretary, NCCPA and Convenor, Steering Committee) Com. Shiv Gopal Mishra, (AIRF) Com. K.K.N. Kutty. (Secretary General, Confederation), Com. Rajendran, (General Secretary, STFI) Com. S.N. Pathak, (President. AIDEF) Who met the Prime Minister on 25th had harped on this issue and told the PM that the rejection of the Standing Committee's recommendation to have a guaranteed minimum pension to all subscribers had no tenable basis. This apart, the delegation also pointed out that even while making the pension fund available to private entrepreneurs the USA, Britain and other western countries had protected the subscribers by providing a minimum pension benefit irrespective of what happens to the investment made on behalf of the subscriber. The delegation also brought to the notice of the Prime Minister that the Bhattacharya Committee and the committee set up by the 6th CPC both too had recommended the need to have a provision for a minimum pension guaranteed by the Government, for the Government has the moral and legal responsibility as in the scheme of things the government collects the subscription from the contributors.

The delegation was accompanied by Com. Basudev Acharya, MP and leader of CPI(M) in Lok Sabha and Com. Tapan Sen, MP(Gen. Secretary, CITU) Both of them requested the Prime Minister to have a relook into the matter and accept at least those recommendations of the standing committee on which there had been unanimity of opinion amongst different political parties.

While asserting that his Govt. Is not at all against the interest of workers and are bound to protect them, the Prime Minister said that the new pension scheme would be providing better returns to the employees than the defined benefit scheme. When pointed out that if that be the case, as to why not the Govt, make the new scheme optional, the PM said that he will get the contentions made in the petition examined and considered by the Finance Ministry.

The National Council Meeting

The National Council as already intimated will meet at Kochi on 16th December, 2011. The National Secretariat members, the Chief Executive of all affiliates and the State Committee Secretaries of Confederation, the Chairman and Convenor of the Women committee constitute the council. The meeting will be held at the following venue:

GAANAM HOTEL LIMITED

Near Ernakulam Junction (Ernakulam South Railway Station)

Chittoor Road

KOCHI. 682016

Accommodation has been arranged for 3 days 15th, 16th and 17th December, 2011. The rooms are to be vacated on 17th. All National Council Members are requested to kindly intimate Com. Sasindran or Com.Krishnan whose mobile numbers are given hereunder of the date and time of their arrival and departure:

Com.Sasindran: 09447355334 Com.M.Krishnan: 09447068125

Central TU decides for another one day strike on 28th Feb. 2012

The joint committee of Central Trade Unions in the meeting on 24th November, 2011 has proposed to organise a one day's strike on 28th February, 2012 against the neo-liberal policies and in pursuance of the 5 point charter of demands. Both BMS and INTUC have agreed to this proposal and the strike when it takes place will be the largest worker participated strike in the country. The National Council inter alia will deliberate as to how the CGEs could be participants in this great national struggle action.

With greetings,

Yours fraternally,

K.K.N. Kutty

Secretary General

Friday, November 18, 2011

Circular 28-2011

Dear Comrades

Please find Circular 28-2011 posted below

Yours fraternally

M. S. Raja

Secretary General

ALL INDIA AUDIT & ACCOUNTS ASSOCIATION

CSV WARRIER BHAWAN

15/1089-90, VASUNDHARA, VASUNDHARA (P.O.), Dt. GHAZIABAD (U.P), PIN-201012

Ph: 0120-2881727/4101593/ 0 – 98681 45667

E-mail: auditflag@gmail.com

Website: www.auditflag.blogspot.com

Reference: AIA/Circular-28/2011 Dated: 17^th November 2011

Unit Secretaries,

Members & Spl. Invitees – NE &

Members of Women's Committee

Dear Comrades,

IT IS TIME TO SAY WE ARE 99%

Today's news papers (Delhi Edition) carried a report on a ceremony held in the CAG's office – 150 years of CAG.

It was show of Gr A officers, the Group B and C were assiduously kept off – lest the sanctity of the ceremony will be sullied. All bigwigs were invited, the Finance Minister, the Chairman of Public Accounts Committee – but no staff side representative. No desecration of a holy ceremony please!

Normally we should have termed it as a celebration. But in the present case we are constrained to term it as a ceremony.

They were commemorating of the foundation of the institution of CAG by the British colonial rulers and reveling on it.

As citizens of sovereign republic one cannot celebrate the colonial legacy – even though it cannot be rubbed off altogether.

The testing stone is how far the institution of CAG has imbibed the spirit of sovereign republic and how the future is planned?

In both, one will have to say that grades may not be upto the mark.

The institution of CAG – IA&AD – is the most intolerant bureaucracy in the country, vehemently subjugating the rights of the employees to organise and protest. A Constitutional body should necessary have imbibed the constitutional guarantees in its real spirit. Tragically, it is not the case.

The Department has with all its limitations could effectively intervene in bringing about a semblance of Public Accountability – as watch dog Indian finances – through its findings. Every year this did save thousands of crores of rupees to the exchequer. It helped and forced the erring segments in the bureaucracy to act more diligently in the interest of the people and the nation. It is the Gr C & B officials in IA&AD who did bulk of this responsibility. This was possible through time tested audit methodology – regularity and propriety audit or transaction audit.

The decision of the Administration of CAG to do away with the time tested system of transaction audit – where actually irregularities are pointed out at initial stage itself leading to corrections – is going to be the death knell of Public Accountability. This will only help scamsters and fraudsters, not the nation and the tax payer.

(Note: The sensational audit report of late 1980s on the purchase of Bofors guns was the effort of regularity and propriety audit, not of performance audit – Bofors guns performed well during the Kargil war!).

Performance audit and thematic audit not preceded by transaction audit may give the department the headlines in the media, but will not serve the nation.

Rather this policy change in the audit criteria and audit methodologies is going to help the 1% (or much less than that) of the population who are hell bent to loot the country.

This is exactly why the otherwise to be celebration has to be termed as ceremony – ceremony to remember the past – where we will have nothing more to add.

In IA&AD, the department presided over by the Constitutional Authority CAG, more than 99% of personnel are Gr C and Gr B personnel. Any function ignoring the vast majority is a farce.

Reports emanating gives an impression that the institution of CAG is a divided house. It is not clear whether any hidden personal agenda is behind this reported division.

Just like "Occupy Wall Street" campaign with the slogan 'We are 99 %' the employees and officers of IA&AD has to assert – we are 99 %!

Campaign on the damage being caused to the nation through the change in audit criteria and audit methodologies has to be planned and effectively carried out.

With regards

Yours fraternally

(M.S.Raja)

Secretary General

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Circular 27-2011

Dear Comrades

Please find Circular 27 posted below

Yours fraternally

M. S. Raja

Secretary General

ALL INDIA AUDIT & ACCOUNTS ASSOCIATION

CSV WARRIER BHAWAN

15/1089-90, VASUNDHARA, VASUNDHARA (P.O.), Dt. GHAZIABAD (U.P), PIN-201012

Ph: 0120-2881727/4101593/ 0 – 98681 45667

E-mail: auditflag@gmail.com

Website: www.auditflag.blogspot.com

Reference: AIA/Circular-27/2011 Dated: 16^th November 2011

Unit Secretaries,

Members & Spl. Invitees – NE &

Members of Women's Committee

Dear Comrades,

CAMPAIGN AGAINST PFRDA BILL

KERALA SHOWS THE WAY

Campaign under the banner of Steering Committee involving all sections of population and prominent personalities in different walks of life and 6.5 lakh signatures in 20 days! Reports say that the signatures have neared 7 lakhs by this time.

This is a feat accomplished by Kerala comrades on the PFRDA Bill - something to be emulated by one and all with required modification in each station.

A brief on the campaign undertaken in Kerala is given elsewhere.

WE ARE 99%!

The campaign started in the USA with the slogan 'we are 99 %' is catching up the whole world. The protesters are occupying the citadel of capitalism – the Wall Street. Numerous attempts to physically remove them – the latest one on 15^th November – have failed, with more number of people joining the protest.

The protesters – the young ones, the jobless and the marginally employed – is demanding reversal of economic policy, saying that the policy that is being pursued is for the benefit of only one per cent (1%) of the population and the rest 99% is left out and forced to face the brunt of the policies.

This protest started in US has ever since spread to Europe, in Britain, Australia, France etc. The world over protest against the economic policies that enrich the rich and pauperise the poor is being questioned, challenged. India can be no exception, is not.

The Govt has decided to push the Pension bill permitting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) upto 26% which can further be raised later.

Ignoring the results of pension privatisation elsewhere in the world and feeding into the corporate need and greed the government is going ahead with the Pension privatisation despite resistance from the working class, especially the civilian employees.

The government is concerned only about the need of less than 1% of the population ie the corporate houses, the stock markets sharks – whether bull or bear.

The fight has to continue, till we ensure that statutory pension is restored and extended to all eligible sections.

With regards

Yours fraternally

(M.S.Raja)

Secretary General

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

You Can Also Do It!

CAMPAIN AGAINST PFRDA BILL

KERALA SETS AN EXAMPLE FOR OTHERS TO EMULATE

Collects nearly 7 lakh signatures!

The following campaign program has been implemented in Kerala State in phased manner.

1. A well organized state level convention was organized at Ernakulam (Kochi) on 09-07-2011. About 1000 employees participated. Com Sukomal Sen, Sr Vice President, All India State Govt. Employees Federation inaugurated the convention.

2. District level conventions were organized in all district Head-Quarters on 16-07-2011 and 17-07-2011. State committee members of the confederation attended the district conventions.

3. Evening Dharna was organized in every district and Taluka head quarters on 28-07-2011 and 29-07-2011 at prominent locations. Average 200 members participated in each dharna. Various trade union and service organisation leaders addressed the dharnas.

4. Signature campaign was organized in three phases.

a. First Phase :

Inaugural function of the signature campaign was organised at all District head quarters on 25-08-2011 with big public meetings addressed by unions leaders. Important personalities were invited to sign the memorandum during the inaugural function. Wide media coverage was given.

b. 2^nd Phase :

Members of the organisations of steering committee visited all offices and institutions and collected signatures throughout the state from employees and workers.

c. 3^rd Phase :

Members of the organisations of the steering committee approached the public throughout the state and collected signatures. Booths for collecting signatures from public were erected in front of all important offices like post offices, state Govt. offices, Bus stands and other public places.

5. Signature campaign was continued up to 13-09-2011. Total 6.5 lakh (Six and half lakh ) signatures have been collected during the period from 25-08-2011 to 13-09-2011 (20 days)

6. A train Jatha was organised on 13-09-2011 and 14-09-2011 from northern end of Kerala (Kasargod) to southern end (Trivandrum). State level leaders travelled in the train from Kasargod to Trivandrum, district level leaders handed over the bundles of signatures collected after conducting big demonstrations at all important railway stations at district head quarters. The program was widely covered in the media. The state level leaders were finally received at Trivandrum railway stations (State capital) with big rally.

7. March to Rajbhawan was organized on 16-09-2011. About 7000 (seven thousand) employees and workers participated. The march was inaugurated by Com. Pinarayi Vijayan, State Secretary & Politburo member of CPI (M).

8. Efforts are being made to ensure participation of maximum number of delegates in the November 25^th Parliament March from Kerala state.

Confederation Charter of "Demands – Campaign "

1. Campaign week was observed from 01-09-2011 to 05-09-2011 throughout the Kerala State. Gate meetings and demonstrations were held in front of all important Central Govt. offices and charter of demands was explained to the membership.

2. District level conventions of central Govt. employees were organized in all the DISTRICT ON 19-09-2011 AND 20-09-2011. Com. K.K.N.Kutty, Secretary General , Confederation , who was taking rest after his surgery ,inaugurated the district convention of Malappuram District near his residence on 20-09-2011.

3. Dharna was organised at every District Head quarters on 28-09-2011. On an average 200 Central Govt. employees participated

4. Program of march to the office of Chairman , Central Govt. welfare co-ordination committee was organised on 20-10-2011. A big procession was conducted from AG's office to GPO, Trivandrum. About 1000 Central Govt. employees participated. The march was inaugurated by Com. P.K.Sreemathi Teacher , Ex. Health minister of Kerala .

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