Unfortunate pensioners - just over a day's difference

What happened on 31 December 2005 ? Yeah.. something very important has happened. 1 January 2006 was all the way different from its previous day... Atleast for all Central Government employees.

Being an employee on 1 Jan 2006 makes a lot of difference from having been an employee on or before 31 Dec 2005 ( and not being an employee on 1Jan 2006).

Let me put here, my personal views, on the 'injustice' implemented by our Government.

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The Sixth Central Pay Commission has been so generous to the Central Government Employees. But, equally too, they are so cruel to some of the pensioners.

The retirement benefits ( the amount of money, lumpsum) given to a retiring employee is meant to build a ‘retired life’ for him and his family. The pension is for the maintenance of his and his family’s life. These are the benefits obtained for burning their lives (the whole life) for the Government (society).

An employee retired on 31 December 2005 is not qualified for the retirement benefits as announced by 6CPC (although there is a very small increase in the monthly pension, on the principle of ‘one rank one pension’). Had he retired on the next day, 1 January 2006, things would have been very different. He would have got the new terms of retirement, which is far higher than those applicable for 31 December 2005. A day makes so much of difference. The difference is so large that he feels very miserable, when he think of this ONE DAY. People who retired around that period – in 2005- feel so bad, miserable and dejected; just over a few day’s or week’s difference.

The retirement benefits of two persons of the same position and pay ( one retired on 31Dec 2005 and the other on 1Jan 2006) should be almost equal ( atleast comparable in the amount of terminal benefits and subsequent monthly pension). That’s natural justice, I believe. To give an example, when my 010106 friend got 10 lakhs as his gratuity, another one (311205) got just 3.5. This is certainly not fair. It’s not justice.

But the 6CPC and the Government has not looked at the implementation in this angle. This is cruel and injustice. I strongly feel that the Government should normalize this huge difference caused by that milestone day. The improved retirement benefits and pension should be applicable to those retired earlier too (pre 2006). The applicability of the benefits may be made in a tapering method. May be, 10% less for every year preceding 2006 (eg. For persons retired in 2005, the terminal benefits may be 90% of what a person retiring on 1Jan 2006 gets). This would atleast bring in some justice to those unfortunate ones.The financial load on the Government by implementing such a justice would not be very high.

I wish, our Government would consider the plight of the retired people, and do a normalization of terminal benefits and pension.

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For a fair deal

For a fair deal.
Kerala Senior Citizens’ Forum organized a demonstration before the Secretariat on Thursday demanding speedy implementation of the ‘Policy for the aged’ announced by the Government.

Politics and Retired

'Retired Civil Servants should not join Political parties.'

Do you plan to enter poilitics ? If yes, then here is a report of importance to you.

Chief Election Commissioner N. Gopalaswami has favoured prohibiting civil servants from joining political parties for atleast five after resignation or retirement from service.

ISRO and Chandrayaan

Congratulations ISRO ! Well done ! Keep it up !!!

Vitamin D

A research group in the US have recommended the need for a higher dose of Vitamin D. According to the study, there is an evidence that it may help prevent serious diseases. However, they have not concluded on the amount of units to be consumed. However, an earlier specification recommends 400 units for the adults in the 50-70 age group, and 600 units for those above 70.

The potential benefits from Vitamin D are : Keeping bones stronger, Reduces risks of cancer, diabetes, and heart diseases.

So, make sure you get your required dose of Vitamin D daily. You’ll get this from sources : Sunlight, Fatty (oily) fishes, Fish oil, Egg, ..

The following quote from Wikipeadia would be useful.

“Vitamin D is a group of fat-soluble prohormones, the two major forms of which are vitamin D₂ (or ergocalciferol) and vitamin D₃ (or cholecalciferol).^[1] The term vitamin D also refers to metabolites and other analogues of these substances. Vitamin D₃ is produced in skin exposed to sunlight, specifically ultraviolet B radiation.

Vitamin D plays an important role in the maintenance of organ systems.^[2]

• Vitamin D regulates the calcium and phosphorus levels in the blood by promoting their absorption from food in the intestines, and by promoting re-absorption of calcium in the kidneys, which enables normal mineralization of bone and prevents hypocalcemic tetany. It is also needed for bone growth and bone remodeling by osteoblasts and osteoclasts.^[3][4].
• Absent vitamin K or with drugs (particularly blood thinners) which interfere with Vitamin K metabolism, Vitamin D can promote soft tissue calcification.^[5]
• It inhibits parathyroid hormone secretion from the parathyroid gland.
• Vitamin D affects the immune system by promoting phagocytosis, anti-tumor activity, and immunomodulatory functions.

Vitamin D deficiency can result from inadequate intake coupled with inadequate sunlight exposure, disorders that limit its absorption, conditions that impair conversion of vitamin D into active metabolites, such as liver or kidney disorders, or, rarely, by a number of hereditary disorders.^[2] Deficiency results in impaired bone mineralization, and leads to bone softening diseases, rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults, and possibly contributes to osteoporosis.

Vitamin D regulates the expression of genes associated with cancers and autoimmune disease by controlling the activation of the vitamin D receptor (VDR), a type 1 nuclear receptor and DNA transcription factor.^[6] Research has indicated that vitamin D deficiency is linked to colon cancer and more recently, to breast cancer.^[7] Conflicting evidence links vitamin D deficiency to other forms of cancer.

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Housing for the Senior Citizens : Old age homes

Cool, peaceful, retired life ! That's what you wish for ?



May I invite your attention to an article in “The Hindu (supplement - Property Plus) “ dated 11 Oct 2008. The short article “With the needs of the elderly in mind” by Shyama Rajagopal is worth it. The Sainik Vihar at Kakkanad, Cochin has been built with these aspects in mind. The author also affirms that such facilities have become relevant today as few projects are started with that aim.



For those of you who may not have read the article, I have here a few points extracted from the article.

Sainik Vihar, Kakkanad, Kochi – Exclusively for ex-service men .

Built by the Kerala Ex-servicemen’s Welfare association.

Built with the needs of the elderly in mind.

To live independently, without feeling lonely, and enjoying community living.

Food from a canteen, or cook of their own.

111 cents of land; accommodation for 36 families; 16 small villas( two units each) ;

Area from 270 sqft to 467 sqft.

Cost from 1.1 lakh to 2.1 lakh (deposit). Regn fees 10,000/--

In case of death, the deposit (less 5%) will be returned to the nominee.

Canteen at reasonable charges.

Guests/ children of the residents will not be allowed to stay overnight (space problem); but Guest room available.

I am sure many senior citizens would be looking for such homes.

Indian Space Traveller

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Anthanaut or Akashyatri ?

Last day's news papers report that the ‘ignited minds’ of Trivandrum were quizzing the Chairman , ISRO, on Indian space activities (ISRO). To a question “What would you call an Indian Space traveler ?’, Chairman, ISRO said that its going to be a students level competition to suggest a suitable name.

To the readers of my earlier posts here would have already knew it.

Anthanaut

Akashnaut

Gaganachary

Akashyathri

Indonaut

Indianaut 
.......