To,
Shri Vineet Saxena,
Jt. DDG (Welfare & Sports),
9th Floor, A Wing, Statesman House,
BaraKhambha Road, New Delhi – 110 001
Your office Ref Letter: No.12-3/2008-BSNL (WL) dtd.11-08-07
Subject: Submission of Agenda items for the 7th Meeting of Staff Welfare Board form“SNEA (I)”.
Letter no: SNEA/CHQ-WL/2007-08/08c08/ Dated: 25 / 08 /2008
Respected sir,
In connection of above reference letter, u/s is directed by our General Secretary-SNEA (I), to take up the issues / to submit agenda as a representative of SNEA (I).
(A)In this regard first of all I want to draw the attention of all concern on the occasion about non implementation of various important decisions which taken during last meeting. These are as under
(A1)On our BSNL web site the the menu of “welfare & sports cell” will be introduced so that all activity of this cell will be time to time updated and made available for all concern along with “detail of agenda called for the meeting and minutes of last meeting”. But it is yet to materialize. It is requested to implement as early as possible for the betterment. (Point 10 of minutes)
(A2)The “agenda called for the meeting and minutes of last meeting” are to be provided well in advance to all concern so that all can do proper exercise on the various important issues, which can be helpful to take more appropriate policy decision on any item. But we have received the invitation it self on 18th and agenda on 23rd of August-2008. It is requested to circulate it well in advance.
(A3)The frequency of the meeting is to be kept twice in the year for in time implementation and adulteration various policy decisions. It is requested to implement it now onward.
(B)Further I humbly request to consider the following agenda for favorable consideration please.
(B1)The rate of scholarship in the various new Technical courses is needed to be increased looking the high expensive & very costly education. Our suggestions are as under.
èIn Technical /Degree /Professional courses of 4 years & above (e.g. BE/B.Tech/MBBS etc). is to be increased from existing Rs.500/- p.m. To Rs.750/- p.m.
èIn Tech Diploma course of 3 years & above (e.g.Engg/Arch/BSC/Para medical etc) is to be increased from existing Rs.300/-p.m. to Rs.500/- p.m.
èIn non-Tech courses (e.g.BA/B.Com/BSC etc) is to be increased from existing Rs.150/- p.m. to Rs.250/- p.m.
èFor handicapped children, it is be increased from existing Rs. 200/-p.m. to Rs.300/-p.m.
èThe scholarship for post graduate course may be introduced.
(B2)The presently prescribe amount of gift for retiring employees Rs 2000-cash + Rs.500-shawl +Rs 250- momento,is required to be increased, to 5000/- for all three item as a whole.
(B3) The presently financial assistance in Death cases Rs.10000/- is required to be increased to Rs.15000/- to the legal heir of deceased employee.
(B4) As circulated at point no-6, vide Letter no 12-1/2006-BSNL (Welfare) Dated 19th March 2007.
It is requested to ensure, widely & regularly circulation / updation on website.
èTill date at how many stations holiday homes are proposed & intimated to concern Circle. The pending may be rigorously persuaded for earliest commencement as per prescribe facility.
è For All existing holiday homes the proper upgardation as per guide line/ prescribe facility are to be ensure.
(B5) At presently we are having BSNLMRS scheme for I/D & O/D treatment. While we are following CGHS standards, only for empanelling the hospital and rate list but not in totality.
Contradicting to that it is happening that in Many “ Critical Disease”, it’s rate are not covered in to CGHS rate list, and at the same time the treatment of same “Disease”, is also not available at our BSNL empanelled Hospitals. And treatment of such “Disease” is also very costly. Such circumstance compels our employee to very pathetic & embracing condition.In this connection our SNEA (I), has taken-up the issue at H.Q. subsequently some guideline was issued vide letter no:BSNL/Admn.I/1-1/07,Dtd23-04-07
But unfortunately it is not at all fulfilling our purpose. As an illustration such case forwarded by Gujarat circle since 1 year is yet to be decide despite our working employee is hanging between life and death.
Hence we further suggest that under such circumstance, we may completely follow CGHS-Guide lines as a whole i.e. in such cases either AIIMS (if available in its rate list) or actual expenditure taking place in the Hospital were such treatment is available that may be reimbursed. For the same all the necessary policy guideline must be formulated and introduced at an earliest.
(B6) At present all the working & retired employee are being treated at par for Indoor & Outdoor BSNLMRS.In case of retired employee it is observed that very high expenditure is taking place in 100% (voucher base) opted O/D reimbursement scheme, in addition to I/D reimbursement.
Thus presently at average Rs 13000/ per family in case of retire employee and Rs 9000/ per family in case of working employee (irrespective of family members), is being spent. (The case study of Vadodara SSA (Gujarat) is enclosed at Anex-1)
And now onward due to maximum retirement this average will continuously remain increasing.In this connection we suggest that we may approach any reliable “mediclaime” agencies such that within this average amount they can entertain for I/D treatment satisfactorily. & for O/D reimbursement we may fix the amount for all the employees at par.
Thus presently BSNL is providing various medical facilities for taking in door treatment, to the employees and their family members as per the procedure given below.
The employees and their family members are reimbursed the indoor medical treatment charges for the treatment they have taken in the recognized hospitals by the respective districts / circles.
It happens that all the hospitals, which are giving good medical facility, are not recognized due to various reasons and our employees are suffered or they have to take treatment in other hospital for which they have to pay from their pockets.
Even after taking treatment in the recognized hospital, employee has to prepare the bill, the bill is being forwarded by the respective unit to the Accounts office, their concerned clerk checks the bill and is sent for approval to appropriate authority for sanction as per the amount of bill. The sanctioning authority is SSA Head, Head of circle, BSNL H.Q. as per the amount and whether the treatment is in the recognized or non-recognized hospital.
This whole process takes lot of time, and employee has to pursue the same at various levels to get the bill settled. It is desirable that each and every employee of BSNL should concentrate on providing better TELECOM services across the country and such jobs, i.e. as far as possible welfare of employees, should be out sourced.
Presently BSNL is expending 300 crores + for reimbursement of charges paid by the employees for taking indoor treatment in the hospitals across the country. Even after making such expenditure, still lot of grievances is heard from the employees with respect to reimbursement of charges for taking indoor medical treatment.
For experience we have made detailed assessment with Insurance Company, form which we have observed some important feature for mediclaim insurance of employees working in BSNL and their dependants. The salient points are
1. Sum insured for family can be Rs. 1,00,000/-.( Family size as four)
2. Pre-existing disease can be covered & 30 days waiting period can be exempted.
3. Family consists of self, spouse, dependent children, and parents irrespective of their age.
4. Within premium of Rs. 50.00 crores (Appx) plus service tax may cover 3.5 lakh employees, satisfacterialy.
5. For chronic disease we may keep provision that reimbursement beyond insurance amount, may be paid by BSNL.
6. For maternity benefits 10% extra will be charged.
7. Rs.5 crores lump sum policy will be taken to cover charges in excess of Rs.75000/-.
More over BSNL and the employees of the company will have following benefits.
· It may lead to more then 25 % annually saving to the company.
Ÿ Company and the employees will get rid of all the cumbersome procedures, and will be able to concentrate more on our BSNL pertain job.
Ÿ Employees can take treatment with hospitals / doctors on which they have trust, without thinking much on whether recognized or not.
Ÿ Administrative units also will be spared for some other job instead of processing for recognition of hospitals and related activities.
Ÿ We have 322 SSAs across the country, taking in to account major districts, BSNL can spare, more than 500 clerks who are doing this job and can be spared for doing customer related activities.
Ÿ If we calculate average salary of a clerk as Rs. 12000/- per month, the saving per annum may be Rs.7.2 crores.
We hope that our suggestion will be viewed favorably.
Thanking you,
Yours truly,
(B.G.Patel).
Circle President SNEA (I)-Gujarat. [Representative of SNEA (I)-CHQ]
Anex-1
Quarterly Medical expenditure in Vadodara SSA for ID/OD TreatmentWorking Employees / Retired Employee
No. of Employee opted 100% / 105 / 15
Total Expenditure / 2,61,711 / 52,000
Avg.Expenditure/Employee(family) / 2492.48 / 3467
No. of Employee opted 50% / 1978 / 307
Total Expenditure / 35,85,25 / 5,90,000
Avg.Expenditure/Employee(family) / 1812.9 / 1922
Indoor treatment
No. of Employee / 2083 / 305
Total Expenditure / 6,09,573 / 4,06,382
Avg.Expenditure/Employee(family) / 292.64 / 1332.4
Yearly Medical expenditure in Vadodara SSA for ID/OD (100%&50%) Treatment
Avg.Expenditure/Employee (family) (100%) / 9,969.92 / 13,868
Avg.Expenditure/Employee (family) (50%) / 7,251.6 / 7,688
Avg.Expenditure/Employee(family) (Indoor) / 1,170.56 / 5,329.6
Cumulative Average Exp./Emp. (family) / 9196.04 / 13442.08