Ex-OA decides to launch agitation in case Hospital glitches are not resolved

Central Chronicle News
Bhilai, Jan 30: The 47th General Body Meeting of BSP Ex-Officers’ Association was held on Saturday at Pragati Bhavan (OA Bldg.) which decided to launch agitation if the problems of the retired officials are not resolved. Two most vital & crucial issues of retired officers, which were discussed with great concern were introduction of Pension or Regular Financial Assistance scheme and improvement in working of BSP Main Hospital.
Other issues were also discussed at the meeting which was presided over by Saroj Ranjan Das, President of BSP Ex-OA. Narendra Banchhor, President BSP OA & SEFI Chairman; Shahid Ahmad, General Secretary, BSP OA; Ankur Mishra, Treasurer, BSP OA &Parvinder Singh Vice President OA attended and addressed the meeting.
Regarding pension, the meeting deliberated on the urgent need for SAIL to introduce Pension or Regular Financial Assistance scheme to the pioneers, the officers who retired before January 01, 2007, many of whom are living in miserable conditions due to acute financial problems. Many Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) such as Indian Oil, ONGC, BHEL, NMDC, NTPC are having a wide range of welfare schemes to extend financial as well as health care assistance to the retired officers retired but SAIL, a major Maharatna company, does not have any such scheme except the 15-20 years old and outdated SAIL
Mediclaim scheme which doesnot cover even a portion of indoor treatments. Therefore, the BSP Ex-OA demands speedy introduction of a suitable Pension or Financial Assistance scheme by SAIL for those executives who retired prior to January 01, 2007.
The meeting also pondered on the present status and working of BSP Main Hospital which the association felt has become worst ever under the present management, with inadequate doctors & medical staff, irregular supply & non availability of essential medicines of good quality, very bad hospital OPD timings, closure of many vital OPDs such as Cardiology, Neurology, Neurosurgery etc.
Any one (except VIPs) visiting the Sector 9 Main Hospital can easily notice the utter indiscipline and chaos prevailing there. The OPD timing, especially in the afternoon is not followed in most departments as the OPDs start only after 15:00 hrs and senior specialists do not attend, leaving it to junior doctors. With gradual retirement of most of the senior specialists and non-appointment of specialists the situation has become grave. The management is not paying any serious attention to the working of the Hospital which was one of the best in the Eastern India a few years back. It appears as if the hospital management, with possible vested interest, is focusing on referring patients to private hospitals, alleged the members at the meeting.
The Association has therefore suggested SAIL management to hand over the management of the hospital to a professional manager. The house further decided that unless the hospital working is streamlined on urgent basis, Ex-OA will launch agitation to highlight the malice in the Medical department.
The other important issues discussed were:-Stopping Mediclaim OPD reimbursement claim by BSP from the Mediclaim OPD account of insured retirees; Pension coverage to be given, under SAIL Pension Scheme, to the ex-officers who took Voluntary Retirement in the years 2008 & 2009 (and are not covered now).
However, those who took VR in later years are covered under the pension scheme; stopping recovery & refund of recovered amount towards EL Encashment of those who retired between July & Nov’2013 as they are victims of notional implementation of order (issued in December’2013) reducing EL balance; and Status of SAIL Pension Scheme & EPS 95.