GRATUITY @ 20 lacs from 01/01/2016 for ALL

Dear Friends, Greetings. I am happy to share with you that since yesterday evening the pace of signing the petition has picked up after a lull for 4 to 5 days. Now we are nearing 45000 mark. Thanks to all of you for your continued sharing and spreading the message among the public and retirees affected in particular. Subsequent to starting of this petition serveral Serving Employees/Retirees Associations has represented to the government by way of letters to PM/FM and Labour Minister. The response is yet to come. In the meanwhile several anxious retirees who were deprived of the benefit of enhancement, are personally calling me to explore the possibility of filing a writ. As per the information available to me one Mr. Kalia, Ex-IOB has formed a Whatsapp group and pursuing the legal action. Also it is understand some officers of Union Bank of India are thinking of going to court to fight the cause. Gratuity Case SC/SLP Civil No.8345/2016 (Diary No.8658/2016) filed by group of SBI Pensioners against discrimination in the last amendment in May 2010, depriving their benefits from Jan 2006 was supposed to be heard today in Supreme Court today (13/04/2018). But as per update posted in Team SBI Pensioners : Movement for Justice Face Book PAGE - The case is tentatively listed for arguments and order on 09/07/2018. We have to keep our fingers crossed at this juncture. I personally feel that going to Court and challenging the Government on this sensitive issue,which is normally decided against the employees in the past, needs high prudence and critical analysis. Further it will be time consuming and cost prohibitive. But still I am not averse to the legal remedy and hope some learned and experienced retirees will take up the cause in the days to come and in such an eventuality, we all should support morally and financially, if found feasbile and chances are bright. As far as this platform concerned, we have an option of making more people aware and sign the petition to seizable numbers to really make the authorities to look at us and come forward to remedial measures. The next level of action should be to draw Media Attention and Publicity and members are requested to explore all possibilites to access media through relative, friends, contacts etc. Further every membe should reprsent to their respective Union/Associations of serving/retired employees to take up the issue with the Government/Management. We must also spell out that this cause does not stop with getting the benefits to few of us alone, but also paves way to avoid future discriminations whenever changes in the Gratuity Amount notified in future. THE PRESENT WRONG TREND OF DELAYED IMPLEMENTATION SHOULD BE STOPPED FROM NOW ONWARDS. Today I have emailed a detailed letter to PM/FM/Labour Minister, requesting the Government to Act in our favour by Re Notification of Effective Date from 01/01/2016. I also attested the list of people signed the petition as on date in a PDF File Generated in Change.Org for their scrutiny and to substantiate our strength/unity. Like this I also appeal to each and everyone to send a mail/letter to PM/FM/Law Minister prepared in simple language be in English/Hindi to seek Justice against Discrimination and to make them understand our agony/disappointment/frustration. The respective offices of PM/FM/Law Minister should be flooded with our APPEALS. Definitely we can create an impact thorugh this mission. Hope and Perseverance is part of Life. I am sure and strongly believe that this time we will create new History and will get our legitimate benefits in the days to come. NAMASTHE.