INCOMETAX PENSIONERS FEDERATION

NEW DELHI

E MAIL: itpfchq@gmail.com

Website address:itpfchq.blogspot.com

Dated: 7.07.2015.

Dear Comrades,

I have the proud privilege and pleasure to inform you of the successful conduct of the first and founding Convention of the Income tax Pensioners Federation at Haridwar on 4.06.2015 as scheduled.  The Income tax Pensioners Association, Meerut had taken the strenuous responsibility of holding the first convention.   They had made excellent arrangements for the comfortable stay of the comrades, despite the hot weather condition, Haridwar being at the peak of the summer.  In fact the showers on 3^rd had lowered the intensity of the heat wave.   It must be admitted without hesitation that the food provided was of a very excellent quality.  The comrades of Meerut had made the stay of each of the delegates highly comfortable. Most of the delegates had reached the venue on 3^rd itself. 

In all there were 52 delegates and observers who attended the meeting, besides the observers and volunteers from the host association.  They represented the following States.

1.       Tamilnadu

2.       Karnataka

3.       Andhra Pradesh

4.       Maharashtra

5.       Gujarath

6.       Rajasthan

7.       Madhya Pradesh

8.       North West Region

9.       Uttar Pradesh West

10.   Uttar Pradesh East

11.   Bihar

12.   West Bengal

13.   North East Region

14.   Delhi.

15.   Kerala had informed of their inability to attend but had sent in a written message.

16.   Nobody came to represent Vidharba, Orissa and Pune regions.

We are hopeful that the States which could not send in their representatives would be able to attend the next meeting.

The Convention was conducted by a Presidium consisting of the following comrades:

1.       Com. Umesh Mehta

2.       Com. Shanthi Kumar

3.       Com. R.B. Deshpande.

We had invited the President and Secretary General of ITEF and ITGOA to greet the convention.  On behalf of ITEF Com.Ashok Kanojia , President addressed and greeted the delegates. He assured the fullest co-operation from ITEF for the well functioning of ITPF. Com. Bhaskar Bhattacharya, Secretary General, ITGOA intimated his inability to be present at Haridwar due to a sudden engagement the ITGOA had with the Cabinet Secretary.  The convention was also greeted by Com. N.C.Upadhyaya, Dy. Commissioner of Income tax, Haridwar on behalf of the staff and officers of Haridwar, and  Com.B.N. Singh, Retired Chief Commissioner of Income tax, Kanpur. The Staff and officers of Haridwar had extended full co-operation for the conduct of the convention and many of them were present at the inaugural session.

The following comrades had sent messages, which were read out at the Conference.

1.       Com. Pabitra Chakraborty, General Secretary, NCCPA

2.       Com.Lajpat Rai, former Secretary General, ITGOA.

3.       Com.V.A.N. Namboodiri,  Patron, NCCPA

4.       Com. P.B. Menon, Former General Secretary, TITU, Chennai

5.       Com. M.S.Vengatesan,  Joint Secretary, ITEF,

6.       Com. Debnath Mukhopadhyaya. Former Secretary General, ITGOA

7.       Com.A.D. Mishra, IT Pensioners Association, Aligarh.

The Convention commenced with the traditional lighting of the lamp and welcome address by Com.S.K. Sharma,  on behalf of the host unit.  Comrades in the presidium solicited approval of the agenda for the convention. The agenda as per the notice issued was as under:

1.       Discussion on the proposed draft constitution of ITPF.

2.       Election of office bearers

3.       Discussions on issues pertaining to Income tax pensioners.

4.       Any other matter with the permission of the chair. 

The house approved the agenda.

Agenda Item No.1.

The Presidium then requested the convenor to present the proposal over the draft constitution, bye-laws and rules. Com.KKN.Kutty detailed the efforts taken to draft the constitution and the proceedings of the preparatory committee meeting held at Mumbai.   He explained the circumstances under which the Preparatory committee decided to switch over the ITPF set up from the proposed unitary structure to a federal one.  He applauded the efforts made by the Karnataka Income tax Pensioners Association  under the leadership of Com. O.M.Baskaran and Com. R.B.Deshpande in redrafting the constitution, bye-laws and rules in consonance with the provisions of the Societies Act, the registration of which will make the Federation  a legal entity.  He also explained the basis of the suggestion made to expand the team of office bearers so as to include a representative from each Charge as in many States the primary unit is yet to be set up. The meeting then witnessed a lively discussion in which the delegates participated and made the following suggestions.

(a)    To have a patron to enable the organization to function effectively. Shri Sudhir Chandra former Chairman, CBDT would be requested to be the Patron of the ITPF.

(b)   To have an Advisor to help the Office bearers to function properly. Com Lajpat Rai would be requested to kindly be the Advisor in view of the vast experience he has as the Secretary General ITGOA and many positions in ITEF and the Joint Convenor of Central JCA and a leader of the Incometax Pensioners Associations at Rajasthan and Delhi.

(c)    To increase the number of Vice Presidents to six.

(d) To replace the two posts of Joint Secretaries with one Additional Secretary to have cohesiveness in the functioning of office bearers.

(e)   To have One Organizational Secretary from each of the 18 charges.

(f)     To raise the Number of Assistant Secretaries to 6.

(g)    To have an Auditor to be appointed by the Central Working Committee.

(h)   To read Artcile 14 (a) as under:The working committee shall meet once in a year to consider the following.

(i)     Artticle 4(vi) add the word “health” after the word “education”’

The Convenor said that the draft of the constitution, bye laws and rules were on the website for a long time and the drafting Committee had taken into account every suggestion received by it.  The Presidium then placed the draft along with the above amendments for the considerations of the house.  The house adopted the constitution, bye laws and rules unanimously.

Agenda Item No.2.

The house then took up the next agenda for discussion.  Viz. Election of office bearers.  A panel of office bearers was placed for the consideration. The house elected the following office bearers.

1.       Patron:         Shri Sudhir Chandra, former Chairman, CBDT.

2.       Advisor:        Com. Lajpat Rai, former Secretary General, ITGOA

3.       President:      Com. Umesh Mehta, former President ITEF

4.       Vice Presidents:

Com. V.K. Sreedharan. Former Secretary General ITGOA

Com. P.V. Ramachandran, Former Vice President ITEF
Com. Shanthikumar, Former President, ITGOA
Com. R.B.Deshpande,Gl Secy. ITEF.Karnataka
 and former Vice President, ITEF

Com.S.K.Sharma, former Regl.Secy. ITEF Meerut
 and Jt.Secretary, ITEF Western UP Kanpur.

(One post vacant to be filled from Mumbai.)

5.   Secry. General: Com. K.K.N. Kutty, former Secretary General, ITEF

6.    Addl. Secry.:     Com. Baswanand. Former Gl Secy., ITEF &ITGOA Delhi
&  former Jt.Secy.ITEF

7.   Secry.Finance:  Com.C.M. Badola. Former Regl.Secry.
ITEF Meerut & Vice.President.ITEF

8.       Asst. Secretaries: 
Com.Gopal Singh Jadoo. Former Vice President ITEF

Com.Sheoji Mishra. Former Regional Secretary, ITEF Allahabad

9.      Organizing Secrys.; 
        

Com.A.Sundaram.  Tamilnadu

Com. B.N.Gnana Prakash. A.P.

Com.Srinivasa Shetty’ Karnataka

Com. E.P.K.Vasudevan. Mumbai

Com. H.M.Kanhaiya. Gujarath

Com. Shekawath: Rajasthan

Com.Vijay Singh Negi. Delhi

Com. V.K.Bajpai.Eastern UP Lucknow

Com.Shambu Prasad. Bihar

Com.Sarbananda Das. NE Region

Com.S.K.Bhargava.  NW Region

All the Organising Secretaries elected are  the former General Secretaries/President of either ITEF or ITGOA of different Circles.

Comrades from Vidharba, Pune, UP West, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, West Bengal, Kerala  will be nominated at the CWC meeting.

Auditor will also be appointed at the next CWC meeting.

Agenda ItemNo. 3.

Problems and issues:

Com. Kutty explained the various issues taken up by the NCCPA  and staff side JCM National Council before the  7thCPC.  He also explained as to how the question of parity between the past and present pensioners in pension entitlement has assumed significance in the background of the Government accepting the demand for one rank one pension for defense personnel.  In the discussions that ensued thereafter, delegates raised the issues concerning CGHS, fixed medical allowance, conveyance charges and the inordinate delay in settling disciplinary proceedings etc. The meeting decided to elicit information about the problems from all pensioners and to present the same as a charter to the next CWC  for discussion and further follow up action.

               

In conclusion, the meeting placed on  record the excellent work done by the drafting committee of the constitution.  The meeting asked the Secretary General to write to the Secretary General ITEF for providing some space for the functioning of the ITPF office at Delhi.  On behalf of the Presidium, Com.Shanthi Kumar praised the host unit for the excellent arrangements made by them. Com.Deshpande and Com.Umesh Mehta, both expressed their appreciation over the efforts in the formation of ITPF and stressed the need of strengthening the organization. Many of the delegates expressed the view that the host unit must collect some amount as delegate fees to meet out a portion of the expenses.  However, on behalf of the host unit, Com. S.K.Sharma said that he was aware that many delegates have come to attend the convention at their personal expenses and the host unit and reception committee would not like to burden them further. Even then some of the delegates contributed and the same was taken as donation to ITPF CHQ. The delegates who spoke at the convention, all appreciated the efforts made to form ITPF and said that whenever they had  convened the meeting of pensioners in their respective States, they have received enthusiastic response.  All of them assured the house of the renewed efforts to form Associations in their States, adopt Constitution rules etc. in consonance with the provisions of the Societies Act and make ITPF as strong, united and militant. Com. Convenor requested the Karnataka/ Delhi Unit to provide the copy of their constitutions to the other States as a model as both the Associations have obtained registration from the Registrar or Societies. The Presidium expressed the confidence that with the rich experience of many of the delegates as Trade Union Activists and leaders, ITPF will grow from strength to strength and would become a potent organization in future to ensure that no IT Pensioner will suffer any difficulties.  Com. C.M Badola announced the receipt of Rs. 23,000 as donation from the delegates and others. Com.R.K. Bhatnagar  President of the host Unit proposed the vote of thanks and the meeting was concluded at 3.45PM

with greetings,

Yours fraternally,


K.K.N.Kutty
Secretary General..