Pension Updation of Bank Employees

आशा है कल सब कुछ बेहतर होगा:

जो कुछ भी कहा जाना था, कहा जा चुका है। अब यदि हमारे विद्वान वकील माननीय सर्वोच्च न्यायालय (Supreme Court) के समक्ष इन सभी तथ्यों को प्रभावी ढंग से प्रस्तुत करते हैं, तो हमें पूर्ण विश्वास है कि अदालत से हमें न्याय अवश्य मिलेगा।

यदि एक क्षण के लिए यह मान भी लिया जाए कि बैंक पेंशन नियम, 1995 (BEPR, 1995) में पेंशन अपडेशन (Pension Updation) का कोई स्पष्ट प्रावधान नहीं है, तब भी पेंशन से जुड़े "रीति-रिवाजों और परंपराओं" (Customs and Conventions) के सार्वभौमिक सिद्धांत को नज़रअंदाज़ नहीं किया जा सकता।

माननीय सर्वोच्च न्यायालय के समक्ष मुख्य विचारणीय मुद्दे:

 पेंशन का आधार: यदि बैंकों में पेंशन दी जा रही है, तो वह किस आधार पर दी जा रही है? पेंशन योजना की शर्तें क्या हैं और यह किस मानदंड पर आधारित है? क्या पेंशन अपडेशन की कोई परंपरा या प्रथा है या नहीं?

 नियम 56 का संदर्भ: पेंशन नियम, 1995 का क्लॉज 56 (Clause 56) यह स्पष्ट करता है कि इन नियमों के क्रियान्वयन में कोई भी संदेह होने पर, भारत सरकार की पूर्व अनुमति से केंद्रीय सिविल सेवा नियम, 1972 (CCS Rules, 1972) और केंद्रीय सिविल सेवा (पेंशन का रूपांतरण) नियम, 1981 के संदर्भ में निर्णय लिया जाएगा। यानी BEPR 1995 के मानदंड पूरी तरह से CCS Rules पर आधारित हैं।

 CCS नियमों में प्रावधान: अब देखना यह है कि क्या CCS Rules 1972 / CCS (Commutation of Pension) Rules 1981 में पेंशन अपडेशन का प्रावधान है या नहीं? यदि उसमें पेंशन अपडेशन का प्रावधान है, तो BEPR 1995 में अलग से प्रावधान न होने पर भी बैंक पेंशनभोगी इसका पूरा अधिकार रखते हैं।

 वेतन संशोधन के साथ पेंशन अपडेशन: चाहे पेंशन समझौता हो या BEPR 1995, दोनों में वेतन संशोधन (Pay Revision) के साथ-साथ समय-समय पर पेंशन अपडेशन की शर्त शामिल है। 1.1.1986 से 31.10.1987 के बीच सेवानिवृत्त हुए कर्मचारियों की पेंशन को 5वें वेतन समझौते (जो 1.1.1987 से लागू हुआ था) के तहत अपडेट किया गया था। यह इस बात का प्रत्यक्ष प्रमाण है कि BEPR 1995 में वेतन संशोधन के साथ पेंशन अपडेशन का प्रावधान निहित है।

 क्लॉज 35(1) का महत्व: मूल और संशोधित क्लॉज 35(1) आज भी BEPR 1995 में कायम है और इसे और अधिक अनिवार्य बना दिया गया है। यदि इसका उद्देश्य पेंशन अपडेशन नहीं है, तो इसे बनाए रखने का क्या औचित्य है? बैंकों, IBA और सरकार को माननीय सर्वोच्च न्यायालय के समक्ष यह स्थिति स्पष्ट करनी चाहिए।

 आरबीआई (RBI) पेंशन मॉडल से तुलना: भारतीय रिज़र्व बैंक (RBI) और अन्य वाणिज्यिक बैंकों में पहले पेंशन योजना नहीं थी (स्टेट बैंक ऑफ इंडिया को छोड़कर)। RBI और अन्य बैंक यूनियनों ने मिलकर पेंशन की मांग उठाई थी। 1990 में RBI में इसे तय किया गया और उसी RBI पेंशन योजना की सभी शर्तों को शामिल करते हुए 29.10.1993 को देश के 58 बैंकों के साथ पेंशन समझौते (Pension Agreement) पर हस्ताक्षर किए गए थे। समझौते में स्पष्ट लिखा है कि पेंशन की सभी शर्तें और अपडेशन RBI की तर्ज़ पर ही होंगे।

Contributed by

Sri J. N. Shukla

फोरम ऑफ बैंक पेंशनर्स एक्टिविस्ट्स

(AIBRWA का एक सहयोगी संगठन)

महाकुंभ-2025, प्रयागराज

WHATEVER had to be said has been said. Now if the counsel for the Appellants present the same things effectively before the Hon'ble Supreme Court, then we think that the Hon'ble Supreme Court will have no problem in giving us justice. Even if we assume for a moment that there is no provision for pension updation in the Pension Regulations, 1995, still the universal principle of "customs and conventions" regarding Pension cannot be ignored.

The issue to be considered before the Hon'ble Supreme Court is that if pension is being given in Banks, then on what basis is it being given? What are the criteria of the terms and conditions of the Pension Scheme and the criteria on which the Pension is based? Is there a "custom and convention" of Pension updation or not?*

Clause 56 of the Pension Regulations, 1995 inter-alia states that if there is any doubt as to the implementation of these Regulations  of the Bank Pension Regulations, 1995, the same should be decided in due regard to the Central Civil Services Rules, 1972 and the Central Civil Services (Commutation of Pension) Rules, 1981, with the prior approval of the Government. That is, the norms of Pension Regulations, 1995 are based on Central Civil Services Rules, 1972 and Central Civil Services (Commutation of Pension) Rules, 1981.

Now it has to be seen whether there is a provision for Pension updation in the Central Civil Services Rules 1972/ CCS (commutation of Pension) Rules, 1981 or not. If there is a provision for Pension updation in it, then Bank Pensioners are also entitled to Pension updation even if there is no provision for Pension updation in BEPR, 1995.

However, be it Pension Settlement or BEPR, 1995, both prescribe the condition of periodic Pension updation along with Pay Revision. The Pension of the Pensioners between 1.1.1986 and 31.10.1987 was updated due to the Pay Revision that had taken place by the time of implementation of the Pension, i.e. the 5th Pay Settlement which had come into effect from 1.11.1987, which is an evidence that the prescribed provision for Pension updation along with Pay Revision is in the BEPR, 1995. 

Further, the original and amended clause 35(1) of BEPR, 1995 is retained in BEPR, 1995 even today by making it more obligatory. If the purpose of clause 35(1) is not Pension updation, what is the implication of retaining it in BEPR, 1995, Banks/IBA/ Govt. should clear this to the Hon'ble Supreme Court.

The fact cannot be denied that the Reserve Bank of India and other Commercial Banks did not have a Pension Scheme. As an exception, only State Bank of India had a Pension Scheme. Unions of Reserve Bank of India and other Banks together raised the demand for Pension. This was decided in the Reserve Bank of India in 1990 and incorporating all the conditions of this Reserve Bank Pension Scheme, a Pension Scheme Agreement was signed with 58 Banks of the country on 29.10.1993. It is very clearly written in the Pension Agreement that all the terms and conditions including updation of the Pension will in line as in  RBI.

The Bank Pension Scheme is completely based on the RBI Pension Scheme, where the rule of Pension updation along with Pay updation is applicable. Then, why no pension updation in 58 Banks that are parties to the Agreement dated 29.10.1993?

(J. N. Shukla)

9559748834

Message For Retirees

हम सभी रिटायर हो चुके लोग सीनियर सिटिज़न हैं; हममें से कई लोगों की उम्र 70 या 80 साल से भी ज़्यादा होचुकी है। हमारी बची हुई ज़िंदगी बहुत कम है। भगवान की कृपा से, हमारे पास खुशी और मानसिक शांति के साथ जीने के लिए पर्याप्त पैसा और संपत्ति है। 

हम जितना ज़्यादा दूसरों की तारीफ़ करेंगे और सकारात्मक बातें करेंगे, हमारी सेहत उतनी ही अच्छी रहेगी और हम बीमारियों से दूर रहेंगे।

इसीलिए, मैं सभी सदस्यों से गुज़ारिश करना चाहता हूँ कि वे ऐसे पोस्ट शेयर करें जिनसे हमारा मनोरंजन हो, हमारे जीवन में हंसी-खुशी आए और हम एकजुट और मिल-जुलकर रहें।

हड़ताल, संघर्ष, विरोध-प्रदर्शन और आंदोलन जैसी चीज़ें हमारे दायरे में नहीं होनी चाहिए और हमें ऐसी नकारात्मकता से दूर रहना चाहिए।

बुढ़ापे में हमें अपने मन को खुश रखने के लिए ज़्यादा से ज़्यादा अच्छी बातें करनी चाहिए, लेकिन शिकायत करने, तुलना करने और आलोचना करने से बचना चाहिए।

रिटायर लोगों और उनके ग्रुप्स का मकसद अपनी ज़िंदगी को खुशहाल बनाना होना चाहिए, न कि सरकार के ख़िलाफ़ लड़ने का मंच बनाना। 

हममें से कोई भी किसी राजनीतिक पार्टी से जुड़ा नहीं है, इसलिए हमारा ध्यान सिर्फ़ अपनी बची हुई ज़िंदगी को खुशहाल बनाने पर होना चाहिए। ग्रुप में किसी व्यक्ति, समूह, संगठन या सरकार का मज़ाक उड़ाने वाले पोस्ट से हमें दुख होता है, इसलिए ऐसे पोस्ट से बचना चाहिए।

We all retirees are seniors, many of us crossed the age of seventy and even eighty. Our residual life is s very short. By grace of God we all are having adequate money and property to live with joy, happiness and mental peace. 

As much as we praise others appreciate others and talk in positivity our health will be sound and illness will be away.

In such background I would like to request all members to post such posts which may entertain us which may bring laughter in our life and which keeps us united and in harmony.

Strikes, struggle , protests, agitation etc should not be in our domain and we should be far away from such negativity.

In old age we should express as much as possible to keep our mind happy but refrain from complaining, comparing and criticising. 

Agenda of retirees and their groups should be to make our life joyful and not a forum to fight against government. 

None of us is associated with any political party and hence our interest should be confined to make our residual life happy. In the group, posts ridiculing any person, group, organisation or the government make us unhappy and must be avoided.

Involvement of Bank Unions in Political movements

बैंकों के ट्रेड यूनियन नेताओं ने भी वांगचुक को अपना समर्थन दिया है। इन नेताओं का इतिहास रहा है कि वे सरकार के खिलाफ़ किसी भी अच्छे या बुरे आंदोलन का समर्थन करते हैं, जबकि बैंक कर्मचारियों के हितों की उन्हें कम ही परवाह होती है।
क्या आपको याद है कि उन्होंने कब और कितनी बार ऐसे आंदोलनों का समर्थन किया, जिनका एजेंडा बैंक कर्मचारियों के हितों से किसी भी तरह जुड़ा नहीं था?

Trade union leaders of Banks have also extended their support to Wangchuk, it is history of these leaders who support all good or bad agitation against government, they lease bother of bank employees 
Do you have when and how many times they supported movements whose agenda was no where related to interest of bank employees

Few instances of such behaviour is given below to make memory fresh. 

The involvement of bank unions in political, social, or socio-economic movements outside their core domain—such as salary negotiations, service conditions, or banking reforms—is a well-documented phenomenon in Indian trade union history.

Major bank employee federations—such as the All India Bank Employees' Association (AIBEA), All India Bank Officers' Confederation (AIBOC), and others—are affiliated with or politically aligned with national Central Trade Unions (like AITUC, CITU, or INTUC). Because of these political affiliations, bank unions frequently extend formal support, issue press releases, or participate in nationwide strikes called by broader trade union coalitions.

Below is an overview of major instances where bank unions formally extended support to agitations not directly related to bank employees' immediate service matters:

Key Instances of Bank Union Support to Broader Agitations

1. The 2020–2021 Farmers' Protests (Farm Laws)

• What Happened: Major bank unions, including AIBEA, AIBOC, AIBOA, and INBOC, issued formal statements extending solidarity to the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) and protesting farm organizations against the three central farm laws.

2. Protests Against CAA / NRC (2019–2020)

• What Happened: As part of the Joint Platform of 10 Central Trade Unions (CTUs), bank unions joined national strike calls (such as the January 8, 2020 nationwide strike).
• Union Rationale: The official resolutions passed by the trade union platforms included opposition to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), National Register of Citizens (NRC), and changes to labor codes alongside economic/privatization demands.

3. General Strike Calls by Central Trade Unions (Multiple Years)

• What Happened: Bank unions regularly participate in 1-day or 2-day all-India strike calls organized by central labor federations (e.g., in 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, and 2022).
• Union Rationale: While these strikes often include specific banking demands (opposing public sector bank privatization), the primary charter of demands presented by the CTUs consists of broader national issues, including price rise, labor code reform, fixed-term employment rules, and public enterprise disinvestment.

4. Support to Local Civic/Environmental Activism (e.g., Sonam Wangchuk / Regional Issues)

• What Happened: Leadership from various public sector worker federations and trade unions occasionally issue letters of solidarity or pass resolutions supporting activists undergoing hunger strikes or agitations over regional autonomy, constitutional safeguards (like the Sixth Schedule), or environmental preservation.

The argument that bank union leaders prioritize political alignment over rank-and-file welfare is a widely held critique among bank staff, retirees, and industry observers. Critics frequently point to specific procedural delays, settlement outcomes, and political activities as evidence of this misalignment:

Key Grounds for Criticism

1. Delays and Settlements in Bipartite Wage Revisions

• Protracted Negotiations: Every five-year Bipartite Settlement historically takes 2 to 3 years of negotiations past the expiry of the previous agreement to reach finalization. During this period, bank employees face real-income erosion due to inflation.
• Settlement Percentages: While recent settlements (such as the 12th Bipartite Settlement signed in March 2024, which agreed on a 17% wage increaseamounting to ~₹12,449 crore) yielded higher absolute figures than earlier single-digit deals, critics argue that the actual net benefit (the "load factor" on basic pay) remains modest when spread over the five-year cycle.

2. The Pension Updation & Retiree Crisis

• Unresolved Core Issue: Unlike Central Government pensioners whose basic pension updates automatically with every Pay Commission, bank retirees (under the Bank Pension Regulations, 1995) have suffered stagnant basic pension levels for decades.
• Tension Between Unions and Retiree Federations: Major in-service unions like the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) hold exclusive bargaining rights with the Indian Banks' Association (IBA). Independent retiree bodies (such as AIBRF) frequently complain that in-service leadership sidelights retiree demands—such as full pension updation on RBI lines—during final negotiations.

3. Political Alignment vs. Core Employee Demands

• External Agitations: Because major bank federations (e.g., AIBEA, AIBOA, BEFI) are politically affiliated with parent central trade unions (like AITUC or CITU), they routinely issue strike calls or solidarity letters against broader government policies.
• Perceived Inaction on Daily Banking Issues: Rank-and-file workers often express frustration that union leadership displays quick agility when supporting external political or social protests, yet struggles to secure long-pending internal operational demands—such as the implementation of a 5-day banking week or resolving severe staff shortages and daily work pressure.

Summary of the Report

1. Internal Grievances: Delays, Modest Yields & Retiree Neglect

• Bipartite Delays: Five-year Bipartite Settlements routinely stretch 2 to 3 years past their expiration. During this interim period, employees face real-income erosion from inflation.
• Negotiation Tactics: Critics point out that leadership spends years in passive discussions, only calling for token 1–2 day strikes towards the end of negotiations, ultimately accepting modest net load factor increases.
• The Retiree Issue: Unlike Central Government pensioners whose basic pension updates automatically with every Pay Commission, bank retirees' basic pension under the 1995 Pension Regulations has remained frozen for decades. Active unions keep negotiating rights exclusive to themselves while offering minor ex-gratia payments instead of structural pension updation on RBI lines.

2. External Activism & Political Mobilization

• Political Affiliations: Major bank federations (such as AIBEA, BEFI, AIBOA) are affiliated with or aligned with parent Central Trade Unions (such as AITUC or CITU).

• Rapid Response to Agitations: While internal operational demands—such as the 5-day banking week or resolving staff shortages—remain pending for years, union platforms swiftly issue strike calls and formal endorsements for external political movements (e.g., Farm Law protests, anti-CAA/NRC demonstrations, and regional political fasts like Sonam Wangchuk’s movement).

• Rank-and-File Frustration: Many bank employees argue that union leaders leverage the collective strength of bank staff to serve opposition-aligned political narratives rather than prioritizing employee welfare.

हिंदी सारांश (Summary in Hindi)

1. वेतन समझौतों और पेंशन अपडेशन में उपेक्षा:
• द्विपक्षीय समझौतों में देरी: 5 वर्षीय वेतन समझौतों को पूरा करने में 2 से 3 साल का समय लगायाजाता है, जिससे कर्मचारियों को महंगाई का नुकसान होता है।
2. 
   
• पेंशन अपडेशन का न होना: बैंक पेंशनभोगियों (Retirees) की बेसिक पेंशन दशकों से वही रुकी हुईहै। केंद्रीय कर्मचारियों की तरह स्वतः अपडेशन देने के बजाय यूनियनों ने पेंशनभोगियों की मांग कोहाशिए पर रखा हर राजनीतिक आंदोलनों में अति-सक्रियता:

• ग़ैर-बैंकिंग आंदोलनों को समर्थन: वामपंथी व विपक्षी ट्रेड यूनियनों से संबद्धता के कारण बैंक यूनियनेंकृषि कानून विरोधी आंदोलन, CAA/NRC विरोध और हाल ही में सोनम वांगचुक के आंदोलन जैसेविषयों पर तुरंत सक्रिय होकर हड़ताल और समर्थन का आह्वान करती हैं।
• कर्मचारियों का असंतोष: आम बैंक कर्मचारियों का मानना है कि यूनियन नेतृत्व उनकी संख्याबल औरप्रभाव का उपयोग अपने राजनीतिक एजेंडे को आगे बढ़ाने के लिए करता है, न कि बैंक कर्मचारियोंकी दैनिक समस्याओं (जैसे 5-दिवसीय बैंकिंग या काम के दबाव) को हल करने के लिए।