Memorandum to Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji

To All the Members,

Reproduced below is a copy of Memorandum submitted to Shri Narendre Modiji , Hon'ble Prime Minister, GoI  on 22/01/2016 at Lucknow. The copy of the Memorandum was also submitted to Prof. B. Mungekar, Noted Agricultural Economist and Hon'ble MP (Rajya Sabha) and Ms. Anju Bala, Hon'ble MP (Lok Sabha).  The AINBOA delegation, comprising of Shri Giridhar Thakur, President, Sri B V Rao, EC member and the undersigned, was led by Shri Ashok Singh, Vice President, AINTUC who is also member of the CBDT board and Rajbhasha Implementation & Coordination Committee, Ministry of Home Affairs, GoI, New Delhi. 

AINBOA is now in the process of soliciting an audience with Hon'ble Finance Minister, GoI, New Delhi.  Friends, we believe that the forth coming Central government's budget will decide the future shape of NABARD's  operations, status and financial aspects. The settlement of RBI Charter of Demands is also at an advanced stage and as such we have to be in readiness in respect of our charter of Demands too. Coupled with internal issues of career progression of officers, ensuing transfers and postings and issues related to CLMAS  makes it imperative for all of us to remain united and in a state of readiness for any organisational move, if situation so requires. Our recent efforts towards enlisting the support of  decision makers and getting our Association registered under Trade Union Act are steps towards this readiness... with fraternal greetings

Sincerely Yours,

Dr D S Chauhan

GS, AINBOA

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Shri Narendra Modiji

Hon’ble Prime Minister

Government Of India, New Delhi

Respected Sir,

AINBOA is a management recognised and sole representative body of 2700 odd officers working at NABARD. We are extremely thankful to your good self for sparing a few moments of your valuable time for us and NABARD  today.

We, very humbly and with all humility , bring to your kind notice the following important aspects pertaining to the functioning of NABARD as also those pertaining to the service conditions of NABARD officers.

1.         NABARD, for almost a decade or so, has been facing an acute financial crunch and is, to a great extent, now depends on market borrowings to meet its mandate of providing credit based facilities to the Rural Financial Institutions, specially the Cooperatives, RRBs and other Public Sector banks. In the circumstances the mandate, assigned to NABARD – ‘Development through Credit’ gets diluted to a great extent.  We, therefore, urge upon your good self for a favourable intervention so as to make NABARD a financially sound and sustainable organisation, well equipped to cater to needs of the Small and Marginal Farmers of this country. A few of the suggested initiatives are, augmenting NABARD’s capital base, increased allocation to it under various budgetary funds, allowing access to NABARD to cheaper borrowings such as line of credit from World Bank, tax free bonds and having access to CRR of RRBs and Cooperatives. Sir, the Credit to Deposit ratio (CD ratio) of rural India, specially in the backward states is abysmally low, and if NABARD will be allowed to have access to CRR funds of the cooperatives and RRBs, it will ensure that capital generated in the Rural areas are ploughed back for development in the rural areas only. Further, we also request GoI to exempt NABARD’s income from the ambit of Income Tax.  Instead NABARD can pool that money into a Risk Mitigating Fund for Small & Marginal farmers. A financially and administratively strong NABARD can further speed up the process of Rural development through worthy initiatives of your government such as PMJDY, Pradhan Mantri Sichai Yojna and Pradhan Mantri Krishi Bima Yojna, to name a few .

2.        Sir, it was a very pleasant surprise for us, when we saw the GoI’s directive issued to Public Sector Banks vide letter No.F.No.4/2/2/2015 dated 12/01/2016, directing the CEOs, to negotiate and finalise the next wage settlement of bank employees before its effective date of 01/11/2017. It underlines your governments positive and favourable concern for its employees and such a directive has been issued probably for the first time ever. SIR , NABARD OFFICERS ARE , BY VIRTUE OF THE NABARD ACT, 1982 AND ITS STAFF RULE ELIGIBLE FOR SERVICE CONDITIONS AT PAR WITH THAT IN RBI AND THE SAME HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO ALL OF US AT NABARD SINCE ITS INCEPTION  i.e 1982. SIR, WE BRING TO YOUR KIND NOTICE THAT WAGE SETTLEMENT OF NABARD OFFICERS PERTAINING TO THE PERIOD 01/11/2012 TO 31/10/2017 HAS YET TO BE SETTLED AND WE ARE AWAITING FOR A SETTLEMENT AS PER OUR ELIGIBILITY.  

3.     We also bring to your kind notice that the demand of our and Retired Officers Association for upgradation of Pension Scheme has remained unfulfilled for last decade or so and RETIRED OFFICERS OF NABARD ARE DRAWING THE LEAST PENSION IN THE BANKING INDUSTRY AND EVEN THE PARITY WITH RBI ON THIS ACCOUNT, TO WHICH WE ARE LEGALLY AND STATUTORILY ENTITLED, HAS NOT BEEN  HONOURED.

4.       We HAVE ALSO BEEN DEMANDING FOR QUITE A FEW YEARS, A ‘POLICY ON COMPASSIONATE APPOINTMENTS’ AT PAR WITH THAT IN RBI AND THE SAME IS YET TO BE SETTLED AT BY THE BANK. 

We are sure that with your kind intervention all the above FOUR  major issues will be positively and favourably looked into, leading to emergence of a stronger, more viable and farmer oriented NABARD.  Sir, we assure you and the nation, that like in the past, officers of NABARD will remain committed towards fulfilling the objective of ensuring equitable rural development in the country by honestly, sincerely and diligently  attending to their assigned duties and responsibilities.

With Sincere Regards

Yours Sincerely ,

          Sd/-                                                                   Sd/-   

(Dr D.S. CHAUHAN)                                       (GIRIDHAR THAKUR)

General Secretary                                             President

PLACE : LUCKNOW

DATE    : 22/01/2016