Dhar District branch in Madhya Pradesh held its conference on 14-19-2025. The inaugural session was converted to a Seminar on BSNL. Com. Madanlal Yadav, District President was in the chair. Com. Devilal Mandlekar, District Secretary welcomed one an all. Com.H S Thakur, Circle Secretary, Com.Prakash Sharma, CirclePresident, BSNLEU, Shri.Ghanasyam Namadev, GM(Operations), BSNL, and a host of leaders addressed. In the subject session office bearers were elected unanimously with Com. Madanlal Yadav (President) Com.Devilal Mandlekar ( District Secretary) Com.Rajendra Bavasthar (Treasurer).

16 Years of Glorious Struggles and Achievements
All India BSNL DOT Pensioners Association (AIBDPA) is completing 16 years of dedicated service to pensioners. Yes, we are celebrating the 17th Foundation Day of AIBDPA on 21-10-2025.

Our Journey
The last 16 years have been full of activities, particularly continuous struggles waged for settlement of the genuine demands of the pensioners and against the injustices meted out by the government and the bureaucracy. AIBDPA has been in the forefront of the struggles organised by NCCPA, Joint Forum of BSNL MTNL Pensioners Associations and the Coordination Committee of AIBDPA – BSNLEU – BSNLCCWF.

International Affiliations
AIBDPA is a founder Member of the Trade Union International (Pensioners & Retirees) and our General Secretary is the Vice-Secretary of the same. AIBDPA has implemented all the calls of WFTU and TUI(P&R) effectively.

Achievements
We have been able to achieve many important issues of the pensioners, viz:

• Pension Revision of BSNL absorbed pre-2007 retirees
• Restoration of medical benefits under BSNL MRS
• Scrapping of 60:40 condition in payment of pension imposed by government
• 78.2% fitment
• Simplification of medical card revalidation

Individual Cases
In addition to the general issues, some of the pending issues unresolved for long, particularly family pension cases, were taken up and settled with payment of lakhs of rupees as arrears to the beneficiaries. AIBDPA always paid much importance in settling of individual cases and have been successful in settling them to a large extent by continuous intervention at all levels.

Growth and Status
All these have helped us for the steady growth of the organisation and earned a prominent status not only at National level but at International level also.

Pending Issues
Still, we have to go a long way as some of the important issues like pension revision from 01-01-2017, payment of retirement benefits to the ST VRS Retirees of Maharashtra etc are still pending settlement despite our best efforts.

5th Triennial All India Conference
All these problems will be discussed seriously in the ensuing 5th Triennial All India Conference to be held at Coimbatore on 17-18 December, 2025 and appropriate decisions taken.

Call to Action
Under the Globalisation-Liberalisation-Corporatisation policy, hard earned rights of workers and pensioners are being attacked and denied. In the wider struggles against these, AIBDPA will be side by side with BSNL workers as also with the working class. It is under these circumstances that we are celebrating the 17th Foundation Day of AIBDPA on 21st October, 2025. Let us celebrate the Foundation Day by holding meetings and other programmes with massive participation.

Unity and Struggle.
AIBDPA ZINDABAD! PENSIONERS UNITY ZINDABAD! INQUILAB ZINDABAD!

Forum of Civil Pensioners Associations has already completed a phased programme of agitations against the draconian Validation of Pension Rules enacted by the Modi government in March, 2025 . Thousands of pensioners , representing various pensioners organisations enthusiastically participated in all these agitations, culminated in the Massive Dharna at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi on 10-10-2025 reflecting their anger and anguish against the nefarious move of the government to deny rightful benefits to them.

FCPA had decided to fight it out both organisationally and legally. Accordingly , FCPA has engaged eminent advocate and President, Bar Council, Shri.Vikas Singh to appear on behalf of FCPA. The petition, drafted brilliantly and signed by NCCPA and 18 other Associations has been filed in the Supreme Court on 16-10-2025. AIBDPA is the 2nd signatory.

The government has issued the order extending the period of Shri.Ravi A Robert Jerard as CMD, BSNL for another three months from 15-10-2025.

The last phase of Agitation by Forum of Civil Pensioners Associations against Validation of Pension Rules, Delhi Chalo on 10th October, 2025 also was a resounding success.

AIBDPA was initially given a quota of 500 and accordingly CHQ allocated share for each circle. Later, based on the restrictions imposed by Delhi police, our quota was reduced to 300. But by that time comrades from far of Circles had booked the tickets.So ultimately our participation was as follows ;

Maharashtra -60, Kolkata Telephones -28, West Bengal -15, Chennai Telephones -34, Tamil Nadu -40, Telangana -21, Andhra -39, Gujarat -22, Karnataka -02, UP(W)-25, UP(E)-13, Rajasthan -27, Kerala -31, Odisha -04, MP-12, Haryana -23, Chhattisgarh-4, NE-2-01,NTR Delhi -39, ALTTC, Gaziabad -05 CORTO ( Affiliate )-03.Total -448

However, there were no participation from Assam, NE-1, Punjab, J&K, Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand and Affiliate Ambala BSNLPWA due to various reasons.

CHQ is proud that AIBDPA is playing a significant role for the success of all the Joint programmes. Hearty Congratulations to all the Comrades who made it possible braving their old age and ailments.

Thousands of pensioners from all over the country came to Delhi on the call of Forum of Civil Pensioners Associations and participated in the big rally at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi on 10-10-2025. They raised the slogans to repeal the Validation of Pension Rules Act, immediate constitution of the VIII Pay Commission and revise the pension of BSNL MTNL and bank pensioners.

The Delhi Chalo program was initiated by Com. K. Ragavendran, Convenor, Forum of Civil Pensioners Associations. Com. V. A. N. Namboodiri, Patron, NCCPA presided. Com. Tapan Sen, General Secretary, CITU inaugurated with an educative speech. Com. Amarjit Kaur, General Secretary, AITUC, Shri. Ujjwal Raman Singh MP, Com. K. G. Jayaraj, General Secretary, AIBDPA, Com.D K Debnath, General Secretary, AIPRPA, Com. Balasubramoniam, General Secretary, AIFPA, Chennai, Com. S. Sridhar, President, AIRRF , Com.A K Ghosh, CGPA,West Bengal, Com.S K Sharma, CGPA,Jaipur, Com.G L Jogi, GS<SNPWA, Com.Prehlad Rai, GS AIRBSNLEWA, Com.R K Mudgal, GS<MREWA, Com.J S Dahiya, Org Secretary, AIBSNLPWA, Com.AK Kaushik, GS,MTNLPA and a host of leaders addressed. After the Rally, memorandum was submitted to Her Excellency President of India, Hon’ble Prime Minister and Hon’ble Chief Justice of Supreme Court.

District level Dharna was also organized throughout the country in support of the Delhi Chalo program.

.Rich tributes were paid to Com. PVC at Kannur on 09-10-2025, the 3rd Death Anniversary.

Com. E. P. Jayarajan, Ex Minister, Kerala inaugurated the meeting. Com. K. P. Sahadevan, State Secretary, CITU delivered the memorial address. Com. K. Mohanan, Circle President, AIBDPA, presided. A host of leaders representing various organisations including Com. C. P. Sobhana ( NCCPA ) addressed.

1st Floor of P&T House, Thiruvananthapuram named Com P V Chandrasekharan Memorial Hall.

2nd Floor named Com. M. Krishnan Memorial Hall.

Com. M. V. Govindan, State Secretary, CPI(M) inaugurated the meeting held at P&T House, Thiruvananthapuram and unveiled the photos of Com. PVC and Com. M. Krishnan.Com. R. Muraleedharan Nair, AGS, AIBDPA presided. Com. Jacob Thomas ( AIPRPA ) welcomed all.Com. N. Vinodkumar, Convenor, NFPE, Com. Ajith Shankar, ACS, BSNLEU, S Ashokkumar, District Secretary, CGPA, Chandran Poochakad, son in law of Com. PVC spoke.Com. Nizam, Vice Chairman, NFPE proposed vote of thanks. Family members of Com. PVC also attended the function.