My R.T.I. queries to L.I.C. of India

 

1.      What is the official reason, because of which my arrears payment and difference in retirement benefits were repudiated during Wage Revision payment in the latest Wage Revision Charter dated 11^th October, 2010?

2.      Kindly provide me a copy of the gazette and official notification, along with information about which specific provisions of the gazette and official notification justify or state that I should not be given the arrears due w.e.f August 2007?

3.      Please furnish me a copy of Names, Addresses, Telephone/Mobile nos., Branch Nos., Branch addresses, D.O. Nos. and D.O. addresses of all the employees of LIC of India, who were denied arrears’ payment under the Charter dated 11^th October, 2010.

4.      Were any of the above employees paid the arrears amount by LIC of India?  If so, why, when and by whom? Names and other details as in (3) above, to be furnished. Documentary proof to be provided by LIC of India. 

5.      Is there any case filed by any such employee, whose arrears’ payment was repudiated by LIC of India, against LIC of India; in respect of any such Charter.  If so, details about the case—Name of the appellant, B.O. and D.O. addresses, residential and official address, telephone/mobile no., Charter Date (in respect of any such charter, including the latest one) and copy of the judgement.

6.      What was the outcome of the case as in (5) above?  Documentary proof to be provided by the LIC of India.

7.      No. of resigning employees all over India and the total amount repudiated (of arrears’ payment by LIC of India) with bifurcation in respect of each such employee; in the Charter dated 11^th October, 2010 applicable w.e.f August 2007.

8.      No. of employees, names, addresses, telephone/mobile nos. and amounts repudiated respectively (in respect of each one) under all the Charters of Wage Revisions (Previous 5 Charters, excluding the latest one) and their Branch Nos., Addresses of Branches, D.O. Nos., Addresses of D.O.s also to be provided.

9.      Since which year or which Charter has LIC of India started repudiating arrears’ payment legitimately due, to its resigning employees; and why?

10.  Details of the exact legal provisions and clauses on the bases of which LIC of India has arrived at its premise of refusing to pay Arrears’ payment and subsequent difference in retirement benefits to its resigning employees.

11.  Who takes this crucial decision to repudiate arrears’ payment to the employees?  The Government of India or LIC of India?  Details to be provided with documentary proof.

12.  The total no. of transactions effected under my S.R. No. 441595 from 1^st August, 2007 to 2^nd July, 2010, the last date of my service in LIC of India.

13.  Copy of the note or letter put up to the Chairman, LIC of India for the final decision regarding my resignation.

14.  Copy of the final approval of my resignation by LIC of India.

15.  Documents pertaining to the Board Meetings of LIC of India wherein this resolution to repudiate arrears of resigning employees; has been taken. Kindly provide Minutes of the Meetings with signatures of all the attending members. 

16.  With reference to my representation letters dated 20-10-2010 (addressed to the Executive Director, Personnel, LIC of India) and 20-11-2010 (addressed to the Chairman, LIC of India), sent through Speed Post and subsequent e-mails dated 22-10-10, 26-10-10, 01-11-10, 08-11-10, 13-11-10, 16-11-10, 20-11-10, 27-11-10, 04-12-2010, 06-12-2010, 09-12-2010, 13-12-2010, 21-12-2010, 24-12-2010, 25-12-2010, 30-12-2010, 04-01-2011, 13-01-2011, 17-01-2011, 28-01-2011, 31-01-2011, 08-02-2011; why were they not replied to immediately?  Why was there an inordinate delay of 8 months for a single line unsatisfactory reply vide letter dated 14-03-2011, received by me on 07-06-2011, that too replied to; not by the addressees of my letters, but by the lower office (Pune Divisional Office No.1)?  Kindly provide an explanation letter. 

17. Copy of the LIC of India, Staff Regulations, 1960 and subsequent modifications/amendments therein, if any.

 18.  Names, phone numbers and official addresses of the current Chairman, Officiating Chairman, Executive Directors, Managing Directors and Sr. Divisional Manager of Pune Divisional Office 1; LIC of India.

19.  Please provide a list of applicants for Wage Revision arrears’ payments in respect of the Charter dated 11^th October, 2010 during the last 16 months, giving names, dates of application and dates on which replies were issued by LIC of India. 

20.   What are the factors due to which the Wage Revision Charter is delayed inordinately, every time that it is legitimately due? 

21.   a) Does the LIC of India, Staff Regulations, 1960 and subsequent modifications/amendments therein, if any, contain any clause wherein it is mentioned that arrears payment after Wage Revision due to a Charter notification, may be denied to an employee on roll of the LIC of India in the period for which the Charter has been announced?

              b) If so, kindly point out the requisite provision or clause with adequate, satisfactory explanation/rationale.

              c) Does this denial of arrears payment and difference in retirement benefits, agree in principle, with the labour laws applicable in India?

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The copyright of this write-up is with Mrs. Priya Ramesh Swaminathan. 

 

L.I.C of India gave the answers to only 3 questions, that too half-baked! In the words of the C.P.I.O of the Western Zonal Office of the Corporation, L.I.C didn't want to open a Pandora's box, by replying to my queries. He mockingly and condescendingly told me that asking for answers from the Corporation was like breaking my head against a brick wall and also that the Corporation would never answer my queries. He was also disturbed that I had asked for penalty as per the R.T.I Act to be imposed on him and L.I.C of India for not answering my questions within the mandatory time-frame. With audacity, he told me that my case would be closed in a month's time and nothing would come of it! He challenged me to approach the High Court. Then he asked me to treat his phone call to my mobile number as "Off the Record"! 

 

If this is not intimidation and harassment of an ex-employee, what is? Shame on the Corporation and its officials who treat the hard-working ex-employees who have resigned for reasons beyond their control; like dirt! And we are just asking for our legally rightful dues!

 

But I placed it on record in my First and Second Appeals to the Information Commissioner and even squarely confronted him during the videoconferencing session at N.I.C. He blatantly lied that he had never called me up! I retorted by saying that he was lying. The I.C. took cognizance and then asked him to be more transparent (read - honest in his dealings) in future! 

 

We, the resigning and long-suffering ex-employees of L.I.C of India are still awaiting the remaining answers, with bated breath. And of course, payment of our dues with the requisite accrued interest!

No file notings with L.I.C of India regarding wage revision recommendations

 The following document shows how L.I.C of India, a premier, government run enterprise takes important decisions such as wage revision and repudiation of the resigning ex-employees hard-earned wages which are their constitutional right.

It has submitted the following document in response to my R.T.I query which reveals that it has NO FILE NOTINGS REGARDING WAGE REVISION RECOMMENDATIONS! 

 Note the point in the document that says "File notings regarding wage revision recommendations of LIC do not exist. Hence cannot be provided."

Isn't it absolutely shocking that this insurance behemoth doesn't even consider it necessary to mention/approve/ratify any of its wage revision decisions including the ones that cruelly/ illegally/unjustly deprive its resigning, ex-employees of their due, enhanced, back-wages and ensuing difference in Statutory Retirement Benefits?

Since this repudiation goes way back to 25 years, the Corporation, out of sheer herd mentality and an absolute and pathetic lack of application of mind; keeps on committing the same blunder ad nauseum and to the utter financial loss of its hapless resigning, ex-employees.

Interestingly, even the Finance Ministry, that ratifies the Wage Revision Charter doesn't deem it fit to ask for the same! So the cavalier attitude and approach is replicated at all levels. 

Besides, we wonder with amazement and dismay about what is the criteria for ratification then? If there are no criteria, doesn't the whole exercise become arbitrary, that is unbecoming and just not acceptable for an institution of L.I.C's caliber!

If there are no reasons for repudiation of arrears, how can they even be repudiated, that too since 1997? L.I.C could not give me any reason to repudiate the arrears. 

Surely the Corporation understands that sound reasoning, honesty, transparency, ethics and empathy are required to run the affairs of such a large, public sector enterprise? It can't act like a petulant, recalcitrant kid that makes off with someone's belongings (read - our wages) and doesn't return them at all!

We can only hope and pray that it is better governed and administered in the  days to come or it will not take long for it to plunge into an ABYSS OF NO RETURN OR REDEMPTION.

L.I.C of India admits to "No reason to repudiate arrears".

          In response to my R.T.I Application's Second Appeal, the Chief Information Officer of the Western Zonal Office of L.I.C of India admitted in writing, that there is no reason on record to repudiate the arrears to the resigning ex-employees. That being the case, how can the Corporation repudiate the arrears so blithely? 

          Now, given the fact that L.I.C's I.P.O will be announced soon, it is even more shocking. Imagine an organization of L.I.C of India's stature, taking decisions arbitrarily; that too affecting thousands of ex-employees who have slogged to fill its coffers, enhance its reputation and profitability; and been literally left with a begging bowl! 

          The Corporation refuses to give answers to valid and pertinent queries put forth by the resigning ex-employees, hides/fudges statistics on flimsy, illegal and untenable pretexts, urges the ex-employees to approach courts of law for justice despite clear rulings by the Supreme Court in this regard and keeps adding insult to injury by including the same clause that has been declared as "ultra vires" by the Supreme Court, in every wage revision charter till date.

          This prompts us to believe that L.I.C of India has become too big for its boots as it flouts the Constitution, the Supreme Court's binding orders and thus, the laws of the nation. Now, only the prospective investors, auditors, vigilance agencies, the Supreme Court and our government can cut it to size by demanding the same answers that we have been demanding, to be made public.

          A word of caution to the prospective investors - BEWARE! 

          If L.I.C of India can rob us in broad daylight by depriving us of our legally rightful dues, can't it do the same to you in future?

          For the record, as per the Corporation's response to my R.T.I queries, the wage revision arrears' payments are being willfully repudiated since 1st August, 1997, that is nearly 25 years!

Interestingly, there is no grievance redressal mechanism for ex-employees in the Corporation. 

My emails regarding representation of my case, were ignored 22 times. Later, My R.T.I appeals were shunted from pillar to post. I was intimidated and threatened.  

I PUT IT ON RECORD IN MY R.T.I APPEAL. 

I EVEN CALLED L.I.C'S BLUFF DURING THE VIDEOCONFERENCING SESSION WITH THE C.P.A.I.O AND I.C. THE I.C ADMONISHED THE CONCERNED OFFICIAL.

L.I.C of India believes in insulting our hard work and dedication and is interested only in passing the buck! 

How will this attitude of the Corporation work in light of the proposed I.P.O? 

                                                         Only God can help us now!

L.I.C, remember, I am made of sterner stuff. I will never say die. 

                                                           SATYAMEVA JAYATE!
 

Why LIC's IPO is not a good idea - An excerpt from a report in the New Indian Express

 

https://www.newindianexpress.com/opinions/2021/sep/02/why-the-lic-ipo-is-not-a-good-idea-2353009.html

Why the LIC IPO is not a good idea

In a country where only around 2% of the population access the share market, unlocking the value of a mammoth financial organisation for the purpose of retail investors will undermine...

By P Satish

                                                              An excerpt

The move to disinvest LIC will severely impact the economy and vulnerable sections of the population. The objectives of nationalisation will recede into the background and LIC will have to concentrate on delivering increasing profits to the shareholders . Like private companies,  it will have to target big policies that bring greater profits. In the process, the small-size policies that the poor, vulnerable and lower middle classes purchase will no longer be attractive. The social objective of providing insurance cover to the weaker sections will face a setback. The aim of expanding insurance in the unprofitable rural areas too will suffer. 

As per one of the 27 proposed amendments, the Centre will hold at least 75% in LIC for the first five years after the IPO, and subsequently hold at least 51% at all times after five years of the listing. Hence, it is obvious that shares in LIC may be pared down to 51% in a span of five years . The entire edifice of LIC is built on complete trust of people. So prudence is necessary before going ahead to sell equity in it.

History and present developments bear testimony to the fact that a strong LIC is sine qua non for Atmanirbhar Bharat.

P Satish
President of LIC Employees, SCZIEF (AP, Karnataka and Telangana)
(prayaga.satish@gmail.com)

                                                                 End of excerpt 

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Our take on this issue:

Firstly L.I.C of India must fulfill its obligation towards us, long-suffering ex-employees who have been unjustly denied our wage revision arrears and difference in retirement dues, arising due to the wage revision since 1997. The Corporation must immediately pay us our legally rightful dues before actually listing the IPO.

We agree with the above-mentioned report that L.I.C of India must pursue its social objectives of providing affordable life insurance protection to all strata of society in India, instead of becoming a purely commercial enterprise.

We would also caution the prospective investors that they should make an informed decision, as L.I.C of India evades responsibility and doesn't provide requisite information to RTI applicants. 

Though the above-mentioned report states that:

"LIC is already a transparent and efficient board-managed institution. It comes out with public disclosures every quarter. It submits reports of its functioning every month to the regulator IRDAI. It places its accounts in Parliament for scrutiny. If this is not transparent functioning, what else is?"

We beg to differ!

L.I.C of India has evaded giving statistics regarding number of ex-employees in respect of whom arrears have been repudiated, the huge amounts involved, etc. by saying that it doesn't have this data in the form of a record. 

It has also not accounted for these amounts in its Balance Sheet since 1997! This proves that its records are not fully reliable and transparent. 

So we would also caution the prospective investors that they should make an informed decision, as L.I.C of India evades responsibility and doesn't provide requisite information to R.T.I applicants and wants to make its ex-employees run from pillar to post and be involved in time-consuming, unnecessary and expensive litigation. It doesn't respect the esteemed Supreme Court's decisions and its own ex-employees, so how can the prospective investors expect a better treatment? 

Besides, the value of shares of IPOs of the recently listed Government non-life insurance companies like New India Assurance Company Ltd. have fallen steeply, eroding investors' confidence!