People's Democracy

Successful Countrywide Strike In NABARD

MORE than 5,400 employees and officers of NABARD, under the banner of All India NABARD Employees Association (AINBEA) and NABARD Officers Association (NOA), held a successful strike in NABARD all over India, including in training centers and district development offices on October 5, 2004. The employees and officers held dharnas, submitted memorandums etc on the day and vowed to further intensify the struggle till their demands were met.

Rana Mitra, secretary, (AINBEA) and  L K Pingle, president (NOA) in a statement issued from Kolkata on October 5 congratulated the employees and officers on the successful strike. They announced that a march to parliament would be held during the coming winter session of parliament and if their demands are still not met, they would embark on a two day strike.

MAIN DEMANDS

1. Maintenance of parity in pay scales and other service conditions, including superannuation benefits with RBI which has been going on for the last 22 years by virtue of seven bi-partite settlements entered into between AINBEA and NABARD management under provisions of NABARD Act, 1981 etc. Unfortunately, this has been sought to be disturbed by the union ministry of finance and top management of NABARD at a time when paradoxically NABARD is assigned with the task of doubling the ground level agricultural credit in the country within next three years.

2. Maintenance of Development Financial Institution (DFI)/ Public Financial Institution (PFI) status of NABARD which received sanctions even from recent recommendations of the committees like “Advisory Committee on Flow of Credit to Agriculture and Related Activities from the Banking System” (popularly known as the Vyas Committee) which submitted its report to Reserve Bank of India in 30 June 2004.

3. Maintenance of public sector character of NABARD without diluting the shareholding pattern of RBI and GOI.

4. Flow of smooth concessionary funds from RBI/ GOI to NABARD in the interest of millions of landless, small and marginal farmers of the country.

The associations noted that only a long drawn battle one would help in realising their demands. Among the actions planned in the future is submitting of signed petitions to the presiding officers of both Houses of parliament and two-days’ strike thereafter.  Both the associations have expressed thanks to All India Reserve Bank Employees Association (AIRBEA), All India Coordination Committee of Unions in the Financial Sector (AICCUFS) and its constituent units, All India Regional Rural Bank Employees Association (AIRRBEA), CITU and other fraternal organisations for giving total support to the strike.