DUTA Letter to VC regarding Letter from the Finance Branch dated 05 April 2018

17.04.2018
The Vice-Chancellor
University of Delhi
Delhi – 110007

Subject: Regarding Letter from the Finance Branch dated 05 April 2018 addressed to the College Principals

Dear  Prof. Tyagi,

The DUTA welcomes the letter from the Finance Branch dated 05.04.2018, addressed to the College Principals and hopes that this first step would be followed by the immediate release of pension to all with GPF numbers given by the university, thereby resolving the long pending crisis facing the retired teaching and non-teaching employees of the University.

However, as you are aware, a large number of teaching and non-teaching employees were shifted over from CPF to GPF in 1988 (the letter talks of the period between 1989 and 1998) who are yet to receive pensions. The letter of 5th April 2018 makes it incumbent on the university to settle these cases urgently and independently as they were placed by the university in the GPF scheme as a consequence of the OM of 1987, prior to the successive options offered by the university.

 Among the large number of GPF account holders who have not yet been given pensions, there are many who neither signed the 1987 proforma for continuation of CPF, nor any subsequent proforma for shifting to GPF. As far as these persons are concerned,  the university must acknowledge and take responsibility for the GPF numbers allotted to them, and must release their pensions immediately.

There are a number of teaching and non-teaching employees whose CPF accounts were closed in 1999 and who were shifted over from CPF to GPF  the same year. Most were also given GPF account numbers. The DUTA is of the firm opinion that all those whose CPF accounts have been closed by the Colleges/University and who are now being denied pensions are victims of a gross betrayal amounting to breach of contract. You are therefore requested to ensure that the  pension matters of such persons are not left unresolved.

The language/wording of the above mentioned letter is a bit unfortunate as it puts the onus of the status of GPF holders on the individuals concerned by stating that they “shifted” from CPF to GPF out of their own volition. In reality, it was at the university’s initiative that all GPF holders had been placed in the pension scheme. As such, instead of holding the individuals responsible for what it calls the shift, the university must take a call on its own duty of releasing pensions to those it had placed in the pension scheme 1988 onwards.

The University must also appreciate the fact that while it is calculating the financial implications of giving pensions to GPF holders, it has withdrawn and is in possession of the withdrawn CPF accounts along with the compound interest earned on them, along with the continuous grants it has been receiving under the pension head from the UGC since the allotments to GPF.

Under the present circumstances, the delay in releasing pensions, that should not have been stalled in the very first place, is gross injustice and must be immediately rectified.

The DUTA hopes that instead of creating further hurdles, you, as head of this prestigious public institution, would stand by the cause of the retirees who have put in almost four decades of service, and would order immediate release of pensions.

With regards,