Amendment to Payment of Bonus

Amendment to Payment of Bonus Act, 1965 – Revision of wage calculation limit from Rs.3500/- p.m. to Rs.7000/- p.m. with effect from 01-04-2014 – Payment of P.L., Bonus to Railway employees at revised rate of Rs.7000/- p.m.

National Federation Of Indian Railwaymen
3, CHELMSFORD ROAD, NEW DELHI – 110 055
Affiliated to:
Indian National Trade Union congress (INTUC)
International Transport workers Federation (ITF)

No.I/10/Part IV

Dated: 07-03-2016

Shri Suresh Prabhu,
Hon’ble Minister for Railways
Rail Mantralaya
New Delhi.

Respected Sir,

Sub: Amendment to Payment of Bonus Act, 1965 – Revision of wage calculation limit from Rs.3500/- p.m. to Rs.7000/- p.m. with effect from 01-04-2014 – Payment of P.L., Bonus to Railway employees at revised rate of Rs.7000/- p.m. -reg.

Ref: Railway Board’s reply vide No.E(P&A)II-2014/PLB-8 dated 16-02-2016 to GS/NFIR.

while thanking the Railway Ministry for its prompt reply to NFIR under reference No.E(P&A)II-2014/PLB-8 dated 16-02-2016, the Federation re-iterates the following facts for taking appropriate steps by the Government.

(i) The chronological developments since decades need to be taken into account for processing the case for payment of PL Bonus to the Railway employees at the revised wage calculation ceiling limit i.e.Rs.7000/- p.m. w.e.f. 01-04-2014.

(ii) When the Bonus Act was amended, raising the wage calculation ceiling from Rs.750 to 1600, the Railway employees were paid PL Bonus at the revised wage calculation ceiling limit. subsequently, when the Bonus Act was amended, revising the wage calculation limit from Rs.1600/- to Rs.2500/-, the said rate was adopted by the Railway Ministry and PL Bonus paid to the Railway employees at the revised rates.

(iii) When the wage calculation ceiling was again revised to Rs.3500/- w.e.f. 1st April 2006, the Federation took up the issue and explained the merits of the case for adopting the rate of Rs.3500/- w.e.f. 01-04-2006 for ensuring payment of PL Bonus. The Railway Ministry had processed the case and obtained Union Cabinet’s approval and issued orders vide letter No.E(P&A)II-2008/PLB-10 dated 03-10-2008, duly revising the wage calculation ceiling to Rs.3500/- wit retrospective effect i.e. from 01-04-2006, consequently, PLB arrears for the year 2006-07 were paid to the Railway employees in October 2008.

From the above facts, it could be seen that the payment of P.L.Bonus has been ensured commensurating with the revision of wage calculation ceiling limit made through amendments to Bonus Act,1965 without any deviation. Similarly When the wage calculation ceiling limit has been raised to Rs.7000/- p.m., the Railway Employees are entitled for payment of P.L.Bonus at revised rates for the year 2014-15.

NFIR, therefore, requests the Hon’ble Railway Minister to kindly arrange to process the case on top priority for obtaining the approval of the Union Cabinet for making payment of PL Bonus arrears pertaining to the year 2014-15 to the Railway Employees at the earliest.

Yours sincerely,

Sd/-
(Dr.M.Raghavaiah)
General Secretary

Source: NFIR

‘Vicks Action 500 Extra’ with immediate effect after the government banned

FMCG firm Procter and Gamble (P&G) has discontinued the manufacture and sale of its popular brand ‘Vicks Action 500 Extra’ with immediate effect after the government banned fixed dose combination drugs.

“The Government of India has prohibited the manufacture for sale, sale and distribution of fixed dose combination drugs (Paracetamol + Phenylephrine + Caffeine) with immediate effect,” Pfizer said in a BSE filing.

It further said: “Our product ‘Vicks Action 500 Extra’ has the same fixed dose combination and is covered under the notification. We have discontinued the manufacture and sale of all SKUs of ‘Vicks Action 500 Extra with immediate effect.”

In a gazette notification on March 10, the government had, among others,banned manufacture, sale and distribution of fixed dose combinationof chlopheniramine maleate plus codiene syrup which is used in the cough syrups.

On Monday, drug majors Pfizer and Abbott stopped sale of their popular cough syrups Corex and Phensedyl respectively, after the government banned over 300 fixed dose combinations (FDCs) drugs.

The two companies, however, said they are exploring “all options” to counter the impact of ban.

Pfizer said it has stopped the sale of its Corex cough syrup that garnered sales of Rs. 176 crore in the nine-month period ended December 31, and said the government’s move will have an adverse impact on it.

“The company is exploring all available options at its disposal... The prohibition is likely to have an adverse impact on the revenue and profitability of the company,” Pfizer had said in a BSE filing.

In view of the government ban on manufacture and sale of Corex, the “company has discontinued the manufacture and sale of it’s drug ‘Corex’ with immediate effect,” Pfizer said adding that Corex has a well established efficacy and safety profile in India for more then 30 years.

Abbott also stopped sale of its Phensedyl cough syrup.

When contacted a company spokesperson said: “Abbott is complying with all legal requirements related to the government notification.”

The company termed the Health Ministry’s decision to ban “certain fixed dose combinations drugs that have been already approved” as an “unilateral approach”.

“Abbott has reviewed the DCGI notification and we are concerned about the unilateral approach in prohibiting the manufacture, sale and distribution of certain fixed dose combinations that have already been approved for use by DCGI. We are evaluating the notification and exploring all available options,” the spokesperson said.

Some of these formulations have been the treatment of choice in specific medical conditions, Abbott said.

“We are concerned that patients may not have access to some medicines which have been approved by DCGI and safely and effectively used in India for years,” Abbott spokesperson said.