In pre-pension era, in Banking Industry, a retiree on his receiving retiral dues such as Provident Fund – self and Bank’s contribution – Gratuity, Leave Encashment, Additional Retirement Benefit was forgotten by the Bank as also trade union to which he was attached for over three decades, during service period. His bonds with organization, colleagues were snapped overnight and he felt totally cut off and grappled to adjust to the void created by sudden cessation of linkages with the institutions, colleagues and friends. It was a sort of “corporate death” for a retiree.

In such an environment closely observing the efforts of such retiree to come to terms with changed situations at home and society, Shri V. T. Makwana mooted and placed before few like minded friends the idea/proposal of forming an organization to provide a platform to continue the snapped linkages and foster the spirit of fraternity and fellowship among the retirees. Sarva Shri (Late) A. A. Raval, K. R. Patel, B. N. Patel, C. J. Pancholi whole heartedly accepted the proposal and after establishing contacts with retiree colleagues in Gujarat, a meeting was convened at Ahmedabad on 17th March 1990 to give final shape to the idea.

 

President :	(Late) Shri A. A. Raval - Retired DGM - Vadodara
Vice-President :	Shri B. S. Sheth - Vadodara
General Secretary :	Shri V. T. Makwana - Ahmedabad
Asstt. Secretary :	Shri C. J. Pancholi - Ahmedabad
Treasurer :	Shri N. S. Shah - Ahmedabad
Members :	Shri J. N. Dholakia - Rajkot Shri B. N. Patel - Ahmedabad Shri R. M. Mehta - Mumbai Shri S. N. Nadkarni - Mumbai

A circular was issued on the same day and mailed to retired colleagues known and also to others after obtaining a list of retirees from Head Office, Baroda.Besides this, A communication was also addressed to the Chairman & Managing Director advising formation of the organization and its office-bearers. In that first communication, the following requests were made:

• Extending Holiday Home facility
• Extending Medical Assistance
• Introduction of Pension Schem

The formation of "Bank of Baroda Retired Officers’ Association" (BOBROA) on all India basis was whole heartedly accepted by retired colleagues and within a period of six months, more than 100 retired officers from Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh were enrolled. After introduction of pension, the enrollment of members got further momentum and today, after its over -32- years’ glorious existence, its Membership  has crossed the mark of 14859+. BOBROA has membership from all cadre of officers, from Chairman & Managing Directors, Executive Directors, General Manager and up to officers in junior level.

*Membership Number of 2024 is as of 1st October 2024

With the merger of erstwhile 'DENA Bank' and erstwhile 'VIJAYA Bank' with Bank of Baroda. BOBROA has been welcoming the Retiree Offcers of erstwhile 'DENA Bank' and erstwhile 'VIJAYA Bank'  as its Members. Many Retiree Officers from these -2- earstwhile Banks have joined BOBROA.  

It order to have proper and efficiaent  administration, BOBROA has set up  -12- Zones with an elected Zonal Team consisting of Zonal President, Zonal Secretary, Zonal Treasurer and other Office Bearers  to look after various Zonal Functions  Besides these,

BOBROA has its Central Management Team consiting  of Chairman, National President, Executive President, General Secretary, -12- Natonal Vice President (1 each from each Zone), -12- Assistant General Secreatry (1 from each Zone) and Govening Council Members. It has a separate aTeam named as "Central Legal Group" to look after all Legal Issues pertaing to Retirees. All the Fuctionaries and Zonal Teams are Elected every -4- years. 

 The present distrubtion of -12- Zones has been as under:

 

ZONE	AREA
Ahmedabad	Ahmedabad, North Gujarat & Saurashtra
Baroda	Central & South Gujarat, Kheda & Panchmahals
Greater Mumbai & Goa Zone - Mumbai	Greater Mumbai & Thane
Maharastra & Goa Zone - Pune	Maharashtra & Goa
Northern Zone -  Delhi	Delhi-NCR, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal, J&K, Madhya Pradesh, Chhatisgarh
Rajsthan Zone - Jaipur	Rajsthan
Eastern U. P. Zone -Lucknow	Eastern Uttar Pradesh
Western U. P. Zone - Bareilly	Westrn Uttar Pradesh & Uttarakhand
Southern Zone, Chennai	Tamilnadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Pondicherry
Eastern Zone, Kolkata	West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, Assam & North-Eastern States

At present, Bank of Baroda Retired Officers’ Association is the largest cadre-based organization in Public Sector and Private Sector Banks. Even though BOBROA is cadre-based organization of Officers, it has always espoused and promoted the cause/interest of entire retiree community of “Barodians” irrespective of cadre. The Association purchased its own office premises in the year 2004.

The Association has taken a lead in organizing bank retirees at apex level. In 1994, BOBROA along with other organizations of retirees in Bank of India, Central Bank, UCO Bank, Dena Bank convened an all India convention of Bank retirees organizations at Ahmedabad and formed All India Bank Retirees Federation. Shri V. T. Makwana, General Secretary of BOBROA was elected as Secretary of Gujarat unit of AIBRF. Here also BOBROA was largest single affiliate of AIBRF.

In year 2003, due to policy level differences, BOBROA withdrew its affiliation with AIBRF and established Retired Bank Officers’ National Confederation (RBONC) an apex level body with H.Q. at Bangalore, At present Shri Subhash Chand Ahuja is its  Executive President, and Shri D. K. Nadiger is its General Secretary.

Feeling the need of having a united body of retirees’ organization, United Forum of Bank Retirees’ Organisation was formed on the lines of United Forum of Bank Unions.

BOBROA is important member of UFBRO.

BOBROA has also been instrumental in creation of a "United Front of Bank of Baroda Retirees' Associatons' (UFOBOBRA)by bringing the following -4- Retiees' Associations on a common platform:

• Bank of Baroda Retired Officers Association (BOBROA)
• Vijaya Bank Retirees Association (VBRA)
• All India Bank of Baroda Retirees Association (AIBOBRA)
• All India Dena Bank Retirees Federation (AIDBRF)

This common platform will falicitate the discussions with the 'Bank of Baroda' and it will be easier for the Bank as well
as for the Retirees’ Organizations to have an effective channel of communication for mutual benefit.

Achievements

With the policy of conducting affairs with consultation and not confrontations, BOBROA has been successful in getting the following benefits to its members in particular and other retired colleagues in general.

• Issue relating to "Addition of Notional Years (up to 5 Yeras to "Retiree Specialist Officers" under Regulation 26 ofBank of 'Baroda Employyes' Pension Regulations, 1995'.
• Payment of Subsidy towards the Premium paid by Retirees for Group Health Insurance Schme.
• Payment of Arrears for the "Short-Payment of Gratuity" to certain groups of Retirees
• Holiday Home facility to all and Holiday Home reservation procedure for the Retirees
• Providing Option for Pension to the 'Compulsarily Retirees',
• Restoration of ½% more interest on term deposits of retirees who are senior citizens over and above 1% allowed to in-service staff 
• Issue of pension payment order books.
• Issue of Identity Cards

Bank of Baroda Contributory Scheme of Medical Assistance to retired employees, one of the best among public sector banks for superannuated employees. We are actively following up extension of the scheme to VRS-2001 pensions.

BOBROA has achieved acceptability as matured responsible organization with the Bank. The former and Present Chairman & Managing Directors have graced the functions arranged by BOBROA as Chief Guests at Baroda and Mumbai on quite a number of occasions. Other executives at Central and Zonal level also respond to our invitation to participate in functions. The representations by BOBROA to the Bank receive due attention and response.

Our efforts in fighting for the injustice meted out to the specialist officers in the matter of fixation of pension yielded the desired result when the Honorable Supreme Court of India gave its verdict on 20^th July 2017 in favour of the Retired Specialist Officers.

Briefly stated, this matter had arisen on account of  the improper interpretation of Regulation 26 of the Bank of Baroda (Employees’) Pension Regulation, 1995 (BOBEPR, 1995) by the Bank. The Bank had denied addition in the “qualifying service” for calculation of Pension payable to the Specialists and other officers.

Aggrieved by this denial, our members Mr. V. Vijayan and three others filed writ petitions in Madras High Court in 2011. Our Association fully backed them in this case. The case was won by them in 2014. But the Bank filed a writ appeal in Madras High Court and the Division Bench gave an order in favour of the Bank.  Against this order of Madras High Court, a SLP No. 5378-5381/2015 was filed in Supreme Court. This case was tagged on to a similar case in SLP 38764/2016 between Allahabad Bank& others Vs Anandpal Saxena and others.

After hearing the case the Honorable Supreme Court passed order upholding the appeal of Mr. V. Vijayan and others. But again the Bank filed a review petition against this order and the same had been dismissed by the Honorable Supreme Court

This is one more achievement of our organization. The efforts put in by South Zone team are commendable. Shri Rajedrakumar Salecha, Shri Vachharajani, Shri H. L. Desai and others also provided the valuable inputs. 

The IBA has also issued a circular to all PSU Banks to implement the said Judgemnt for the Specilists Officers of their Banks. 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________
ANOTHER JUDGEMENT OF THE HON'BLE SUPREME COURT WHERE THE FINAL HEARING HELD AT THE HON'BLE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA ON 13TH FEBRUARY 2018 RELATING TO:

"50% OF PAY AS PENSION (1616 -1684 CONSUMER PRICE INDEX ISSUE) CA NO. 5525/2012 BANK OF BARODA & ORS. Vs G. PALANI & ORS, AND 18 BATCHES COMPRISING OF 982 SPECIAL LEAVE PETITIONS IN RESPECT OF VARIOUS BANKS - 

This is yet another feather in BOBROA's cap alongwith Pensioners / Organization of Canara Bank, State Bank of Mysore and Indian Overseas Bank in a long run and expensive legal battle over a decade. 

The Joint Note dated 14.12.1999 (relatable to 7th Bipartite Settlement signed on 27.3.2000) provided for revision in pay scales of Officers w. e. f. 1.4.1998 with merger of D.A. at -1684-points. However, for pension calculation, the merger of D.A. was restricted to -1616-points.

The anomaly was rectified from 1.5.2005 resulting in· to the merger of -1684-points, but the arrears of pension for the blocks 1.4.1998 to 31.10.2002 and 1.11.2002 to 30.4.2005 i.e.in aggregate for -85- months were not paid.

The Division Bench of the Hon'ble Madras High Court per judgment dated 28.6.2011 had directed for making payment of the arrears finding that the action of the Bank in paying the reduced pension is contrary to the provisions contained in Regulation 2(d) and 35 of Pension Regulations 1995.

The Bank had challenged the Order passed by Division Bench of Hon'ble Madras High Court.

After hearing the arguments/submissions made by the Advocates of both sides in the course of the final hearing, which lasted for about -3- hours, the Hon'ble Supreme Court delivered judgement on 13th February 2018, the effect of which is as under:

"In respect of Pensioners retired on or after 01.04.1998, Pension has to be re-calculated and arears paid from the date of retirement till 30-04-2005 in terms of Bank of Baroda Employees' Pension Regulations, 1995 along with simple in terest at 9% within four months." 

We heartily congratulate our Advocate Shri Vipin Jai and Sr. Counsel B.B.Sahwney for their effective result oriented submission. We also thank and appreciate efforts of our following members for providing inputs and case laws to our advocates:

a.    Mr.R.K.Salecha, Convenor, Central Legal Committee.
b.    Mr.H.L.Desai, Member, Central Legal Committee
c.    Shri Anil Gupta, Member, Central Legal Committee
d.    Shri K.R.Ganesh Rao, Zonal Secretary, Bengaluru Zone.
e.    Shri G.Palani, First Petitioner and National Vice President, Chennai Zone
f.    Shri R.Rajendra Babu, Governing Councel Member
g.    Shri P. Ramamurthy, Advocate & Member Chennai Zone

The aforesaid Judgment has come on account of meticulous handling of the matter at various levels, which will bring good financial gains to the concerned retiree colleagues. This Judgement also strengthens our belief and unshaken commitment to fight for the injustice for various issues relating to the BOB's Pensioners community.

This achievement is also the outcome of the much efforts put in by all the litigants as well as that of various Retirees' Organizations, which stood firmly with them, all through this litigation journey.

The IBA has issueed a circular to all PSU Banks to implement in their Banks the aforesaid Supreme Court's Judgemnt dated 13th February 2018. A copy of IBA Circular dated 03 April 2018 has been placed the web page of "Recent Circulars".  

 

TASK AHEAD

BOBROA is actively engaged in bringing the following benefits to Retirees:

• Updation of Pension (on the lines of Updation of Pension given by RBI to its Retirees) 
• 100% neutralization of D.A. for Pre 2012 Retirees 
• Uniform Medical Scheme.and Payment of Premium for the Retirees by the Bank
• Increase the Share in allocation of Staff Welfare Fund for the Retirees 
• Removal of discrimination to officers Voluntarily Retired Officers under Bank of Baroda Officers' Service Regulations, 1979 in extending II option for Pension.
• Restoration of Commuted Value of Pension after 12 years instead of 15 years as at present.
• Increase in Family Pension to uniform 30% instead of slab rates. 
• Increase in Commutation of Pension from 33% to 40%.
• Grant of Pension option to retirees of erstwhile Bareilly Corporation Bank and Banaras Bank, taken over by our Bank.

BOBROA has also initiated/ to initiate judicial interventions in following areas.

• Updation of Pension (on the lines of Updation of Pension given by RBI to its Retirees) ( a case has been filed at Gujarat High Court since long and now it has come to 'Argumant' stage - being followed up vigourously) 
• 100% neutralization of D.A. for pre- 1998 Retirees.
• Payment of arrears of Pension revision to post 1-4-98 Pensions 
• Denial of Pension option to VRS (under ORS) group of retirees

With its dedicated and loyal large membership and over 150 active Governing Council and Zonal Committee Members, BOBROA is poised to extend better service to its Members as also to the retiree community in the Banking Industry.

For further details for BOBROA's "TASK AHEAD", please visit Web Pages (of this Web Site) at "TASK AHEAD" and "PENDING LEGAL ISSUES" Web Pages.