Department of Public Enterprises, as part of pay revision 2007 policy, had authorised CPSEs to create a corpus in order to take care of medical and any other emergency needs of retired employees, who retired prior to 01.01.2007 and are not adequately covered by any pension scheme. ONGC was the first organization to propose a scheme to actualize the above provision. The ONGC Board initially had approved a scheme in March 2011, named Agrani Aapda Seva scheme, which was forwarded to the administrative ministry for approval as required. After several rounds of discussions and modifications, and with the intervention at the highest levels in the ministry, it was realised that the scheme would need structural changes, to comply with the DPE stipulations in letter and spirit.
Consequently, the scheme was recast and re-christened as Asha Kiran, and with the approval of the Board was forwarded to MoPNG, who, after further deliberations and clarifications had accorded formal approval in July 2013.
The exact modalities for implementation and roll out were subsequently discussed in the ONGC Board and the HRM Sub-Committee, and I am pleased to announce that final approvals for the scheme and implementation modalities are now in hand.
Chief ER would be issuing the detailed guidelines as approved in the Board. As would be seen, rolling out and sustaining this scheme, needs the involvement not only at the Corporate level, but also at the work centre level, where Key executives and respective I/c or Heads HR have to play key roles.
I would like to use this forum to extend my sincere thanks to the ONGC Board, Hon'ble Minister and Minister of State for Petroleum & Natural Gas, Secretary (P&NG), Additional Secretary (F&A), Joint Secretary (E), Advisor (IFD) who supported us wholeheartedly and Chief ER along with his team, who contributed greatly in bringing this scheme to shape. I would particularly like to thank all the Superannuated Employees Associations, particularly the Delhi Chapter led by Shri G.D. Dhingra and Dr. Jauhari Lal, who also co-operated and supported us with empathy and understanding during this long journey towards formation of the 'Asha Kiran' scheme.
May I call upon all concerned to act with a sense of urgency such that the actual benefits start accruing early to those veterans who stood by us with patience and understanding all this while.
Serving employees may convey the contents of this message to superannuated employees whom they may be acquainted with. This message is being published in the ongcindia.com portal, as well.
