The president of life Insurance Agents’ Federation of India, Bhopal Division Pradeep Rawat while addressing the agitating agents on Thursday, said, “Unity of agents is must to ensure the existence of insurance agents.”
The insurance agents are on strike since January 16 under the banner of Agents’ Federation of India (lIAFI) protesting the service tax on premium policy and other deductions.
Notably, as part of the All-India strike launched by life Insurance Agents’ Federation of India, all agents of Bhopal branch of lIC have been staging a relay hunger strike-cum-agents’ rest day in front of the branch office. The hunger strike by Bhopal division was launched on March 16 and it will be continuing till March 21.
Rawat said that the lIC was established in 1956 by government of India with a mere sum of `5 crore. The company is now the biggest insurance company of the country due to the hard work done by over 11 lakh agents, but now due to the stubborn attitude of the life Insurance Corporation (lIC), the agents are forced to go on strike, he added.
He said that the agents, who are on country-wide strike for 77 days are requesting through the lIAFI agitation to not to ignore the interests of the agents else all the eleven lakh agents would be forced to lodge their protest before the Parliament in New Delhi.
The demands of the federation include service tax on premium of lIC insurance, TDS deduction, increase in bonus, to restore section of 44 of Insurance Act, 1938, identity card for lIC agents and increase in group insurance.
