The Central Government has responded to the employee organizations demanding old pension even before the presentation of the interim budget. Joint Forum for Restoration of Old Pension Scheme (JFROPS)/National Joint Council of Action (NJCA) had written a letter to the Finance Ministry on January 11 for restoration of old pension.
The E-V branch of the Expenditure Department of the Finance Ministry has responded to the said letter last week. It said that the committee constituted under the chairmanship of Secretary/SE, Ministry of Finance, on the issue of NPS, has held two rounds of detailed discussions with the Staff Side of National Council (JCM) in this regard. The Committee has taken note of the valuable suggestions from the Side of the National Council. The points mentioned in the letter sent by NJCA on January 11 have already been placed before the committee.
‘NPS’ without guarantee is not acceptable
Restoration of Old Pension Scheme Joint Forum/National Joint Council of Action convener Shiv Gopal Mishra had written a letter to the Finance Ministry demanding restoration of old pension. Mishra said, we have requested the government several times that the old pension should be implemented.
‘NPS’ scheme without guarantee is not acceptable to government employees. The central government will have to end it. Nothing less than the restoration of the ‘old pension scheme’ which was defined and guaranteed to government employees is acceptable. In his letter, Shiv Gopal Mishra had mentioned the employees of the Central Government, including Railways, Defence, Postal, Income Tax, Accounts and Audit, Central Secretariat, ISRO and DAE etc.
Apart from these, the letter also demanded to bring autonomous organizations, central paramilitary forces, government employees of all states, employees of UT areas, primary teachers, high school teachers, higher education department, college and university teachers under the ambit of old pension. Was.
Situation on OPS will be clear in the interim budget
Sources say that in the interim budget to be presented on February 1, the situation will become clear whether government employees will come under the ambit of old pension or NPS will continue. The Central Government will not reinstate OPS, but a draft to make NPS more attractive can be seen in the interim budget.
Ten percent of the employees’ money and 14 percent of the government’s money are being deposited in NPS, the government can make major changes in this. The government is making efforts to add the word ‘guaranteed’ in the old pension, which gives an assurance to the employees, in the NPS as well. If DA/DR rates are increased, something new may be seen on how the employees can get partial benefit in NPS.
Agreed to indefinite strike
AIDEF General Secretary C. Sreekumar says, if the ‘old pension’ is not implemented before the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP will have to suffer the consequences. Including employees, pensioners and their relatives, this number crosses ten crores. This number is decisive to cause a major upset in the elections.
This is why employee organizations are now contacting various political parties. If they accept the demands of the employees, then the support of ten crore votes can go in favor of the concerned political party. Two major employee organizations of the country, Railways and Defense (Civil), have given their consent for an indefinite strike. In the strike ballot, 96 percent of the 11 lakh Railway employees are ready to go on indefinite strike if OPS is not implemented. Apart from this, 97 percent of the four lakh employees of the Defense Department (Civil) are in favor of the strike.
Government silent even after ‘Relay Hunger Strike’
Government employees had recently warned of a nationwide indefinite strike demanding restoration of old pensions in the country. Central employee organizations had conducted ‘Relay Hunger Strike’ across the country from January 8 to January 11.
Its purpose was to warn the government. National Joint Council of Action (NJCA) convenor Shivgopal Mishra had warned the government on the last day of the ‘Relay Hunger Strike’ that there would be no protest for the reinstatement of OPS. The government is forcing us to go on an indefinite strike. If an atmosphere like the 1974 railway strike is created in the country, the central government will be responsible for it.
A meeting of all employee organizations will be called soon. In that meeting, the date of the indefinite strike across the country will be decided. In case of strike, operation of trains and buses will stop. There will be no work in the offices of central and state governments.
