Varanasi, Feb. 13: Akhil Bharatiya Rashtriya Shakshik Mahasangh, (ABRSM) National Auditor and President JKUT, Devraj Thakur along with other leaders of the Mahasangh raised voice for restoration of Old Pension Scheme (OPS) from it’s National Executive meeting which concluded here today at Sarnath Varanasi (UP).
During the meeting , Thakur deliberated on the right of pension to the employees and at the same time he took suggestions from the delegates from all over the country to build a proper future roadmap for carrying out various activities and programs under the banner of (Akhil Bharatiya Rashtriya Shakshik Mahasangh (ABRSM), in order to make the campaign for restoration of OPS more strong and result oriented in the whole country and even in Jammu and Kashmir.
While talking to media persons, after the meeting here today at Sarnath, Thakur termed NPS full of demerits and flaws. He said that it is not beneficial for the post retirement life of an employee, who can even not meet the expenses of medicines and tuition of their wards from the meager pension through NPS.
He claimed that the future of employees and their families is not secure under the privatized new pension scheme (NPS), which is subjected to a high risk share market. They said that there are many pension cases under NPS in which it has been witnessed that retirees are getting just an amount of around Rs.1800 to 3000 as monthly pension in present times while the prices of basic commodities are sky rocketing.
He said the Government should accept the legitimate demand for restoration of OPS otherwise Akhil Bharatiya Rashtriya Shakshik Mahasangh, would intensify its agitation to mount the pressure on the Government for the same.
According to Thakur, the scheme is against the guarantee of equality provided by the Constitution, as it discriminated against NPS employees who are getting lesser pensions compared to OPS employees.
“It is a do-or-die situation. The fight will be taken to the local to national level. We are in touch with the several employees organisations in Jammu Kashmir also. We are aware about the country’s economic situation and are seeking a practical solution but how can a retired government employee run their household with a pension of Rs. 1,800 – ?” Thakur questioned.
The OPS assured life-long income post-retirement, usually equivalent to 50% of the last drawn salary. The government bears the expenditure incurred on the pension. Till February, there were 22.74 lakh Central government employees and 55.44 lakh State government employees enrolled under the NPS.
He went on underlining that “thousands of teachers and employees organisations have supported our campaign demanding the reinstatement of the old pension scheme for all government employees, uniform pay scale and service Regulations throughout the country, improved working conditions for teachers, ”.
Thakur further told that NPS vs OPS has become a new battleground between states and the Centre. After Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Punjab, Himachal Pradesh has become another state that has decided to replace National Pension System (NPS) with Old Pension Scheme (OPS).
These states have
informed the Central Government and Pension Fund Regulatory Development Authority (PFRDA) about their decision to restore OPS for their employees. Thakur have also asked the PFRDA to return the accumulated corpus of subscribers under NPS before implementing OPS .
“The pension Regulator has also informed the state governments that there is no provision for the refund of funds to state governments under the PFRDA Act 2013 and other related regulations that is the matter of serious concern”.
Thakur further told that “PFRDA has informed the states there is no such provision for refund of NPS corpus to state governments under relevant regulations.
PFRDA has informed the respective State Governments that there is no provision under Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Act, 2013 read along with PFRDA (Exits and Withdrawals under the National Pension System) Regulations, 2015, and other relevant Regulations, as amended from time to time, vide which the funds, which are already deposited both in the form of Government contribution and Employees’ contribution towards NPS, along with accruals, can be refunded and deposited back to the State Government,” said Devraj Thakur.
Thakur warned that, In the coming months, protests/demonstrations, dharanas at district, state and national level will be carried out simultaneously by ABRSM.
Highlighting the support his organisation received from other employee’s organisations on the pension issue, Thakur stressed during the press briefing that, “We will take to the roads if our demands are not satisfied within the specified time”.
The Government should Accept the Legitimate demand for Restoration of OPS and Credible Social Security for all Employees – ABRSM
