In Maharashtra, around 17 lakh government and semi-government employees have decided to hold a “Family March” in every district and tehsil of the state on November 8 to demand the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS).
“My Family, My Pension”, the participants will chant the slogan during the march and will reach the district collectors’ offices to press for their demand. The OPS was discontinued in the state in 2005.
Vishwas Katkar, convenor of a coordination committee of various organizations of state employees, said, “We have decided to take out a ‘Family March’ in each district and tehsil on November 8 and submit our demand for restoration of the OPS.”
“If there is no proper response, then we will go on an indefinite strike from December 14 for the demand of OPS,” Katkar said as quoted by PTI.
The employees have been disappointed with the Maharashtra government for not fulfilling their demand for the OPS, which provides an assured and reliable source of income post-retirement.
They have been demanding the cancelation of indirect privatization of the education sector, and seeking the filling up of all vacant posts.
Old Pension Scheme (OPS) is a retirement scheme approved by the central government which provides a monthly pension to the beneficiaries till the end of their life service. Under this, the amount of monthly pension is equal to half of the last salary drawn by an individual.
However, the New Pension Scheme (NPS) is the latest retirement scheme in which the beneficiaries will be able to withdraw 60% of the amount invested after retirement.
It was introduced by the central government in December 2003 to replace the defined benefit pension system with a defined contribution pension scheme in order to provide old age income security in a fiscally sustainable manner and also to channel small savings into productive sectors of the economy through prudential investments.
Members of the Maratha community in the state have already been holding protests to press for their demand for reservation. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday said his government was committed to giving reservations in jobs and education to the Maratha community and urged youth not to take extreme steps like suicide.
(With PTI inputs)
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Updated: 23 Oct 2023, 12:56 PM IST