Central government staff, including employees of the Railways, Defence, Postal and State governments have started a four-day relay hunger fast across the country, demanding restoration of the old pension scheme (OPS) and scrapping of the new pension scheme or NPS. This four-day strike is in preparation for an indefinite strike that the Joint Forum For Restoration Of Old Pension Scheme (JFROPS) had planned if the demand for OPS wasn’t fulfilled.
Meanwhile, Dhanbad railway employees are also demanding restoration of OPS. About 22,000 employees of the Dhanbad railway division are going on fast for a day and holding demonstrations
According to the East Central Railway Karmachari Union (ECRKU), about 22,000 employees of the Dhanbad Railway Division went on fast and also held demonstrations outside the office of the divisional railway manager seeking restoration of the old pension scheme.
Although a committee has been set up to suggest improvements in the new pension schemeor NPS and also make employees aware of all the benefits available to them under the same, it is quite apparent that the employees want the old pension scheme only.
Many states have reverted to the OPS for their employees.
The new pension scheme involves employees contributing ten per cent of their basic salary and dearness allowance with the government making an equal contribution. This money is put into pension funds that are approved by the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) that give market-linked returns. The old pension scheme sees government employee getting a monthly pension equivalent to 50 per cent of their last drawn salary, and the employees are not expected to contribute in any way either.
