Defence Employees To Take Pledge On Gandhi Jayanti To Get Liberated From NPS & UPS

Defence Employees of Ordnance Factories to boycott Corporation Day on 01/10/2024 The All India Defence Employees Federation which represents the Defence Civilian Employees and one of the Major Central Government Employees Federation have taken a decision to commence their next phase of agitation against the Contributory Pension Scheme of NPS introduced from 01/01/2004 and also against another Contributory Pension Scheme UPS which is going to be implemented from 01/04/2025.

The Central and State Government Employees for the past 20 years are fighting against the contributory Pension Scheme and demanding to the successive Governments to scrap NPS and to re-introduce the Non-Contributory Old Pension Scheme. However, neither the UPA Government nor the NDA Government have considered their demand. Recently, on the basis of the recommendations of T V Somanathan Committee, the Cabinet took a decision to introduce another Contributory Pension Scheme named Unified Pension Scheme for the Central Government Employees.

Option is left to the Employees whether to join UPS or to remain in NPS. While the leaders who attended the meeting with the Prime Minister on 24/08/2024 welcomed the decision of the Government to give 50% Guaranteed Pension with Family Pension and also to link the pension with DA, the AIDEF and some other organizations have rejected the UPS and they are of the view that UPS is nothing but an extension of NPS. State Government Employees Organization have also has rejected UPS and in many states, rallies & protest programs are being held.

C. Srikumar, General Secretary of AIDEF has already aired the views of AIDEF that they cannot accept UPS since it is of a Contributory nature and the accumulated fund of the employees which they have contributed for more than 3 decades will not be returned back to them and even though the eligibility for pension is kept as 25 years, however, employees will get pension only after attaining the age of 60 years. Many benefits available in the Old Pension Scheme are not available in NPS and UPS. Almost all the Central Government Employees and State Government Employees are unhappy with the Government decision to introduce UPS.

The AIDEF, in its News Bulletin has published that as authorized by their National Executive Committee, its President, S N Pathak and C. Srikumar, General Secretary, after assessing the situation has now decided to mobilize the Defence Employees especially the NPS Employees on 2nd October 2024 on Gandhi Jayanti Day and after garlanding the Gandhi Statue / Portrait will take the following pledge by each and every employee.

PLEDGE

“I, ___ a Defence Civilian Employee commit myself to join in all the struggles and agitations to get liberated from the disastrous NPS & UPS Contributory Pension Scheme. I also support and will participate in all the Trade Union Action Programs to achieve the Non Contributory Pension under CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972 (now 2021).

I pledge I will not rest till I achieve the Non Contributory Old Pension Scheme and all of us are one in transpiring this genuine and justified demand of the Government Employees in to a reality.”

It is also published in the AIDEF News Bulletin, a Joint Circular of AIDEF, BPMS and CDRA in which they have stated that the Defence Civilian Employees of 41 Ordnance Factories will boycott the Corporation day Celebrations scheduled on 01/10/2024 and that they will continue to fight against Corporatisation since it is a failed experiment. They are demanding that the Corporatisation Decision should be withdrawn and a notification should be issued by the Government for retaining the status of the employees as Central Government Employee / Defence Civilian Employee till their retirement.

In a telephonic conversation with www.indianpsu.com – C. Srikumar stated that they are launching their second phase of agitation for restoring the Non-Contributory Old Pension Scheme and the entire Central Government Employees are convinced that UPS is another attack on their old age life and that they are not happy with the Government decision. He expressed his confidence that the leaders and the organizations which have initially welcomed the Government decision on UPS would reconsider their position after understanding the considered views and the feelings of the Government Employees whose demand is only for restoration of the Non-Contributory Old Pension Scheme and not a contributory pension scheme in whatever name you call it. AIDEF will carry forward the movement for getting liberated from NPS and UPS and to achieve the Non-Contributory Old Pension Scheme. He also further stated that their fight against Corporatisation of Ordnance Factories is also being intensified and in that direction they will be boycotting the Corporation Day Celebrations by wearing Black Badge and further programs will be observed in the coming days.