No Old Pension Scheme, No 8th Pay Commission For Central Government Employees – Government In Parliament

The Central Government Employees have been waiting anxiously for some positive announcement to be made by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman in the Budget tomorrow. There is an expectation amongst Government employees that there will be announcement in the budget for restoration of Old Pension Scheme by Scrapping the New Pension Scheme even though the NPS improvement committee chaired by the Finance Secretary as categorically told the JCM Leaders that he will not be recommending for
scrapping the NPS and his recommendations will be only for making some improvement in the NPS as was done by the AP State Government.

The Central Government Employees are now a disappointed lot due to two replies given by the government in the Parliament today.

In a question asked in the Lok sabha by Ms. Praniti Sushilkumar Shinde, M.P, today, the Minister of State for Finance, Pankaj Choudhury, in a written reply, has specifically stated that there is no proposal under Consideration of Government of India for Restoration of Old Pension Scheme in respect of Central Government employees.

Similarly in another question asked by Anand Bhadauria, MP, the minister replied that though the Government has received two representations for constitution of 8th Central Pay Commission, but there is no such proposal under consideration of the Government at present.

www.indianpsu.com asked for the response of C. Srikumar, General Secretary of AIDEF and also a member of the National Council JCM about the above two replies given by the Government in the Parliament. He replied that no Government in the past has been so much anti-Central Government Employees. Despite giving all justifications for withdrawal of the NPS and to restore the Pension Scheme under the CCS (Pension) Rules 1972, the Present Government is not prepared to consider all those ustifications. The basic issue is that when the Government say’s that the Government employees are 24 hours employees and that they should be available for the service of the Nation and people when ever they are called and under the conduct Rules they cannot do any part-time job for getting little addition income to meet their financial needs. This means for Government employees the salary what they get from the Government is the only source of income and with this income they should live honestly with integrity. Therefore, for their old age protection to lead a decent and dignified retired life they have been given pension without any contribution from them. However, in 2003, the then government unilaterally decided to introduce the contributory Pension Scheme namely NPS with lot of fanfare that the money contributed by the employees and the Government will be invested in the market and there will be huge returns from which they will get a good amount of Pension. All the arguments of the government has been defeated and the NPS employees who are all now retiring is getting only paltry pension from the NPS and that is why the entire Central and State Government Employees have rejected the NPS. Government without giving any respect or consideration of the concerns of the government employees have out right rejected the demand of restoring old pension scheme. The AIDEF has rightly boycotted the NPS improvement committee and we will intensify our agitation and fight till the last for achieving the pension right under CCS Pension Rules 1972. We are siting on a dharna at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, on the 2nd of August 2024 demanding for the Old Pension Scheme.

As regards the 8th Central Pay Commission C. Srikumar further stated that it is the right of the Central Government employees to get the wages revised once in 10 years considering the inflation, today’s essential requirement of life which were once upon a time considered as luxury like having computer with internet, Android mobiles since everything has become online etc. Education has become so much expensive after privatization of education. Health care has also become unaffordable despite the CGHS Scheme. Transportation expenditure is also increasing day by day. Apart from all these since recruitment and deployment of employees in overtime has been completely stopped each government employee is almost doing the job of two employees due to acute shortage of manpower and pressure of work. For all these the Government employees should be properly compensated and for which wage revision is required for them to maintain a decent life in the society. Even the 7th CPC and the same Government has done injustice to the Central Government employees without giving them a reasonable wage hike. Therefore, there is no justification on the part of the Government to reject the genuine demand of the employees. Already 10% of the wages of the employees is recovered every month for NPS and another 30% to 40% of the wages goes for EMI’s towards housing loan, vehicle loan, Children’s Higher education loan etc. After 50% of the wages recovered then what is left for the employees to meet their other expenses. The pensioners who are at the fag end of their life are also struggling to match the huge inflation and uncontrollable price rise and heath care. Even old age homes have become highly expensive. As Trade Union if the Government stick to its position, then we have to start our agitation for setting up of the 8th CPC. One should not forget that the Central Government Employees are the back bone of the Governance and hence if they get further demoralized zit will have a serious impact on the performance and efficiency of the government, concluded C. Srikumar.