Demand to scrap NPS, restore old pension scheme
STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: The All Assam Government NPS Employees' Association observed Black Day on Tuesday. All employees, teachers, officers and police personnel wore black badges and demanded restoration of the old pension scheme for all government employees in the State.
President of the association, Achyutananda Hazarika said, "Being within the ambit of rules and resolutions of the administration, we have always rendered our services in different capacities to the society and public. In the public administration system, 99.99 per cent are government employees who are responsible for implementing schemes and providing services to all the citizens. But the employees under the National Pension System (NPS) have always been forced to live in insecurity regarding their life after superannuation. After implementation of NPS in the State, around 7,000 government teachers, officers and employees retired from service and more than 95 per cent of them are drawing monthly pension of less than Rs 1,000. This shows how insecure is the financial future of government employees under the NPS scheme."
He said that government employees were living in insecurity. There is fear and apprehension among them as to whether they will be forced to take up alternative employment option in the sunset years of their life whereas their colleagues covered under the conventional Old Pension System enjoy financial immunity for the rest of their lives and even after death as family pension.
"For a secure financial and social life for all government employees after their retirement and their families, we demand immediate scrapping of NPS and giving full retirement benefits to all employees as per the Assam Services (Pension) Rules, 1969," said Hazarika.
He reiterated that since the last two years, the All Assam NPS Employees' Association has time-to-time urged the government to implement the Old Pension Scheme in place of the current and ongoing New Pension Scheme to safeguard the future of the State Government employees. Though the government implemented DCRG and provision of 14 per cent government contribution to the NPS fund, no concrete steps have been taken for scrapping NPS or giving benefits to all government employees as per Assam Services (Pension) Rules, 1969.
Hazarika said, "We demand realistic and prompt action from the government. If no action is taken by the government, all associations will support the All Assam Government NPS Employees' Association in their future programmes."
The programme was supported by more than 50 employees/ teachers' associations of the State, including the All Assam District Administration Employees' Association, Asom Rajyik Prathomik Sikshok Sonmiloni, All Assam Heads of Department Ministerial Officers' Association, All Assam Ministerial Officers' Association, and Assam College Teachers' Association. All urged the State Government to scrap NPS and restore the Old Pension Schemes for all government employees.
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