Assam: Cease-work seeking restoration of Old Pension Scheme

 Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: The Assam Government employees resorted to a cease-work under the banner of the SAKP (Sadou Asam Karmachari Parishad) today in support of their demand for the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS).

Speaking to The Sentinel, SAKP president Dwipen Sarma said, “The State Government introduced the National Pension System (NPS) in sync with the Central Government on February 1, 2005. The NPS has pushed state government employees towards a cash crunch. The NPS cannot secure the lives of retired teachers, employees, and officials. If ministers, MLAs, and MPs continue to get pensions under the OPS, it augurs well for the government to restore the OPS for the employees as well.”

Sarma said, “After the implementation of the NPS, 2.50 lakh employees got appointments. Around 10,000 of them have already retired. Retired teachers and employees get pensions ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 2,500 per month under the NPS. They are living an insecure life. Pension is not a financial relief but a right of the retired employees. It is their old-age support.”

Sarma said that employees of 58 departments of the state government and all teaching and non-teaching staff members of the schools in the state observed today’s cease-work. “We demand the state government resolve the OPS issue without further delays, failing which we will resort to vigorous agitation in the coming days,” he said.

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