Assam Government employees demand scrapping of National Pension System

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The All Assam Goverment NPS Employees' Association has demanded scrapping of the National Pension System (NPS). It has also demanded full retirement benefits to all employees as per the Assam Services Pension Rules, 1969.

All Assam Goverment NPS Employees' Association president Achyutananda Hazarika said that a meeting was held on Saturday which was organized by the Association in association with the Assam College Teachers Association at the State Office Auditorium of Assam College Teachers Association, Chalapara. Guwahati. In the meeting, a resolution was adopted to demand scrapping of the NPS.

"The National Pension System (NPS) is becoming a burning question in the State. After implementation of NPS in the State, around 5,500 government teachers, officers and employees retired from government services and more than 90 per cent of them are drawing monthly pension of less than Rs 1,200. This shows how insecure is the financial future of the government servants under the NPS scheme, after serving for the government their entire life. On the other hand, our fellow counterpart colleagues covered under the conventional Old Pension System enjoy financial immunity for the rest of their life and even after death as family pension. For a secure financial and social life of each employee after retirement, we demand immediate scrapping of NPS and giving full retirement benefits to all employees as per the Assam Services Pension Rules, 1969.

He further said, "The government employees during the prime phase of the life devote their energy and their time to serve the public in the form of government service. But after giving their entire service life to serve the public, if the same government employees are forced to seek financial support after retirement, it would be the most unfortunate scenario. Given the inflation and rising prices of all commodities, we are deeply anxious as to whether or not we will be able to meet the basic needs of our life after we retire."

Hazarika reiterated that since last two years, the All Assam NPS Employees' Associaüon had time and again urged the government to implement the old pension scheme in place of the new pension scheme to safeguard the retirement stage of State Government employees. "No concrete steps have been taken for scrapping NPS or to giving benefits to all government employees as per Assam Services (Pension) Rules, 1969. As such, we demand realistic and prompt action from the government or we will be forced to take strong steps," he said.

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