Restore Old Pension Scheme or face the music in LS poll: AAGNPSEA

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: The series of mass agitations that the All Assam Government NPS Employees' Association (AAGNPSEA) started on January 20, 2024, in support of its demand for the restoration of the OPS (Old Pension Scheme) concluded today in Guwahati with a note of warning that the government and political parties will face the music if they continue to remain indifferent to the employees' demand for the cancellation of the NPS (National Pension System).

The association held a mammoth rally at West Boragaon Primary School Field in Guwahati today in support of their demand for the immediate cancellation of the NPS.

Association president Achyutananada Hazarika said, "The National Pension System should be abolished and the Old Pension Scheme should be restored for government employees. This is the common call of teachers, workers, and employees of the state and every society-loving citizen in Assam. We started a series of programmes on January 20, 2024, and today we concluded it by organising this mass gathering. The purpose of the programme is to raise awareness amongst the common people about the negative impact of NPS and the necessity of OPS for the greater good of society and the state as a whole. Today, more than 10,000 people gathered. They raised their common voice towards the restoration of OPS in the state."

The general secretary of the association, Apurba Sarma, said, "The government has not responded to the calls of the All Assam Government NPS Employees Association and other teachers, officers, and employees' associations in Assam to abolish the NPS system and provide retirement security to the employees through OPS. There is a need to change the system in which 99 percent of the big family called the government serves the people in a state of panic. The government must understand the pain of the working class. There is a strong demand that the employees be provided with financial security during their retirement. Since this is a social problem, citizens at all levels have come forward to solve it. If the government and political forces continue to remain indifferent to the issue within the next month, the people will take a decisive decision in the elections. This must be taken seriously. The employees have already started a process to raise awareness among the people in every region of the state in the future, and the response of the government and political circles will determine the direction, pace, and intensity of this programme in the coming days."

Writer Dr. Pradyumna Goswami, All India Democratic Women's Committee, Guwahati Chapter president Sabita Lahkar, senior Journalist Paragoni Aditya, Mukul Kalita, national president of NOPRUF B P Sing Rawat, National Secretary of All India State Government Employees' Federation Purujit Lairikyengbam, general secretary of MSGEF Miss Bansharai, general secretary of NF Railway Mazdoor Union Ashis Biswas, general secretary of SFI Assam State Sangita Das oresident in-charge of All Assam University Workers Federation Jayanta Gogoi, Joint Convenor of JCTU Assam Garga Talukdar and Bhanedra Nath Kalita, Charan Deka, Ranjit Barthakur, Mrinal Kalita, Bhabananda Bora and others also addressed the gathering.

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