Centre to launch minimum pension scheme on September 30

Union labour ministry had last month notified minimum monthly pension of Rs 1,000 for retirement body EPFO subscribers

The union labour ministry will launch nationwide minimum pension scheme awareness programme on September 30 this year. Various union ministers of the Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government will officially launch this pension scheme notified by the government recently from around 30 locations across the country.

Union Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, union Road Transport and Highway minister Nitin Gadkari, Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan have given their confirmation to launch the programme, it is learnt.

The union labour ministry had last month notified minimum monthly pension of Rs 1,000 for retirement body Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) subscribers.

Union labour minister Narendra Singh Tomar is expected to make an announcement for official launch of this scheme soon. According to senior ministry officials, this move will benefit 3.2 million pensioners and 1.3 million people will receive double pension sum as a result of this scheme.

The decision of an increase in wage ceiling was taken by the Cabinet under the previous United Progressive Alliance government in February this year and the pensioners were to get a benefit from 1 April this year.

However, this couldn't be implemented because of the model code of conduct, this couldn't be implemented.