Central govt staff stage protest demanding scrapping of new pension scheme

Central government employees from all over the country held a protest in the national capital seeking revision in minimum pay beyond the seventh pay panel's recommendations and scrapping of the new pension scheme.

Employees of railways, defence, postal, accounts and audit, income tax and central secretariat and others also wrote to political parties saying they would vote for that party in the general election whose poll manifesto would highlight their demand of restoring the old pension scheme.

The protest was held at Jantar Mantar under the banner of the National Joint Council of Action.

It has put forth three demands -- upward revision of minimum pay beyond the seventh pay commission's recommendations, scrapping of the new pension scheme and allowing option one as one of the pension fitment formulae.

The protesters warned of going on an indefinite strike if their demands are not met.

"We fervently feel that the new contributory scheme must be replaced by the old pension scheme under the CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972.

"If you can indicate your intention to replace the present contributory scheme with the old statutory pension structure in your manifesto, it might help immensely in eliciting the support of the central government employees and their family members to your party candidates in the ensuing general election," NJCA convener Shiva Gopal Mishra said in the letter to parties.