Retired BSNL, MTNL staff hold one-day hunger strike for pension revision

Retired employees of state-run telecom firms BSNL and MTNL on Thursday held a one-day hunger strike to protest against non-revision of their pension as per the Seventh Pay Commission, the organisers said.

"BSNL and MTNL pensioners who were absorbed from Department of Telecom under the banner of Committee of BSNL and MTNL Pensioners' Associations observed fast today throughout the country demanding pension revision from January 1, 2017 with 32 percent fitment factor which was given to central government pensioners numbering more than 60 lakh from January 2016," Convener, Joint Forum of Retirees, S S Nanda said.

The pension of nearly 62 lakh central government pensioners were revised with effect from January 1, 2016 as per recommendation of the 7th central pay commission, he said.

"BSNL/MTNL retirees are also covered under the same rules of central government pensioners but not getting similar benefits," Nanda said.