UP: Municipal Employees Up In Arms Over Old Pension Scheme

Lucknow: Demanding the scrapping of the new contributory pension scheme and the revival of the old pension scheme, municipal employees organised a state-level convention in the state capital on Sunday to discuss modalities of movement. 

During the convention, it was decided that public awareness meetings would be held in all the municipal corporations and municipalities of the state from August 7 to September 6 to mount pressure on the government to fulfil all pending demands. In the meeting, the municipal employees' organisations have decided to organise a massive protest on September 21 in Lucknow to demand implementation of the Old Pension Scheme, said the convener of the employees' federation. 

They also announced to observe a complete strike on September 7, and employees across the state will submit a memorandum to the officers from 12 pm to 4 pm. On September 21, large numbers of employees from across the state will gather in Lucknow. 

"The government had done away with pension scheme in 2004 after which govt employees were left helpless. Even after several agitations, our demands have fallen on deaf ears of the government. Now is the time for us to unite and launch a massive stir in the state," Ramakant Mishra, acting president of Uttar Pradesh Local Bodies Employees' Federation.

Mishra said it was high time that the government restored the OPS to the pattern of the Rajasthan government.

"An MP or MLA who wins and serves for five years gets a pension their whole life. While we who serve for more than 40 years are denied a pension after retirement," Mishra added.

Mentioning problems employees face under the prevailing reimbursement system of medical bills, the union asked the government to formulate a comprehensive health cover scheme for civic employees and provide healthcare through insurance cards so that they could avail cashless medical treatment from hospitals of their choice.

Apart from the Old Pension Scheme, some other demands include the implementation of the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act; all perks and benefits of the 7th pay scale should be given to the employees, filling the vacant posts of contractual and outsourcing personnel, employees should also get the facility of cashless treatment, and they should be promoted till December 31, 2001.

Meanwhile, the union also said that it had been decided in the meeting that on August 22-23, the federation representatives will go from Ayodhya to all the 17 municipal corporations of the state. They will mobilise employees to reach Lucknow in a large number to make the movement successful. 

The second phase will start on August 29 from Mathura. Under this, all the municipalities and panchayats of the state will connect the employees with Jal Nigam.

Last year before the Assembly election was announced, tens of thousands of government school teachers accompanied by pensioners, Shiksha Mitras, Anganwadi workers, sanitation workers, mid-day meal cooks and several other scheme workers from across Uttar Pradesh had joined a one-day rally against new pension scheme, demanding withdrawal of the New Pension Scheme of the Center government and restoration of the old pension scheme.