Govt employees stage peaceful dharna for restoration of Old Pension Scheme

February 17, 2024 24 Views No Comment

Morung Express News
Kohima | February 17

The Nagaland National Pension System Government Service Employees Forum (NNPSGSEF) joined the ‘national strike’ demanding the scrapping of the New Pension System (NPS) and restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) by staging a peaceful dharna at the Civil Secretariat, Kohima today.

The national strike organised by the All India State Government Employees Federation (AISGEF) across the country aimed to highlight the widespread displeasure with the NPS and to restore the Old Pension Scheme (OPS).

The dharna at Kohima was supported by the Confederation of All Nagaland State Services Employees’ Association (CANSSEA). It may also be mentioned that CANSSEA had also submitted a representation to the state government on this matter.

The NPS was adopted by the state government in January 2010, and all government employees appointed after that comes under the new system.

With more than 33,000 government employees covered under the New Pension Scheme (NPS), protestors chanted slogans calling for restoration of OPS with placards which read ‘Stand and fight together for OPS’; ‘OPS is not a privilege, it’s a right’; ‘Take actions to protect our future. NPS is no pension scheme’; ‘Nothing More, Nothing Less. We Want OPS’ etc.

Talking to media personnel, NNPSGSEF president, Moanungsang said the strike is being called by the AISGEF, however, it has decided to hold a peaceful dharna as the term ‘strike’ itself has negative implications.

“As government employees, if we go for a strike, sometimes it becomes unlawful and incident do happens and we do not want such incidents” he added.

With no response from the state government to its representation submitted on September 31, 2023, he said “our request to the government is to roll back the NPS to OPS” stating that there are lots of loopholes between the two policies, and that OPS is better than the NPS.

When asked what would be the next step of the Forum, Moanungsang said it will make known its grievances to the government through pen-down strike, wearing of black badges and a mass peace rally after installation of units in all the districts of the state.

“We are not against the government, we are only against this new policy” stated an official member of the Forum.

Another official of the Forum meanwhile alleged mismanagement of accounts stating that the deduction amount doesn’t reflect in their account wherein many are kept pending, some missing and some Nil.

‘Where does the money go after deduction?” he asked and asserted that they all deserved the OPS as government employees.

‘Literally the money is there but is not reflected in the accounts’ stated another while arguing that when politicians are benefitting from the OPS why is that government employees are deprived of their rights.

In a brief programme held at the venue of the dharna, various district unit presidents expressed dismay on the NPS and the silence of the state government. While calling for unity among the employees to fight for its rights, it has requested the government to reverse to the OPS.

Meanwhile, the NNPSGSEF submitted another representation addressed to the Chief Secretary demanding ‘reversion to OPS’ and that it should be re-introduced in the state so that all retired employees can obtain pension/family pension like all the employees appointed before the introduction of the NPS.

It also stated that the state government employees appointed after January 1, 2010 ‘involuntarily’ has to opt for New Pension System as put forth on order by the state government.

“This has led to harming the interest of the employees whose benefits have been deprived from the government by not granting any pension after retirement, even after giving their whole life for the development/progress of the state,” stated in the representation.

It also reminded the government of its earlier representation submitted last September while stating, ‘it has been five months since the submission of the said document and we have not received any reply.’ The Forum also highlighted the differences between OPS and NPS in its representation.