Thousands of government workers from all over the country came to Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi on Sunday to ask for the old pension system (OPS) to be brought back.
Under the leadership of the National Movement for Old Pension Scheme (NMOPS), the workers put together a protest to bring their desire to the attention of the Centre.
The purpose of the “Pension Shankhnaad Maharally” is to put pressure on the Centre to use the old pension plan instead of the current National Pension Plan (NPS).
The rally’s leaders told the media that four states have already said they will adopt the OPS, so why can’t the Centre do the same?
Thousands of government workers from all over the country came to Ramlila Maidan to take part in the protest.
Even though the Centre gave government workers a one-time chance to choose the old pension plan in March of this year, the rally is still being planned.
According to a notification from the ministry of personnel, employees who joined the central government services for jobs advertised or announced before December 22, 2003, the day NPS was announced, are eligible to join the old pension scheme under the Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1972 (now 2021).
A small group of people who work for the government can make this choice until August 31, 2023. The minister said that once the choice was made, that was it.
It said that the move was made because of different letters, references, and court decisions in this area.
“It has now been decided that all central government civil employees who were hired for a job or position that was advertised or announced for recruitment or appointment before the date of notification for NPS, which was December 22, 2003, and who were covered by NPS when they started working on or after January 1, 2004, should be given a one-time choice to be covered under the CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972 (now 2021),” the order said.
According to the order, National Pension System coverage would still be available to government employees who are eligible to use the option “but do not use it by the required date.”
Under OPS, workers get a salary that is set. A worker is eligible for a pension of 50% of the last salary they received.
The NDA government got rid of OPS in 2003, and it was no longer in place as of April 1, 2004.
Under the NPS, workers put away 10% of their basic salary for their pension, and the government puts away another 14%.
