Minimum Pension Hike Update: For a long time, EPS-95 pensioners have been demanding to increase the minimum pension.
Pension Scheme: Retired employees receiving pension under the Employees’ Pension Scheme, 1995 (EPS-95) have protested outside 110 offices of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) across the country on Friday, January 12, 2024. These pensioners have protested demanding a monthly pension of at least Rs 7,500 along with dearness allowance from the EPFO.
At present the minimum monthly pension under the EPS-95 scheme is Rs 1,000. EPFO is paying this to eligible pensioners from September 1, 2014. The EPS-95 scheme is operated by the Employees Provident Fund Organization (EPFO). About 78 lakh pensioners across the country are covered under the EPS-95 scheme.
Under the aegis of ‘EPS-95 National Movement Committee’, pensioners have protested at 110 EPFO offices across the country demanding increase in the monthly minimum. He has also submitted a memorandum to the Union Labor Minister in protest against the indifference of the Labor Ministry and EPFO regarding increasing the minimum pension.
According to a statement of the agitation committee, the demonstration was held under the leadership of National President of the agitation committee Commander Ashok Raut and National General Secretary Virendra Singh Rajawat at the EPFO office located in Bhikaji Cama Place, Delhi. Ashok Raut said that for the last six years, pensioners have been protesting demanding increase in minimum pension to Rs 7,500 per month and dearness allowance, free medical facilities for the pensioner and his spouse.
It was alleged in the statement that the Labor Minister is repeatedly giving assurances in this regard and the Prime Minister has also given assurances twice but no announcement has been made yet. Despite repeated assurances from the Labor Minister, EPFO is not serious about this.
According to the statement, recently the fast at Jantar Mantar was stopped after getting assurance from the Labor Minister, but now the patience of the pensioners is breaking. The statement said that PM Modi should fulfill his guarantee and immediately implement the demands of the old pensioners on the basis of humanity and failing which, a gradual fast will be started again from January 30, which will continue until the demands are met.
