PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Dehradun
With the Vidhan Sabha elections of 2027 drawing closer, the employee organisations of Uttarakhand have started pressing for their demand for restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS). The different employee organisations of the State have come under the banner of the National Movement for Old Pension Scheme (NMOPS) to press for their demand for OPS restoration. Enthused by the support the NMOPS has given a call for Pension March on September 13.
The president of NMOPS, Uttarakhand, Jeetmani Painuli said that thousands of employees will assemble at the Parade Ground on September 13 and will hold a march to the residence of the chief minister.
He said that the State government should accept the justified demand of OPS restoration before the Vidhan Sabha elections in the State.
He said that the Uttarakhand government should follow the example of many other states that have restored the OPS. There are more than 1.25 lakh employees, teachers and officers which are currently under the New Pension Scheme (NPS) in Uttarakhand.
Painyuli said that meeting with employees of different departments is currently underway for the success of the Pension March. Gatemeetings and contact programmes are being held to make the employees aware of OPS, he said.
The New Pension Scheme (NPS) was started in the year 2004 to reduce the burden of pension on the State exchequer. The employees are now finding the NPS non lucrative and are demanding the restoration of OPS in which the retiring employee gets 50 per cent of his last drawn salary as pension. Under the pressure of the employee associations many states have restored the OPS for their employees.
