Pics: Brijesh Garodi
Daijiworld Media Network- Mangalore
Mangalore, Jun 9: The activists of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), D K District Committee, Karnataka State Provident Fund Pensioners Association, D K Ditrict Committee and others held a massive protest in front of the Provident Fund Office at Highlands, Falnir, here on Monday June 9.
The protestors urged a demand for a gazette notification of Rs 3000 minimum PF pension and for the re-establishment of facilities like ROC and commutation. A memorandum was also submitted to the Union Government via the commissioner of provident funds.
In his welcome address, Balakrishna Shetty, the chief secretary of the pensioners association said, "The central government had amended the 1952 pension act and introduced the 1995 pension scheme plans. It is almost 19 years since the amended act has been implemented. Even though the CITU has brought to the notice of the government the problems faced by it, the then government has blindly implemented the act; as a result, the pension that poor employees receive now is Rs 1 to Rs 150 per month."
"Lakhs of poor employees have landed in problems due to this act. From September 2009, the ROC and commutation facilities have also been cancelled. After continued protests and fights, the central government agreed for a minimum pension amount of Rs 1000/month last April 2014. But the problem is that the government has not passed the gazette notification, hence it has not been practiced or accepted and it is like the government has cheated the people and the poor laborers," he added.
"Hence the government must pass a gazette notification that the minimum monthly pension should be Rs 3000, at the earliest,: he concluded.
Vasath Achary said, "As a part of the state wide protest organized by the CITU, we are holding a massive protest here in front of the PF office. The central cabinet must pass the gazette notification saying that the minimum pension is Rs 3000/ month. In April 2014, the cabinet had declared the minimum of Rs 1000/ month, but the main problem is that gazette notification was not carried out.
"Earlier the UPA government had made it Rs 1000/ month, but the present NDA government must make it Rs 3000/ month and pass on the gazette notification," he added.
Ranjay Moshahary, regional provident fund commissioner received the memorandum and promised the protestors to submit the memo to the concerned. "The approval with regard to the pensions is in progress and we are awaiting gazette notification," he said.
Large number of protestors were present at the venue.