Ranchi: Pensioners staged a protest at Shaheed Chowk in Ranchi on Wednesday in response to the nationwide call given by the Forum of Civil Pensioners Associations, pressing for their 11-point charter of demands. Postal/RMS pensioners, BSNL pensioners and pensioners from various Central government departments participated in the demonstration.
The protesters demanded withdrawal of the New Pension Scheme (NPS) and Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) and restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS). They also demanded withdrawal of the Pension Act Amendment, 2025, and revision of pensions for all pensioners in accordance with Pay Commission recommendations and the Supreme Court's decision in the D.S. Nakara case.
Other demands included revision of pensions of existing pensioners through suitable changes in the Terms of Reference, revision of BSNL pensions with effect from January 1, 2017, merger of 50 per cent Dearness Allowance/Dearness Relief with basic pay and pension, and grant of interim relief in view of the delay in the Eighth Pay Commission.
The pensioners also demanded that the period for restoration of commuted pension be reduced from 15 years to 10 years and eight months.
Following the protest, a memorandum containing the 11-point demands was sent to the Prime Minister of India through Speed Post.
The protest was addressed by M.Z. Khan, Naresh Lal, Shiv Sevak Pathak, K.D. Rai Vyasthit and Triveni Thakur. Hasina Tigga, Iqbal Hussain, A.P. Singh, B.N. Singh, Isak Minz, Dev Charan Sahu, Triloki Nath Sahu, S.P. Sinha, Jairam Prasad, Bachnu Sahu and others were present.
Similar nationwide protests were held in several districts of Jharkhand, including Dhanbad, Jamshedpur and Palamu.
The association announced that a state-level protest would be organised in Ranchi from September 17 to 19 over the same 11-point demands. Central government pensioners from across Jharkhand are expected to participate in the programme.
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