Ranchi: A protest meeting was organised at Shaheed Chowk here on Wednesday on the occasion of World Pensioners’ Day, as part of a nationwide call. Representatives of postal and RMS employees, railways, BSNL and the Central Pensioners’ Association participated in the programme.
Speakers said that October 1 is observed every year as International Pensioners’ Day under the banner of the Trade Union International (Pensioners and Retirees), an organisation affiliated with the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU), to raise issues concerning the dignity, pension, healthcare and social security of pensioners.
Addressing the gathering, speakers alleged that pension and social security systems were facing increasing pressure and that moves were being made towards privatisation of pensions. They expressed concern over the exclusion of existing pensioners from the Terms of Reference of the 8th Pay Commission and issues concerning employees who retired up to December 31, 2025.
They said pensioners’ organisations across the country have been raising these issues since last year. A writ petition was also filed before the Supreme Court on November 4, 2025, and the matter is currently at the hearing stage, they said.
M.Z. Khan, Naresh Lal, Chanchal Kumar Singh, Jay Narayan Prasad, K.D. Rai Vyasthit, Shiv Sevak Pathak, M.N. Singh, G.D. Sahu and G.N. Sharma were among those who addressed the meeting.
They called upon pensioners to remain united against policies affecting pensioners and urged employees to form associations in central government units where such organisations do not yet exist.
Anita Tirkey, Triloki Nath Sahu, Devcharan Sahu, Mohammad Shamim, Bachanu Sah, Jairam Prasad, Ramchandra Prasad, Ranganath Pandey, N.K. Pandey, Kalidas Munda, Syed Akhtar Shah and Dhaneshwar Goswami were among those present.
After the protest, a six-member delegation met the Deputy Commissioner, Ranchi, and submitted a two-point memorandum addressed to the Prime Minister of India and the Chief Minister of Jharkhand.
The memorandum sought immediate restoration of railway concessions and other facilities for senior citizens that were withdrawn during the Covid-19 period. It also demanded the identification of a concerned department or ministry and establishment of an effective mechanism for resolving the problems faced by senior citizens and pensioners.
The delegation comprised Chanchal Kumar Singh and Kalidas Munda from the Railways, M.Z. Khan and K.D. Rai Vyasthit from the Postal Department, Naresh Lal from BSNL and Shiv Sevak Pathak from the Central Water Board.
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