VIJAYAWADA: The second consultative meeting on the Contributory Pension Scheme (GPS) between the State government and leaders of 16 Employees’ Associations on Tuesday ended inconclusive as the latter are firm on their demand for the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) and opposed the proposed Guaranteed Pension Scheme (GPS) in place of CPS.
Ministers Botcha Satyanarayana (Education) and A Suresh (Municipal Administration) and Government Advisor (Public Affairs) Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy held talks with the employees’ association leaders on the proposed GPS. They felt that there is a need for holding another round of talks to discuss the matter in depth so as to arrive at a consensus.
They promised to issue the remaining Government Orders pertaining to the Pay Revision Commission (PRC) at the earliest. However, the employees’ association leaders made it clear that they are against any proposal except restoration of the OPS.
AP Revenue Services Association president Bopparaju Venkateswarlu, general secretary Ch Krishna Murthy wrote a letter to the Chief Secretary explaining their stand on the issue. They stated that they strongly oppose the GPS in any form as it contains all the disadvantages of the CPC.The unions also informed that they will not participate in discussions with the government on the proposed GPS henceforth.
They urged the government to abolish the CPS and restore the OPS in the larger interests of lakhs of employees as was done in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.Earlier in the day, the employees staged a protest holding roses and placards at the Secretariat against the CPS.