BHUBANESWAR: Drawing the attention of the Centre to the plight of around 1.62 lakh EPF pensioners in the State, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday sought recasting of the pension structure.
Beneficiaries of the Employees’ Pension Scheme-1995, managed by Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), are being given a paltry amount, the Chief Minister wrote in a letter to Santosh Kumar Gangwar, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge), Labour and Employment.
“I would like to draw your attention to the plight of around 1.62 lakh EPF pensioners who with a paltry monthly pension are facing hardships in their advanced age”, the Chief Minister said. Stating that time and again EPS-95 pensioners’ associations are putting forth their demand for revision of minimum pension by the Centre, he said the beneficiaries have submitted a memorandum to the State government too.
The pensioners are also citing a recommendation by the Petition Committee headed by Rajya Sabha MP Bhagar Singh Koshyari in 2013 for enhancement of monthly pension, which they understand is pending at the Centre for consideration, Naveen said. “The grievances of these pensioners deserve sympathetic consideration at your end as they had contributed to nation building at their prime age.
And now they should be protected by the State with reasonable financial and social security”, he said. This can be ensured by recasting their pension structure for which they have been pursuing at every level, the Chief Minister said.