Ambala, 14 November (R. Singh):- Demanding the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), employees today organised a Resolve March in Ambala city under the banner of the Pension Restoration Struggle Committee. They also submitted a memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister and the Prime Minister through the Deputy Commissioner, urging the restoration of the old pension system.
Employees and officers from various departments first gathered at Urja Bhawan and took out the OPS Resolve March, demanding the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme. During the protest, employees raised slogans against the government and marched to the Deputy Commissioner's office, where they submitted the memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister and the Prime Minister.
Office-bearers of the Pension Restoration Struggle Committee said that the Old Pension System was discontinued in Haryana in 2006 and the New Pension Scheme was introduced. Since then, employees have been demanding the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme. They said the National Pension System (NPS) is market-linked and does not guarantee pension benefits to employees.
Instead of restoring the Old Pension Scheme, the government introduced the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS). They alleged that employee organisations were neither consulted before the introduction of UPS nor were the shortcomings of the scheme discussed. They have been holding protests, rallies and demonstrations for a long time to press for the restoration of OPS, including several major rallies in Delhi, but the government has not paid attention to their demand.
The leaders said that under pressure from the employees' movement, a committee was constituted under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary, and two rounds of discussions were also held. However, the process was subsequently discontinued. The committee has written several letters to the government seeking the resumption of talks, but no outcome has emerged.
They said they were ready to discuss the issue on an open platform with the Chief Minister, the Prime Minister or any senior government official. The employees warned that if the government did not take an early decision to restore the Old Pension Scheme, the agitation would be intensified across the country and the state.
