n The CPI(M) on Thursday forced Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to withdraw the Government’s decision to freeze the order to raise the superannuation age in public sector units in the State.
“It was a decision made in haste and there was no discussion in the party forum about the move to enact such a law. Hence the Government rescinded it,” said MV Govindan, the newly-appointed secretary of the Kerala CPI(M), after a meeting with Vijayan.
This is the first incident of its kind in recent times in the CPI(M). Usually the party secretary and the Chief Minister function in unison but Govindan, who looked tense and upset over the decision to increase the pension age to 60 did not hide his displeasure.
“We will probe how a decision of this kind was made by the Government,” the lower primary school physical education teacher-turned-party secretary told reporters.
The decision to increase the age of pension was publicised by Finance Minister K N Balagopal on October 31 based on the findings of a committee set up to rationalise the wage structure and functioning of the public sector units in the State.
There are one lakh employees in the 122 State Government owned public sector units in Kerala. But majority of them are facing severe financial crisis. It was at the intervention of the Kerala High Court that the employees of the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation were paid a portion of salaries due to them.
The move was put on hold in the weekly cabinet meeting held on Wednesday. The increase in pension age led to many organisations, especially the youth wing of the CPI (M) taking to the streets.
Industries Minister P Rajeeve clarified that there was nothing unusual in the decision to freeze the order. “The decision to increase the pension age in public sector units was based on a note provided by the department of finance. We have put the decision on hold for the time being,” said the Minister.
But Govindan said it is nor proper to take a decision of this magnitude without discussion in the party. “The Government withdrew the decision when it was pointed out that there was no discussion in party about this move and hence the decision to freeze it,” said the party secretary.