Scheme would benefit 1,15,817 pensioners in Jharkhand
To the happiness of thousands of retired employees, the Centre’s ambitious minimum pension scheme was today launched in Jharkhand. The scheme was launched by Minister of State for Rural Development Upendra Kushwaha at Ranchi and at Jamshedpur by Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Sudarshan Bhagat.
The scheme announced by the NDA Government envisages minimum pension of Rs 1,000 to employees- retired or serving — contributing to the Employees Provident Fund Scheme, 1995. Thus, the scheme would benefit around 1,15,817 pensioners in Jharkhand especially 63,690 pensioners who were receiving less than Rs 1,000 as pension per month. But the scheme would have brought a great respite to around 33,000 pensioners who were earlier getting less than Rs 500 as pension.
“Central Government is making an additional contribution of Rs 2500 crore to Rs 3000 crore towards its share of 1.16% of wages to EPS,” said Kushwaha adding “This is a major achievement of the Government in the first 100 days”.
The scheme was launched across the country at the same time by 37 Union Ministers and other members of Parliament. However, Jharkhand Rural Development and labour Minister KN Tripathi urged the Union Government to spread the ambit of the scheme to cover unorganised sector also.
Tripathi said, “The Central Government should also come up with a programme to include daily wage earners and contract workers in the scheme”.
In what could be the greatest gift in the festival to the people Jharkhand, Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Sudarshan Bhagat launched the scheme at Motilal Nehru Public School (MNPS) Auditorium in Sakchi, Jamshedpur.
The MP from lohardagga felicitated pensioners under Employees Provident Fund scheme which was launched from September 1. First set of pensions were given the increased amount today at an austere ceremony and 850 pensioners were also felicitated on the occasion.
“We are taking steps to ensure sustainable growth and welfare of the people. We want to ensure that common people reaps the benefits of Central schemes. As part of the programme, nearly 14,775 pensioners of Kolhan region (East Singhbhum, West Singhbhum and Seraikela-Kharsawan districts) would benefit from the enhanced minimum pension amount out of 37,815 beneficiaries,” the Minister said.
Bhagat also assured to take up the issue of increasing the minimum pension with Union labour Minister Narendra Singh Tomar.
“Several trade Union leaders are demanding for increasing the minimum pension amount and would put it before the labour Ministry,” said Bhagat.
later speaking to media on the sidelines of the programme, Bhagat said that his Ministry is gathering details about the purification of a temple in Bihar's Madhubani district soon after the Chief Minister Jeetan Ram Manjhi paid obeisance at the temple.
“I came to know about the incident from the media and if it has happened as the Chief Minister claims then it is a shameful incident. My Ministry is keeping an eye on the development in Bihar. As of now I have not ordered for any probe as the Bihar Government has already ordered a probe into it,” said the Minister.