A large number of beneficiaries under the banner of All Odisha EPF Pensioners’ Association from Baleswar, Bhadrak and Mayurbhanj on Monday staged a demonstration in front of the Commissioner’s office here.
The agitators pressed for fulfillment of a four-point charter of demands including minimum pension Rs 9,000 per month with existing DA and health insurance for them.
“The retirees from different corporations and private organisations are mostly getting a very meager amount, a fixed amount less than Rs 1,000 per month as pension. The paltry sum is too less to live on after retirement. There are about 76 lakh pensioners under EPF in the country. Those who are the beneficiaries of the EPF are not eligible for any health insurance scheme either of the State or the Centre. The plights are enormous for the retired senior citizens,"said State advisor of the association Gouranga Panigrahi.
"We have been demanding a revised pension of at least Rs 9,000 and DA. Over our repeated demands two sub committees were formed by the Parliament and they recommended for enhancement of pay, yet the Centre never agreed. We would intensify our agitations if demands are not fulfilled,” he added.
Anadi Behera, Bishnu Prasad Mohanty and several others took part in the rally and demonstration.