A general body meeting of the National Federation of Postal Employees, Bhubaneswar Divisional Branch, was held on March 19 in the premises of Bhubaneswar GPO under the guidance of general secretary, Confederation of Central Government Employees and Workers (CCGEW) and joint convenor, National Joint Council of Action (NJCA), Odisha, Bruhaspati Samal.
A detailed discussion was held to implement a year-long agitational programmes of the Joint Forum for Restoration of Old Pension Scheme (JFROPS) as scheduled by CHQ, New Delhi. Apart from Samal, the meeting was addressed by president, CCGEW and NJCA, Odisha Rabindranath Dhal, president, Odisha State Government Retired Employees Federation Pratap Chandra Dash and president, Odisha State Government Employees Coordination Committee and vice-president, NJCA, OdishaPrasanta Kumar Mohanty.
Addressing the meeting, the leaders stressed upon the historic judgement on December 17, 1982 of the Supreme Court of India in DS Nakra versus Union of India case which states, "Pension is neither a bounty, nor a matter of grace depending upon the sweet will of the employer, nor an ex-gratia payment. It is a payment for the past services rendered. It is a social welfare measure rendering socio-economic justice to those who in the heyday of their life ceaselessly toiled for the employer on an assurance that in their old age they would not be left in the lurch."
According to the historic observation of the Supreme Court, pension creates a vested right subject to CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972 which are statutory in character since enacted in exercise of the power conferred under proviso to Article 309 of the Constitution of India. Thus introduction of NPS just through an Executive Order at the sweet will of the Government has not only violated the statutory provision guaranteed under Constitution of India, but also the historic decision of the apex court, they said.
At last, it was unanimously resolved to conduct a mass rally in Bhubaneswar on April 26 by the NJCA, Odisha with a seven- point charter of demands which includes the demand to scarp NPS and restore OPS, Constitution of 8th Central Pay Commission, Payment of 18 months DA arrear, among others.
The rally will be participated by the employees, pensioners and their family members of all Central and State Governments' employees and pensioners including teachers who will submit a memorandum to the President of India through the Governor of Odisha. Before that a mass public lunch hour demonstration will be held in all work places on March 21.