Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday wrote to Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Labour & Employment Santosh Gangwar urging him to take steps towards fulfilling the demand of the State’s Employee Provident Fund (EPF) pensioners for a revision of the minimum pension by the Central Government.
“I would like to draw your kind attention to the plight of around 1.62 lakh EPF pensioners all across my State who with a paltry monthly pension after their retirement are facing much hardships in their advanced age.
Time and again, these EPS-95 Pensioners’ Associations are putting forth their grievances for revision of minimum pension by the Government of India and giving their memorandums also at the State level for redressing their cause,” Patnaik said in the letter.
“In this connection, they are also citing a recommendation by the Petition Committee under the Chairmanship of Bhagat Singh Koshyari, MP, Rajya Sabha made during 2013 for enhancement of the monthly pension of EPS-95 pensioners, which they understand to be pending at the Government of India level for consideration,” the CM mentioned. “The grievance of these pensioners deserves sympathetic consideration at your end as they had contributed to the nation building at their prime age.
And now they should be protected by the state with reasonable financial and social security. This can be ensured by re-casting their pension structure for which they have been pursuing at every level,” opined Patnaik. The CM sought favourable action by the Government of India in resolving the pension issue.