Joining the rest of the nation, the Nagaland Government employees staged a peaceful protest on Tuesday outside Nagaland Civil Secretariat, Kohima under the banner of the Confederation of AlI Nagaland State Service Employee’s Association (CANSSEA) demanding scrapping of the National Pension System and restoring the Old Pension Scheme.
The Association also submitted a representation to Nagaland Chief Secretary during the protest requesting to scrap the NPS and restore OPS for the employees of Nagaland National Pension System Government Service Employees Forum (NNPSGSEF).
The memorandum read, “the CANSSEA under its Confederation, the Nagaland National Pension System Government Service Employees Forum (NNPSGSEF) has a membership over Forty Thousand Employees demands that the National Pension System of the State Government be scrapped and restore the Old Pension Scheme for its employees as the New Pension Scheme (NPS) later came to be known as National Pension Scheme which is tyrannical, neoliberal policy and a Privatised Pension Scheme is disastrous to the employees and therefore, put forward this representation requesting the State Government to roll back to the Old Pension System like the States of Rajaslhan, Jharkhand, Chaltisgarh and Punjab.”
The association’s 7-point charter of demands include:
1.Annul Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) Act, Scrap NPS
2.Constitute the Vl Central Pay commission.
3.Release all DR/DA including confiscated arrears
4.Regularise all contractual/daily waged employees and fill up vacancies in state government
5.Stop Privatisation/corporatisation of PSUs.
6.Remove all riders and restrictions on Compassionate employment
7.Ensure democratic trade union rights
Speaking to media persons on the sideline of the protest, CANSSEA President Dr. Ilang reiterated the demand for scrapping of the New Pension Scheme. He said,”We have 40000 employees already. Now, we are demanding that the NPS should be scrapped. And to scrap this, the state government alone cannot do it; it has to be along with the central government. Centre had passed the PFRDA Act in 2003 which is regulating the entire NPS system. So, the AlI India Employees Association is demanding that this act should be repealed in the Parliament. Scrap NPS and give us what is the due right for us.” Dr. llang added, “Government of India has to scrap this act and give us the Old Pension Scheme. One Nation, One Pension; this is the right of every employee.”
The Confederation of All Nagaland State Service Employee’s Association (CANSSEA) stated, “We will not stop until the Government of India repeal the act.”
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Mention maybe made that states like Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab have already announced or reverted to OPS.
OPS is a defined benefit scheme compared with the NPS or the new pension scheme, which is market-linked with both government and employees making monthly contributions, to be invested in pension funds.
