Mangaluru: Khader (name changed) was elated to know that his pension amount had touched Rs 8,31,043.23 three weeks ago. However, his happiness was short lived. Two days ago, Khader was shocked to know that his amount had slashed to Rs 8,27,448. He lives in a constant fear of losing money and he wonders what would be left with him if such unexplained deductions keep happening to his pension amount under the National Pension Scheme.
Story of Khader, a government employee is only tip of the iceberg. The employees who were taken into central government service after 2004 and those under state government from 2006 come under the National Pension Scheme.
As per the new pension scheme, among the salaries and daily allowances of an employee, 10 percent is cut towards pension and an equal amount is given by the government. This amount is invested into the share market under the new scheme. Under the present situation, only if the market does well, the employees will get a good pension. Under the old system, employees would get a fixed amount as pension, that was 15 percent of their basic salary. When the salary was hiked, the pension amount too would be revised. Under the present system, there is no security as pensions depend on market conditions.
Chandravathi, a teacher from Bantwal taluk says that she fails to understand why the government introduced an anti-employee scheme. “We have seen several incidents where children refuse to look after their aged parents. If we don’t get a pension from the government after our retirement, who would take care of us?“ she questions and adds that the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) was employee-friendly as the government took the responsibility of paying pension to all its employees after retirement. The scheme extended the pension benefits to the family of the employee even after his or her death. However, the government replaced the OPS with NPS does no good to the employees.
Ready to give our blood, but not our pension
As the Karnataka State Government NPS Employees’ Union has decided to mount pressure on the government to withdraw the NPS and replace it with old pension scheme. In this direction, they have decided to hold blood donation camp. The Mangaluru taluk unit also organised a blood donation camp at the mini hall of Town Hall on October 3. This unique protest was named “Rakta Kottevu, Pinchani Bidevu”, which means they will give blood, but not give up their pension. Gathering in a huge number, the employees shouted a slogan,“ we are ready to give our blood, but not our pension“.
St Aloysius College Registrar Dr. A M Narahari urged the members of the association not to give up until the OPS is brought in. “The NPS is a system where a private company earns huge profit by depositing the money of employees in share market. Why the government favors private company by forcing the employees to come under NPS?“, he questioned and asked the employees not to step back from the protest until justice is made in their favor.
NPS Employees’ Union Mangaluru unit president Chandrananath M said “Pension is not the alms of the government, but it is the right of every employee. Hence, we will oppose the NPS and insist the government to bring back the old system of pension scheme“, he said.
