Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday urged Centre to hike the monthly pension of EPF pensioners who are running from pillar to post to get their grievances redressed.
In a letter, Patnaik has requested the Union Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar to take necessary steps to protect EPF Pensioners with reasonable financial and social security.
“Around 1.62 lakh EPF pensioners of Odisha, who with a paltry monthly pension after their retirement are facing much hardship in their advanced age. Time and again these EPS-95 Pensioners’ Association are putting forth their grievances for revision of minimum pension by the Government of India and giving their memorandum also at the state level for redressing their cause,” Wrote Patnaik in his letter.
According to Patnaik, the Pensioners’ Association 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 monthly pension of EPS-95 pensioners, which they understand to be pending at the Government of India level for consideration.
“The grievances of these pensioners deserve 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. I look forward to a favourable action by the Government of India in resolving the above pension issue which would benefit these pensioners throughout India,” Patnaik’s letter read.