Port Blair, Aug 13: The Non-Gazetted Govt. Officers’ Association, Andaman and Nicobar Islands organized a State Level Convention on Restoration of Old Pension Scheme on 12.08.2023 at Port Blair to create awareness among the employees covered under NPS and demand for scrapping NPS and restore Old Pension Scheme. Smt. A.R.Sindhu, National Secretary, CITU and Shri P.Krishnaprasad, Finance Secretary, All India Kisan Sabha graced the occasion as guests. In her inaugural address, Smt. Sindhu briefed the gathering on the recent programmme held at Ramleela Maidan, New Delhi on Scrapping of NPS which had seen immense response from the government employees and forced the government to have a talk with the leaders of employees front. She urged for a united struggle by the govt. employees, workers and farmers for the common rights of the people.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri P.Krishnaparasad, Finance Secretary, AIKS explained abut the year long fight by the Kisan Morcha on the issue of MSP held at New Delhi which had compelled the govt. to repeal the farm laws. He explained the effects of the neo-liberal and poor economic policies of the Central Government which is drastically affecting the agriculture farmers and workers at large. Addressing the gathering, he urged everyone to come together in support of workers and farmers who are the building blocks in the development of a nation.
Shri D.Ayyappan, former General Secretary of the Association also addressed the convention. He informed regarding the continuous struggles made by the Confederation of Central Govt. Employees & Workers throughout the country when the PFRDA bill was introduced in the Parliament and in the later stage in which the NGOs’ Association also gave their support and participated in every programme called by them.
Shri Biju Kumar, Accounts Officer made a powerpoint presentation explaining various aspects of NPS and the process to check their user profiles on govt. portal to know their account details. A discussion session was also held after the presentation where the NPS employees raised several questions.
Earlier, Shri R.Papa Rao, President of the Association while welcoming the gathering expressed his concern over the long pending demand of the govt. employees to scrap the NPS and restoring Old Pension Scheme to all employees who were appointed after January 2004. Shri R.Rajendran, General Secretary of the Association while proposing the Vote of Thanks urged the members to be united for further struggles to achieve the demand of pension for all the employees working in govt. sector. Shri S.L.Vinjit, Asst. General Secretary moderated the convention. The meeting resolved to demand the Central Government to scrap the National Pension System and restore Old Pension Scheme to all employees who were appointed after 01.01.2004. The meeting was attended by hundreds of employees working in various departments under A & N Administration and other central government offices.