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Guwahati: Thousands of Assam government employees on Tuesday staged a protest, demanding the reinstatement of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) and warned the authorities to intensify the agitation if their demands are not met within this month.
While workers from different districts arrived in the city, this meeting was organized by all GOS authorities
The trade union (AAGNPSEA), leaders and members of trade unions from other regions of the country also joined to show unity.
“Our demand is simple. We want OPS back. It was the only proposal approved in today’s protest meeting and we have conveyed the demand to the chief minister,” AAGNPSEA president Achyutananda Hazarika told PTI.
Assam has about five lakh government employees, of which around 2.4 lakh are under the New Pension Scheme (NPS).
“We have been assured that the government will consider our offer. “But if we don’t get any positive response by November 30, we will have to intensify our agitation,” he added.
Hazarika said that the protestors gathered at the veterinary college ground in Khanapara area of the city for about five kilometers on their way to Dispur town, which is the power center, but the authorities did not allow it.
“We did not want to bring law and order as we are government employees. Therefore, we have decided to comply with the authorities’ instructions this time. But if our demand is not fulfilled, we will have to hold another protest,” he said.
AAGNPSEA president said that leaders of National OPS Restoration United Forum, and trade unions of Telangana, Jammu and Kashmir, Chattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh also participated in the protest.
Representatives from various trade unions of railways, banks and postal departments were also present, he claimed.
Lakhs of Assam government employees observed ‘Karma Birati’ (work stoppage) at their workplaces on August 22, also under AAGNPSEA, demanding cancellation of the New Pension Scheme (NPS) and restoration of the old one.
The organization claimed that the retired employees under NPS get a nominal amount every month as pension, which is not possible for maintenance.
Its stimulus programs proposed in June and July have been postponed due to an invitation for discussion by the Assam finance minister. Since no ‘positive action’ followed the discussion, the union started the protest meeting.
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