Front launches protest, wants old pension scheme restored

Tribune News Service

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Amritsar, August 19

The district committee of the Old Pension Receipt Front Punjab, Amritsar, under the joint chairmanship of Majha Zone convener Gurbinder Singh Khaira and district convener Sukhjinder Singh Jabowal began a fortnight protest “Freedom from NPS”, a movement against the new pension scheme by wearing black robes at Sector 17 during the assembly session.

The front, which includes government employees and pensioners, also issued show-cause notices to the MLAs for backtracking on the promise of revival of the Old Pension Scheme in Punjab on the lines of Himachal Pradesh. It also announced a three-day march in Sangrur in the beginning of October this year.

Sukhjinder Singh Jabbowal said the AAP-led state government had made a promise during the election to implement the Old P Scheme against the BJP-led Central Government’s New Pension Scheme. “NPS has proved to be a complete failure in protecting the interests of employees. So, the revival of the old pension scheme was expected, but the state government’s breach of promise has now forced us to announces a three-day provincial “Pension Receipt Morcha” in Sangrur from October 1 to 3,” he said.

“Show-cause notices” will be issued to mobilise this front and to hold ministers and MLAs accountable on the old pension issue. “If the bypoll is announced in these days, this three-day march will be held in Barnala and Chabewal and the government will be surrounded on the issue of pension in the elections,” he said.

“Instead of opening GPF accounts by stopping deduction, they are continuing to participate in the new pension scheme, which is a big fraud with the employees,” said Gurbinder Singh Khairah.