Pritam Singh (58) was elated as were other employees last November when the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab issued a notification to restore the old pension scheme (OPS).
Almost a year later, their joy has now been replaced by anxiety and apprehension as the government is yet to release Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) pursuant to the OPS notification.
Currently, those who joined the service after January 1, 2004 are covered under the National Pension System (NPS), which requires employees to make a contribution towards their pension fund. In the OPS, the entire amount is borne by the government, and this was discontinued with effect from April 1, 2004.
‘Optimism faded away’
Mr. Singh retired as a teacher from a government school in Ludhiana this April and since then has been drawing pension under the NPS.
His optimism, he said, has faded away. “I am getting a monthly pension of ₹5,257, which isn’t enough to live a dignified life,” he said, adding that had the government implemented the decision, his monthly pension would be around ₹45,000.
“But the State government’s sluggish approach has left me disappointed,” he said.
Manjinder Singh, who retired as a teacher from a government elementary school at Paragpur in Tarn Taran in December 2022, expressed similar sentiments.
“I am really disappointed with the government for not notifying the SOPs. In neighbouring Himachal Pradesh, the Congress restored the OPS immediately after forming the government,” he said.
‘Details still not out’
Members of the Old Pension Scheme Restoration Sangharsh (struggle) Committee too expressed disappointment over the delay.
“We are a joint forum of 24 employee unions from Punjab. Since the release of the notification, around 500 employees have retired but none have got the OPS benefit,” said Jasvir Singh Talwara, State convener of the committee.
He said the government issued the notification without amending the Civil Services Rules (CSR). Details of the pension policy are still not out.
“They are playing with the sentiments of the employees. Our committee members in August held a protest rally after which we were invited by the government for a meeting, which is slated for October 17. If nothing concrete is decided in the meeting, we will be left with no choice but to take a tough call,” Mr. Talwara said.
‘Committed to implementation’
However, chief spokesperson of Punjab unit of AAP, Malvinder Singh Kang, said the government is committed to implementing the OPS.
“The government has constituted a committee and is studying the OPS models of Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Himachal Pradesh. We will implement the best model soon,” he assured.
Mr. Kang said the OPS has huge big financial implications. He said the Centre is not keen on refunding around ₹18,000 crore, the contribution made by State employees towards the NPS since the scrapping of the OPS in 2004.
