Leaders of the United Teachers’ Federation’s State committee are gearing up to stage a week-long State-wide “Poru Garjana” in support of their demand that the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), introduced in December 2004 in the State, be repealed and the old pension system be brought back.
In a statement on Thursday, the federation president N. Venkateswarlu and general secretary K.S.S. Prasad urged government employees and teachers across the State to participate in the bike rallies proposed as part of the protest from April 18 to 25 and make their voices heard by the government.
The UTF leaders slammed Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy for going back on his promise on implementation of the old pension system. They said at the time of the elections, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy had said he would repeal the CPS and revive the old pension system within a week of assuming charge as the Chief Minister but had not done so even in three years. The government had been passing time by constituting committees on the issue. They said the report of the Thakkar Commission formed as a result of their fight, was also not implemented. Following a protest by MLCs belonging to the Progressive Democratic Front (PDF) on the floor of the legislative Council, the government had promised to hold talks on the issue, but it had not done that so far, they complained.
They said four teams would start from Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Chittoor and Anantapur districts and others would join them as they move through other districts. PDF MLCs and State leaders of the UTF would spearhead the protests.
