JFROPS, AIDEF begin relay hunger strike
   Date :09-Jan-2024

JFROPS, AIDEF  
 
 
 
 
Staff Reporter
 
As decided by the Joint Forum for Restoration of Old Pension Scheme (JFROPS) and the AIDEF large number of Central Government Employees and State Government employee have commenced the 4-days Relay Hunger Strike throughout the country, on Monday. Defence Civilian Employees under the banner of AIDEF in a large number in the various Defence Units including Ordnance Factories, DRDO, MES, NAVY, Air Force, DGQA, EME and other establishments under the Army have participated in the Hunger Fast. The Central Government Employees including the Defence Civilian Employees have been demanding for the past 20 years that the contributory National Pension System (NPS) for the Central Government Employees should be withdrawn since none of the benefits available in the Old Pension Scheme is there in the NPS.
 
While in the Old Pension Scheme 50% of the Last Basic Pay of the Employee is paid as Pension and the Inflation / Price Rise is compensated by payment of Dearness Relief, there is no such provision in the NPS. Apart from this, there are provisions of Family Pension not only to the Spouse of the Pensioner but also for unmarried daughter, widowed daughter, divorced daughter, physically challenged children and mentally retarded children.
 
However none of these facilities are available in the NPS. Moreover the Pension from NPS is only Rs. 2000 to Rs 4000 per month and no compensation for Price Rise. Since the Government of India is not prepared to listen to the genuine demand of the Government employees they are left with no other option than to continue their struggle. After the 4 days Relay Hunger Strike, the JFROPS will meet and take a decision to proceed with an indefinite strike in the future.