People's Democracy

 Pension Revision Demanded

MEETING at Coimbatore on November 1, the LIC Pensioners’ Association, Coimbatore Division, has demanded that the LIC management and government of India revise the pension of those who retired before August 1, 1997. This must be done on the basis of wage revision granted to the employees, as has been done by the state and central governments as per the recommendations of the fifth pay commission. Another demand is for the grant of pension instead of ex-gratia to those who retired before January 1, 1986, with a provision for family pension. The association has also demanded grant of monthly medical allowance as in the Reserve Bank of India, and an end to the scheme of settlement of mediclaims thought third party administrators, while the medical scheme of “high cost ex-gratia” must be extended to all the pensioners. The association asked the government of Tamilnadu to reinstate all the dismissed 6,072 employees without any punishment. The meeting also urged upon the government of India to drop the proposed new pension scheme.

The meeting, presided over by A R Kalyanasundaram, was held to celebrate the “Victory of Pension Struggle: A Decade of Fulfilment.” D Gopalakrishnan, president of the Tamilnadu circle of BSNL Employees’ Union, was the chief guest on the occasion. Association’s secretary N Guru Rao welcomed the gathering and treasurer V Balasubramaniam proposed the vote of thanks. Nearly two hundred pensioners, including fifteen women, attended the meeting.