Demanding revival of the old pension scheme, members of the Tamil Nadu Government Employees’ Association on Monday began a 24-hour-long dharna at the District Collectorate here.
Raising slogans to press their demands, the protestors started their agitation in front of Palayamkottai Taluk Office on the Collectorate premises.
Addressing the protestors, Subbu, president of TNGEA’s Tirunelveli district, said the government employees had been forced to wage four-stage protests against the government, which had miserably failed to fulfil their genuine demands, including revival of the old pension scheme, as promised by the ruling DMK in its Assembly poll manifesto in 2021. The Stalin-led Tamil Nadu Government, instead of fulfilling its promise, had announced in the Assembly that it would explore the pros and cons of the Centre’s unified pension scheme.
“This announcement indirectly tells the government employees that the Tamil Nadu government would not revive the old pension scheme,” Mr. Subbu said.
The protestors also said the dearness allowance arrears, leave surrender facility, regularisation of services with timescale and pension to nutritious meal scheme and anganvadi workers, rural librarians, village assistants, computer operators, multipurpose hospital workers etc. should be given. The 41-month-long termination period of road workers should be considered as ‘service period’.
All vacancies in government departments should be filled up with full-time employees appointed with timescale. The withheld 21 months Pay Commission arrears should be released. The 25% appointment on ‘compassionate grounds’, which had been reduced to 5%, should be restored. The inspections and the review meetings being now conducted on holidays should be avoided.
The medical insurance scheme meant for government employees should be undertaken by the government and cashless treatment ensured in all hospitals. Outsourcing of government jobs should be stopped completely, Mr. Subbu.
As the TNGEA members planned to start their dharna on the collectorate premises, police asked them on Sunday night to shift their protest to some other place. “However, we told the police that the peaceful agitation is being organised on the collectorate campus across Tamil Nadu to press our demands including long-pending demands of the Tamil Nadu Police. The police officers who approached left without pressing it,” said Mr. Subbu
Published – February 10, 2025 05:56 pm IST