State government employees have once again formed an united front in order to demand their rights from the government. Thousands of employees, this morning, gathered under the name Gujarat State United Employees Front, at Satyagraha camp in Sector 6 of Gandhinagar and have launched a statewide strike to fight for their demands. Nearly 108 employee unions from all over the state are in the capital city to support the agitation. These organizations are displaying their own banners, representing different districts
Some of the key demands of the employees include revival the old pension law, withdrawal of the fixed salary case from the Supreme Court and stop the pay and contract based recruitment at the earliest. The employees are also urging the state government to accept and announce the demands for payment of arrears as per the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission of the Central Government.
There have been repeated protests in many states, including Gujarat, regarding the new pesion scheme (NPS) as it is believed to be less benefical to the government employees. Earlier this year, Retired professor of Bhavnagar University Nishit Joshi said that it is unsure on how the NPS will provide guaranteed socio-economic security to the employees. “Under the NPS, the hard-earned retirement fund of employees is subjected to the vagaries of the share market which fluctuates at the drop of a hat. An employee cannot work with his full potential and contribute to good governance if his socio-economic security is threatened,” he said.
Rakesh Kantharia National Advisor and Gujarat in-charge of National Old Pension Restoration United Front (NOPRUF) has also insisted on bringing back the old pensions scheme saying that this would not burden the state in anyway.
Rajasthan, following resistance for new pension scheme, has already scrapped the new scheme and brought back the old pensions scheme in the state.
