Punjab pensioners a disgruntled lot, planning agitation

Amritsar, October 13

The Punjab Government Pensioners and Senior Citizens’ Welfare Association held a meeting under the presidentship of Madan Gopal here on Thursday. A large number of pensioners attended the meeting.

General secretary Madan Lal Mannan, Principal Sohan Lal, Yashdev Dogra, Sukhdev Raj Kalia, Gursharanjit Singh, Harbans Singh Gohal, Kartar Singh MA and other speakers said the state government pensioners were drawing 10 per cent less dearness allowance (DA) than the Central Government pensioners.

Giving details, union leaders stated that after the revision of pension, the state government pensioners were getting 28 per cent DA while the Central Government pensioners were getting 34 per cent DA. Recently, the Central Government released 4 per cent more DA, but the state government did not pay DA instalment to its employees and pensioners on a par with the Central Government pensioners.

Peeved over not getting the DA instalment, the pensioners are planning to hold an agitation as the new AAP government seems in no mood to accept their demands. The pensioners are also demanding re-introduction of the cash-less health scheme.

The union leaders also demanded fixing new pension by multiplying the old pension with a factor of 2.59 as is done for the working employees. Giani Mohan Singh, Gurdip Singh Kotli, Piara Lal Bhagat, Gurbachan Singh and others demanded the release of the pending arrears after re-fixation of pensions from January 1, 2016, to June 30, 2021.

They asked the Civil Surgeon’s Office and the Treasury Officer to clear the pending medical reimbursement bills immediately. To release the pending LTC (leave travel concession) allowance is another major demand of the pensioners. They urged the Aam Aadmi Party government to introduce the old pension scheme at the earliest as it was promised by its leaders during the elections.