Govt accepts one rank, one pension; ex-servicemen continue agitation | Business Standard News

Govt accepts one rank, one pension; ex-servicemen continue agitation | Business Standard News

My VIEW:

As former Defence
Minister Antony has already alleged that NDA has ‘diluted’ UPA’s OROP and NPS
has been introduced without taking into confidence those who were to be the
beneficiaries or victims (and these are the people who will administer OROP and
the existing ‘Defined Benefit Pension Scheme in the coming years!), both
schemes will get ‘reformed’ sooner than later.
With a view to make
transition smoother and reduce friction which will affect the morale of the
work force, GOI should review NPS keeping the following factors in mind:
(i)               
Those who joined defence and civil
services and organisations in the public sector did not have option to bargain
and decide their service conditions including remuneration package. What
attracted them to the service was the job security and social security
including healthcare and post-job income by way of pension and family pension.
This casts a responsibility on the employer to make NPS as attractive as the
existing ‘Defined Benefit’ pension scheme would look by the time NPS members
start retiring.
(ii)            
Till GOI decided not to offer the benefit
of defined benefit pension scheme to employees who joined service after
December 31, 2003 and introduced New Pension Scheme the pension component was
considered as part of the wage structure. For mysterious reasons, the NPS was
not made applicable to defence employees. 
There is need to introduce
differential wage structure for NPS members factoring in their contribution to
NPS.
(iii)          
The demand for compensating for the
erosion in value of pension and ensuring a decent pension for all retirees is
genuine.


M G Warrier,
Mumbai

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