Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan has accused the Centre of trying to sabotage the statutory pension system and impose the contributory pension system in its place. The Centre should revise the pension at the earliest, he has said.
Inaugurating a scheme launched by the Cooperative Department for
distributing pension to employees of cooperative societies in the industries,
dairy development, coir, fisheries, handloom and Khadi and Village Industries
sectors here on Monday, the Chief Minister said that after collecting
substantial sums as employees' contribution, only meagre amounts were being
given as pension. The Rs.100 and Rs.150 given as Provident Fund pension was much
less than the welfare pensions being disbursed by the State government. The
welfare pensions have been hiked from Rs.110 to Rs.300.
About 10 lakh workers in shops and commercial establishments,
two lakh labourers in small plantations and document writers have been included
in the welfare pension scheme. The State government has the rare distinction of
giving pension to farm workers. In this context, it can be construed that the
Centre is exploiting workers in the name of the Provident Fund pension scheme.
Though the scheme came into force 15 years ago, no steps have been taken so far
to revise the pension. A strong people's movement is imperative for compelling
the government to revise it, he said.
Cooperation Minister G. Sudhakaran, in his presidential address,
said that 25,000 persons would be benefited by the scheme. The cooperative
sector has proved its significance through creative intervention in various
realms. On getting more support from the government, it would be able to fare
much better, he said.
Industries Minister Elamaram Karim and Fisheries Minister S.
Sarma distributed the pensions.
Thiruvananthapuram District Cooperative Bank
president S. Sundaresan, Cooperative Registrar Rani George and Cooperative
Pension Board chairman P.P. Vasudevan were there among those who addressed the
function.
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