Notice about campaign by All India Loco Running Staff Association (AILRSA)
Notice of AILRSA Central Committee
1. NPS was a political decision. Therefore, Restoration of OPS require a political decision.
National Pension Scheme in its true sense is a “No Pension Scheme, which was the result of a political decision of first NDA govt. It was imposed through back door step by an executive order on 23/08/2003 in violation of the Acts passed by the Parliament. NDA government could not pass the PFRDA bill due to opposition of the then opposition parties. In the next election UPA-1 govt. came to power. Then also the bill could not be placed in parliament due to the opposition of left parties in the ruling coalition. Finally, it was passed in parliament on 19/09/2013, by UPA 2 govt., with the support of the then main opposition front – NDA, defeating the opposition of left wing in parliament. Subsequently, all state governments too introduced NPS for the state govt employees, one by one except West Bengal as they found NPS was the best tool to reduce the staff cost expenses.
Now it is vividly clear that NPS will not secure the retirement life. OPS guarantee 50% last drawn pay as basic pension on retirement. Thereafter, an additional pension/Family pension will become payable on attaining the age of 80 years and above with an increase of 20%,30%,40%,50% and 100% on attaining the age of 80,85,90,95, and 100 years respectively. Dearness relief is paid to compensate price rise and it will be revised once in 10 years along with pay revision.
The NPS pensioners are now getting 1000 to 5000 Rupees as monthly pension that too without dearness relief or periodical revision. The growth of pension corps indicates that the basic pension after 35 or40 years of service will be 10/20% of last drawn pay. The amount will remain fixed even after attaining the age of 100 years. Look at the plight of the retired persons and their family and dependant members for their survival, with meagre amount of pension, against the odds of spiralling market prices.
The subsequent vigorous protests by working class compelled many political parties which voted for PFRDA Act to change their stand and declared that they will restore OPS to their respective state government employees. Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh state governments declared restoration. Now, negation of PFRD Act and restoration of OPS are possible with a political decision. When we become capable to change the attitude of political parties to gain majority in parliament in favour of OPS, we will achieve OPS.
General elections are an occasion in which politicians become more attentive to peoples’ problems. Let us raise our thundering voice against NPS and for restoration of OPS. Declare our support only to those who reject NPS & support OPS.
2. EVER RISING VACANCIES MAKE RAILWAY SAFETY A TERMITE STRIKEN TREE.
Vacancies in running cadre is at the ever highest level. The Railway Board instruction to book coaching crew on first-in-first-out basis indicate this alarming situation. The life of loco running staff is in an exact situation to “ thrown from frying pan to the furnace.” There is no rest, no leave, no roster for duty, no family matters, no safety and hence no life. But there is unlimited duty, there is unbearable work load, continuous night duties, there is extremely hot working place, there are many accidents and there is blatant abuse of disciplinary powers to make running staff a scapegoat and giving them with major penalty of removal from service even without an enquiry, deliberately violating the principles of natural justice.
The only way out is the unity, and struggle to force those in power to concede our demands.
Sign the mass memorandum to Her excellency The President of India, and canvas among other running staff to sign. Participate in the Mass signature campaign.
MASS SIGNATURE CAMPAIGN FROM 15TH TO 24TH APRIL 2024
MUNDIGARAM PRADARSAN BEFORE LOCOSHED ON 24TH APRIL 2024
AILRSA CENTRAL COMMITTEE
Draft of the letter to be addressed to the President of India
LETTER HEAD OF BRANCH
To
Smt. DROUPADI MURMU
Her Excelency President of India
Rashtrapati Bhavan
New Delhi.
Respected Madam,
Sub: Request for restoration of OLD PENSION SCHEME for Government Servants and filling up of vacancies of loco pilots in Indian Railways.
We the undersigned Indian Railway employees plead before your august office for your direction to the Government of India, in the following subject matter.
The defence personnel under Central government guards the borders of the Nation and the civil servants guards the rights and welfare of the people within the borders. Without the battalion of civil service, no government can exist. But the civil servants who joined service after 31/12/2003 are brutally discriminated.
1) Restore OPS for all government servants.
Sixth central pay commission has recommended the following –
“The Commission, however, is of the view that old pensioners require a better deal because of their needs, especially those relating to health, increase with age. Accordingly, the committee recommend that the quantum of pension available to the old pensioners should be increased as follows
On attaining an age of Additional quantum of pension
80 years 20%
85 years 30%
90 years 40%
95 years 50%
100 years 100%”
Government of India accepted the recommendation and implemented it from 01/01/2006, two years after ordering the discriminatory NPS for post 1/12/2003 recruits.
Thus, under OPS, the pension amount at the time of retirement, at the age of 80, 85, 90, 95 & 100 is 50%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75% and 100% of last drawn pay along with Dearness Relief and periodical revision once in 10 years. Further the parliamentary committee has recommended to enhance the pension by 5% on attaining the age of 65, 70, & 75, on which the government is yet to take the decision.
The NPS introduced for those joined service after 1/1/ 2004 is being criticized as No Pension Scheme, as the pension under it is only a pittance and do not guarantee the minimum of Rs. 5000/- guaranteed under Atal Pension Yojana. The growth of pension corpus now prove that the pension after 35/40 years of service will be just 10 to 20% of last drawn pay, that too without dearness relief and additional pension under OPS as detailed above.
Now, the senior personnel at the top level of governmental machinery, are being replaced by those recruited after 2003. The fear about the insecurity after retirement is growing in their minds and it will spread like a wild fire to the entire governmental machinery soon. It will certainly spoil the morale of the employees, resulting in poor implementation of policies and depicting utter failure of governments among the people.
2) Fill up all vacancies
The entire government machinery is severely handicapped due to acute shortage of manpower at present. About 10 lakh posts in central services are reported vacant including the 3 lakhs in Railways. Acute shortage of Loco Pilots in Railways make railway safety a “termite stricken tree”. There are more than 17,000 reported vacancies. When the actual requirement is taken into account it will go beyond 35,000. As a result, entire loco pilots are subjected to denial of leave and rest. The Railway Board itself asked the divisional administration to abandon duty rosters of running staff with an aim to cover up the shortage, asking the available staff to report for duty immediately after the minimum rest prescribed in rules. Thus, the loco pilots are subjected to tremendous work pressure, which in turn badly affect the level of concentration on duty.
To add fuel to the fire, the railway administration has made an intend of only 5,696 Assistant Loco Pilots to RRB, while the fact remain that more than 10,000 Loco Pilots will retire before completion of the recruitment process.
So, we plead before your esteemed office to advise the concerned ministries to resolve the above two serious matters that badly affect the efficiency as well as safety of the Railways.
Yours sincerely