Report by Kamgar Ekta Committee (KEC) correspondent
On the call of the Front Against NPS in Railway (FANPSR) and National Movement for Old Pension Scheme (NMOPS), a huge convention was organised by Rail Coach Factory (RCF) Employees Union on 25 August 2022 for the restoration of the old pension scheme in Kapurthala, Punjab. Chief Guest Shri Vijay Kumar Bandhu, National President, NMOPS, while addressing the gathering, announced that RCF employees would unitedly fight for the cancellation of the new pension scheme and restoration of the old pension scheme, and the government will be forced to reinstate the old pension scheme. He informed that more than 88 lakh employees of central and state governments are covered under the new pension scheme.
Shri Amrik Singh, National President, FANPSR and National Joint Secretary, NMOPS, said in his speech that the government has snatched the right of pension from employees who have joined from 1 January 2004 and started the share market–based new pension scheme with the main aim of privatising pension. The pension given to the employees is not charity by the government; it is the employees’ money, which cannot be withheld or invested elsewhere without their consent.
Shri Sarvjit Singh, General Secretary, Indian Railway Employees Federation, thanked the farmers, workers and RCF and other railway employees for participating in large numbers in the convention and called upon them to unite and fight to save their public sector institutions and livelihood.