Pensioners’ Rights Take Center Stage

Pensioners’ Rights Take Center Stage: All India Pensioners Association of CBIC Mounts Nationwide Drive for More Benefits from 8th CPC and Structural Reforms

By Lokanath Mishra, IRS (Retd.)

Dear Friends and Fellow Pensioners,

A decisive battle for dignity has begun. The All India Pensioners Association of CBIC is today operating at its peak momentum. With unity as our weapon and justice as our goal, we have launched a coordinated nationwide campaign to secure comprehensive benefits for central government pensioners under the upcoming 8th Central Pay Commission.

This is not a request. This is a rightful demand from those who gave their entire working life to the service of the nation.

1. Direct Advocacy with the Pay Commission: No More Silence
   Under the dynamic leadership of Secretary General Comrade Ravi Malik and President Comrade Ashok Sharma, our association has stormed the corridors of power. In a series of high level engagements, our leadership team submitted a comprehensive memorandum to the 8th CPC and participated in personal hearings.

Comrade Malik and Comrade Ashok Sharma presented a detailed, evidence based case before the Commission. They laid bare the severe economic and administrative challenges crushing central government pensioners today. They did not stop at problems. They gave solutions. They gave a roadmap of practical recommendations to eliminate systemic disparities and guarantee financial security for every senior citizen who served this country.

2. Our Charter of Demands: Justice Delayed is Justice Denied
   Our demands are clear, fair, and long overdue. We have placed them firmly on the table of the 8th CPC:

• Annual Increment and Timely Revision: Sanction of annual increment for pensioners or automatic increase of pension every five years to match inflation and rising costs.
• LTC and HRA for Pensioners: Restore Leave Travel Concession and grant House Rent Allowance to pensioners who continue to maintain homes and families.
• Enhanced Medical Support: Raise Fixed Medical Allowance to Rs 6000 per month. Establish CGHS Wellness Centers in all districts. Provide cashless health insurance at government cost and extend health benefits to pensioners residing abroad.
• Tax Justice: Complete exemption of pension from income tax. Pension is not income. It is deferred wage for service already rendered.
• Pension Quantum: Fix pension at 75 percent of last pay drawn and family pension at 60 percent of last pay drawn.
• Restore Commuted Pension in 10 Years: Reduce the restoration period of commuted pension from the unjust 15 years to 10 years.
• End the Discrimination: Ensure full parity between pre and post pensioners. Grant notional increment from 01.01.2016. Implement Option-1 of 7th CPC for all. More benefits to existing pensioners.
• Restore Old Pension Scheme: Scrap the New Pension Scheme and restore the defined benefit Old Pension Scheme for all.

2. A Relentless Battle Against Historical Anomalies
   Our fight does not start today. We are correcting injustices that have festered for decades.

• Rectifying the 1986 Pay Anomaly: For nearly four decades, pensioners have suffered due to wage and pension disparities born in 1986. We demand immediate resolution. We filed court cases. As regards pay parity from 1996 with arrears, we have won in the first round.
• MACP Resolution: We demand urgent corrections to the anomalies from the Modified Assured Career Progression scheme. Non functional grade pay must be granted from the date of MACP upgradation.
• Annual Increment Justice: Fair implementation of annual increments for retirees of 30.06 and 31.12. Sanction pending arrears in all cases through court interventions without further delay.

2. Expanding the Footprint: A Call to Arms
   A battle cannot be won without an army. On the organizational front, our leadership is aggressively building a truly national structure. The mission is twofold:
3. Establish robust regional units in every state.
4. Secure formal registration as an official All India body.

In a joint statement, Comrade Malik and Comrade Ashok Sharma issued this direct appeal:
“We earnestly request all our members to take proactive steps in establishing a higher number of regional units across every state. We call upon the membership to extend all necessary logistical and administrative assistance to ensure the immediate, seamless registration of our All India body. Our collective strength is our greatest asset as we fight for the dignity and rights of pensioners.”

5. The Time is Now
   Friends, the 8th CPC deliberations will decide the financial future of lakhs of retired personnel and their families. This is our moment. The association is leaving no stone unturned to mobilize grassroots support.

But leadership alone cannot win this war. We need you. We need every pensioner, every family member, every well wisher to join hands. Form units in your city. Talk to your fellow retirees. Spread this message in every WhatsApp group, in every park, in every CGHS center.

They served the nation for 30 to 40 years. Now the nation must serve them with respect.

Join the movement. Strengthen the Association. Claim your rights.

_Lokanath Mishra, Chief Adviser, AIPACBIC .
For circulation among pensioners and well wishers

Jai Pensioner Ekta!