Tamil Nadu - Tuticorin   

"Enhance pension fund for port staff"

Staff Reporter

Says All India Federation of Ports and Docks Pensioners' Associations

FOR FORMER STAFF: N.K. Raghupathy, Tuticorin Port Trust Chairman, addressing a meeting in Tuticorin on Saturday. — Photo: N. Rajesh

Tuticorin: The 20th General Body Meeting of the All India Federation of Ports and Docks Pensioners' Associations (AIFPDPA) here on Saturday urged the authorities concerned to enlarge the corpus in "pension fund" at every port.

K. Thiagarajan, president, AIFPDPA, said that higher allocation to the fund had become essential to safeguard the interest of pensioners, who needed "better treatment" in the wake of escalating costs.

He said that 50 per cent of Dearness Relief (DR) should be merged with the basic pension from July 1, 2006, as DR value stabilised at 61 per cent on that date.

"The DR should be merged again with the basic pension, whenever it crosses 50 percent after the revision," he said.

Steps should be taken to pay 20 per cent of basic pension, including dearness relief as "interim relief" to the pensioners with effect from January 1, 2007.

The association wanted in-charge allowance, small family norm interest, special pay and a certain percentage of house rent allowance to be calculated while fixing pension. Voluntary retirement should be allowed after completion of 10 years of service instead of 20.

IT exemption

B.H. More, General Secretary, AIFPDPA, said that qualifying service and formula for calculation of gratuity should be based on the principles of payment of Gratuity Act, 1972, without any ceiling on the amount.

He said that the authorities concerned should take immediate steps to remove pension from the purview of Income Tax. "Exclusive pension adalats should be started for retired port employees to provide a platform to represent their grievances," he said. Later, N.K. Raghupathy, Chairman of Tuticorin Port Trust, addressed the pensioners at an open session.

M. Ravindran, Trustee, Tuticorin Port Trust, was also present.

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