Karnataka   

Pensioners seek a fair deal

MANGALORE: Around 500 members of the Provident Fund Pensioners' Association (PFPA) staged a dharna in front of the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation office at Falnir here on Tuesday demanding that the pension amount be increased to a minimum of Rs. 1,500, and the Employees' Pension Scheme 1995 be amended to benefit pensioners in the unorganised sector.

The protestors said that their monthly pension was less than Rs. 100. Lokaiah, a beedi worker, said he received a pension of just Rs. 29 a month for the last one-and-a-half years. When he went to the bank two months ago, he was told that the money had not yet arrived.

Lakshmi (59) said she was getting Rs. 55 a month. “Why do they give us this money at all?” Beedi worker Ramani of Adyarpadavu gets Rs. 41 and Elisa Lobo of Gurupura Post Rs. 30. Baby Thodar of Mijar said she wanted her pension to be increased at least to Rs. 500.

President of PFPA Vasant Achari said pensioners from the unorganised sector were subjected to delays and humiliation. “When they go to banks to collect money, they are looked down because many still get meagre amounts such as Rs. 7,” he said.

The major demands of the PFPA, he said, were return of capital provision, under which the nominees of a deceased pensioner received a one-time compensatory sum, should be included in the law. Pension should be linked to the consumer price index to protect pensioners of the unorganised sector.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Demolition forces people to live on the streets in Shahbad
Yeddyurappa flays Opposition
They have no place to go
PWD to take over sand extraction from today
Another honour for airport
At a vantage point
Ramdas Pai opens web-based coaching for architecture course
Banks in Goa flush with funds
Eco-tour bus to Bondla sanctuary
Music programme
Antony to campaign in Kasaragod today
Assault bid on journalist condemned
Scientist warns of tsunami-like disasters
Paramilitary forces for poll duty in Kasaragod
13 Youth Congress workers get jail term
Book in honour of Aquino to be released
Status quo on policy of grants to schools in Goa
For employment
‘No LoC without completing projects'
Yeddyurappa favours nationalisation of mining
Revenue staff demolish petrol outlet at Circuit House
Udupi CMC to overhaul garbage collection system
Pensioners seek a fair deal
Election to Udupi APMC on April 26
Vedike protests acquisition of more land for highway project
It's a battle of crorepatis here
‘Only Yeddyurappa has denotified government land'
State population up 15.67 p.c.
Bio-resources complex project is a big hit
State defends pension scheme for anganwadi workers
‘3 cr. tonnes of ore exported illegally'
Official ignores advice against denotifying forest land
BJP rebels may resume activity after bypolls
Computerisation drive at PF office hits pensioners
8.75 lakh students appearing for SSLC exam this year
Kalam for highly qualified faculty at B-Schools
Petitioner's counsel allowed to record juveniles' statements
HC directs election officer to probe Tumkur MLA's affidavit
Ashok moves High Court
Lokayukta for action against police official
Police recover property worth Rs. 1.5 crore
Union opposes more autos
All set for SSLC examination
Non-teaching staff begin fast again
Man fatally assaulted
Farmers find leasing out land to ginger growers profitable
Torched villages in Dantewada yet to receive emergency rations
Gang of four arrested

Copyright © 2011, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu