Pensioners stage dharna in Kakinada, demand restoration of Old Pension Scheme
Kakinada, Sept. 29 (TNT): Retired employees staged a dharna in front of the Collectorate here on Tuesday, demanding restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) and resolution of their long-pending demands.
The protest was organised following a joint call by the All India Pensioners Federation and the State Government Pensioners’ Association.
Pensioners from across the district participated in the demonstration, expressing their dissatisfaction with successive governments over the delay in addressing their demands.
JAC chairman G. Ramamohan Rao and general secretary P. Murty Babu, along with several employees’ union leaders, attended the protest and expressed solidarity with the pensioners.
Addressing the gathering, union leaders Achanta Ramarayudu, G. Apparao, K.P. Jagadeeswara, A. Bharati Devi and Aruna Rekha criticised the state governments over what they described as the erosion of pensioners’ rights.
They demanded the repeal of the Pension Rules Validation Act, 2025, and restoration of the OPS.
The leaders announced a joint action plan to pursue their 12 demands, including wage revision under the Eighth Pay Commission, interim relief, merger of 50 per cent dearness allowance (DA) with dearness relief (DR), reduction of the commutation period to 10 years and eight months, release of pending arrears, free cashless medical treatment and restoration of travel concessions for senior citizens.
Pensioners’ leaders Pindiprolu Madhavarao, Pilli Nagaraju, S.N. Ramarao, R.V. Palleswararao and Uppada Satyanarayana Reddy were among those who participated in the dharna.
TNT TMR
