SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Sept 29: The Coal Pensioners Association (CPA), the frontal organization of lakhs of retired coalmen, has welcomed the decision of the central government for fixing Rs 1000 per month as the minimum pension.
Coal Pensioners Association president Ramanuj Prasad said that from this decision of the central government over 1.26 lakh retired coalmen who had been drawing merely below Rs 49 (only rupees forty-nine) as pension, would be benefited.
“The EPFO pension holders have been already getting Rs 1000 as minimum pension for a long time. The Coal Mines Provident Fund (CMPF) Trustee Board had already recommended three years ago for fixing Rs 1000 as the minimum pension. The green signal was awaited from the central government which came on September 27,” said Ramanuj Prasad, president of CPA.
However, the CPA regretted that the central government had taken the decision of fixing Rs 1000 as the minimum pension for retired coalmen when the Delhi High Court is scheduled to deliver the decision on October 12.
“ In the wake of present inflation minimum the Rs 1000 pension is insufficient for a retired coalmen to lead a normal life. So, the Coal Pensioners Association demand minimum pension should be Rs 10,000 per month or the pension amount which is being given to staff/officers who are retiring at present,” said Ramanuj Prasad.
The CPA has demanded that the pension should be paid timely and revised from time to time.
