SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Oct 17: Retired coalmen of Coal India Limited (CIL) today held a massive demonstration at the gate of Coal Mines Provident Fund Organiza (CMPFO) headquarters in Dhanbad in support of their long-pending five-point demand including revision of pension.
As per the pre-announced programme, hundreds of retired coalmen, especially superannuated employees of Central Coalfield (CIL) Ranchi, Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL) and Central Coalfield Limited (ECL) Sanctoria assembled at Police Line-based CMPFO office under the banner of Coal Pensioners Association and demonstrated for implementation of their demands.
Later, a delegation handed over a memo of demands to the CMPFO commissioner.
Coal Pensioners Association president Ramanuj Prasad said that after the nationalisation of the coal industry, over 1.26 lakh retired coalmen of CIL are drawing merely Rs 49 to Rs 1000 as pension. In the present scenario, it is impossible to lead a normal family life on such a meagre amount. But retired coal employees have to live as no pension revision has been done for the old workers.
“Retired coal men had shot off memorandums several times to CMPFO, CIL management, ministry of coal and PMO for revision of pension. But when no response came from any quarter, they have been compelled to hold a demonstration at CMPFO headquarters for survival,” he said.
Prasad announced that the association will intensify the agitation if the CMPFO management does not initiate a move for pension revision.
JBCCI member Arup Chatterjee (former Nirsa MLA) who also joined the demonstration in solidarity with retired coal men said that the demands of retired CIL employees are genuine.
“Whenever JBCCI (policy-making body of CIL) meeting was held, I and our leader Sujit Bhattacharya raised the issue for increasing pension amount of the old retired coalmen. We demand Rs 10,000 should be fixed as pension for them,” he said.
