Coal sector pensioners seek demand ‘Same Grade, Same Pension’ on lines of OROP

• Pension of about 5.6 lakh coal industry retired employees under Coal Mines Pension Scheme 1998 (CMPS-1998) has never been revised since its inception 24 years ago
• Some coal sector pensioners are receiving pensions as low as Rs 1,000 every month

New Delhi: At a meeting of the All India Association of Coal Executives (AIACE) and All India Coal Pensioners' Association (AICPA) in Varanasi on Friday, coal sector pensioners have decided to demand Same Grade, Same Pension from the government on the lines of the One Rank, One Pension (OROP) demanded by defence personnel. AIACE Convenor PK Singh Rathor said that coal sector pensioners will start a dharna at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi from July 25 to demand a revision of pension for retired employees of coal PSUs.

Pension of 5.6 lakh coal sector retirees not revised in 24 yrs

"Pension of about 5.6 lakh coal industry retired employees (executives and non-executives) under Coal Mines Pension Scheme 1998 (CMPS-1998) has never been revised since its inception 24 years ago. It had a provision of review and revision every three years which was never done by the CMPFO," said Rathor. Because of a lack of revision in pension, some coal sector pensioners are receiving pensions as low as Rs 1,000 every month.

He further said that for bolstering their cause, association members have so far met 76 MPs of different parties and have handed them memorandums in this regard. Rathor said that after meeting MPs, the members will meet Presidents of different political parties and then all chief ministers of states where coal mining is continuing.

Coal sector pensioners to go on strike from July 25

He added that coal retirees and serving employees of coal PSUs will start dharna at Jantar-Mantar, New Delhi, from July 25 for demanding Same Grade, Same Pension. All members present in the meeting committed to participating in the dharna as per the decision of All India Coal Pensioners Association (AICPA) and All India Association of Coal Executives (AIACE).

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