Is Govt coming up with golden voluntary retirement scheme?

New Delhi: Is the government coming up with a golden voluntary retirement scheme for its employees? Are all PSUs going to be privatised? What is going to happen to the future of millions of people working with Public sector companies? These are a few questions that most of the government employees are jostling with these days. So much so that a question in the Rajya Sabha was put up asking whether the government has any plan to come up with a golden voluntary retirement scheme.

No such plan!

The question was answered by the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh. In a written reply he told Rajya Sabha "Presently there is no such proposal of Golden Voluntary Retirement Scheme under consideration of the Government".

"Presently there is no such proposal of Golden Voluntary Retirement Scheme under consideration of the Government"- Union Minister of State Dr Jitendra Singh

He also negated all doubts regarding bringing down the age of retirement of the government employees. "Also, there is no proposal in the Government to reduce the retirement age of Government employees below 60 years," said the minister.

96 Group 'A' officers compulsorily retired

Under the fundamental (FR) rules 56 (J) as many as 96 Group 'A' officers and 126 Group 'B' officers of different Ministries/Departments were compulsorily retired during the period of July 2014 to October 2019 (as on 25.11.2019), the minister informed parliament. According to Rule 56 (J), an appropriate authority had the "absolute right to retire" any government service if it is of the opinion that the decision would be in public interest. Such employees can be retired by giving him notice of not less than three months in writing or three months' pay and allowances in lieu of such notice.