Coal pensioners demand revision, raise in pension ahead of CMPFO board meeting

New Delhi: Ahead of a meeting of the Board of Trustees of Coal Mines Provident Fund Organisation (CMPFO), the All-India Coal Pensioners Association (AICPA) has reiterated its demand for a revision and raise in pension. Many retirees from coal PSUs are getting pensions as low as Rs 1,000 per month because their pensions have not been revised in line with the pay revision.

In a letter addressed to Coal Secretary Amrit Lal Meena, AICPA convenor PK Singh Rathor said, “It is learnt that the meeting of BoT, CMPFO has been convened on 27/9/23. We want to put following facts for kind consideration and appropriate action for the resolution of problems being faced by the retired officers and employees of Coal India and Singareni Collieries Company Limited.”

What are coal PSU pensioners demanding?

According to the letter, the coal pensioners have demanded speedy implementation on suggestions contained in the 12th Report of Public Accounts Committee for Restructuring of Coal Mines Pension Scheme, incorporation of Dearness Relief (DR) component as a part of pension to ensure equitable pension irrespective of retirement date, hastening of the process of amendment in act as proposed by the Board of Trustees of CMPFO and enhancement of collection of welfare cess from present Rs 10 per tonne to Rs 20 per tonne which is pending since the last two years. The AICPA has suggested linking the welfare cess to the selling price of coal in the form of percentage which will do away with the need to revise it time and again.

The organisation, which represents pensioners in coal PSUs, has also requested the body to abide by the provisions enacted in CMPS-1998 to review and revise pensions every three years and ensure Minimum Pension to the pensioner in line with the Government policy.

“It is to reiterate that a number of MPs, irrespective of political affiliation, have supported the justification of our above demands, and have endorsed them to the Minister for Coal for redressal… We request proper deliberations and decisions in this matter and request (CMPFO) to address the issue of meagre and stagnant pension under CMPS-1998 to coal sector employees,” said Rathor.

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