Declare pension as fundamental right, RSS labour wing tells government

NEWDELHI: The labour wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has asked the union government to review all existing pension schemes, declare pension as a fundamental right of a retired employee and ensure that the pension amount across sectors is at least 50% of the employee’s last salary or the minimum declared salary, whichever is higher.

The Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) at its national executive meeting held last week said shortcomings in the Employee Provident Fund pension scheme should be addressed. “Till such a decision is taken, a minimum ~5000 per month should be declared as pension for EPF contributors,” read a resolution passed at the meeting.

The BMS, which claims to represent over 5,000 unions added: “If workers in the unorganised sector get minimum ~3000 per month pension, it is strange that the employees in the organised sector get only ~1000 as EPF .

The pension amount for the employee should not be less than 50% last drawn salary or the minimum declared salary, whichever is higher.”

The organisation’s reference is to the new pension scheme for informal sector workers announced by the government in the Interim Budget.

The BMS which is against contractual employment and wants more permanent jobs has renewed its demand to being contractual and daily-wagers under the ambit of social security schemes.

Himanshu, a faculty member at the Jawaharlal Nehru University questioned the timing of the demand. He said BMS is part of the RSS, the ideological parent of the BJP, and could have pressurized the government to fulfil this “long pending demand”. “Unions have been protesting for years about these demands, why didn’t they get the government to meet this demand earlier and why rake it up now when elections are around the corner?”