Umbrella union bodies have been agitating for the re-introduction of the old pension scheme in the state. However, after a meeting with five ministers of the BJP government on Friday, Samyukt Karmachari Morcha president Digvijaysinh Jadeja and Rashtriya Samyukt Morcha president Bhikhabhai Patel had said the mass leave stir had been called off as the government had accepted majority of their demands, except reintroduction of OPS.
Bhikhabhai Patel, leader Rashtriya Samyukt Morcha, said, "Though our demand for OPS has not been accepted, we are happy that employees who had joined before 2005 will now get benefits under that scheme. This decision by the government will benefit nearly 70,000 state government employees."
What has been offered by the government?
The government employees who had joined before April 2005 will enjoy the benefits of the General Provident Fund and the old pension scheme. The new pension scheme will not be applicable to them.
State Education Minister of Gujarat, Jitu Vaghani said, "Moreover, as sought by unions, the state government's contribution in CPF (contributory provident fund) has now been increased from 10 per cent to 14 per cent. In case of an employee's death, the state will give a family pension as per the rules formed by the Union government in 2009."
He also said that the decision on the old pension scheme will be taken at the right time as it is a policy matter.
Medical allowance was also increased from ₹300 to ₹1,000 and implementing all the pending allowances on the lines of Central government employees under the 7th Pay Commission, said Vaghani.
In case of an employee's death during service period, the state government will now pay a lump sum compensation of ₹14 lakh instead of current ₹8 lakhs to the family.
English paper will be removed from the departmental exams for getting promotions, the education Minister concluded.
Why are government employees still protesting?
The protesters claimed that their main demand was OPS and that hasn't been resolved by the government yet. Mahesh Mori, convenor of Rashtriya Samyukt Morcha, Saurashtra region."Our main demand was OPS and this issue was not resolved by the state government on Friday. This issue affects each and every employee of the state and hence, they have decided to join the mass CL stir today."
Nearly 7,000 government teachers were on leave on Saturday in Bhavnagar district alone, he said.
Adding to it, a protesting employee in Gandhinagar said, "Our union leaders had called off the stir saying all our demands were met. But, our main demand for OPS is still standing. The government has agreed to give OPS only to employees who have joined service before 2005, while most of us have joined after 2005,"
Unions representing teachers, panchayat health workers and revenue employees have been protesting since some time for the reintroduction of the OPS in the state.
(With inputs from agencies)
