पेंशन पर मोदी का जवाब!: आ गयी आधी खुशखबरी

EPS - 95 पेंशन बढ़ोतरी को लेकर पेंशनर, न्यूनतम पेंशन 7500 रु महीना डी ए, बिना किसी भेदभाव के सभी पेंशनर्स को उच्च पेंशन लाभ व पति पत्नी को मुफ्त चिकित्सा सुविधा की मांग को लेकर देश भर में प्रदर्शन कर रहे हैं। बार-बार सरकार के मंत्री आश्वासन दे रहे हैं, दो बार माननीय प्रधानमंत्री जी ने भी भरोसा दिलाया पर अभी तक कोई घोषणा नहीं की गई। पेंशनरों के सब्र का बांध अब टूट रहा है। मोदी जी को अपनी गारंटी निभानी चाहिए और मानवता के आधार पर वृद्ध पेंशनरों की मांगों को तत्काल पूरा करना चाहिए, इसपर सहानुभूति पूर्वक विचार करके कार्रवाई की जाए धन्यवाद सहित जवाब और कार्यवाही की प्रतीक्षा 194. SHRI RAJA A: Will the Minister of LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT be pleased to state: (a)whether the Government is receiving demands from stakeholders like trade unions, public representatives for increasing the minimum pension by the EPF; (b)if so, the details of demands of the stakeholders and the response of the Government thereto; (c)whether the Government would consider positively the hike in minimum pension for the EPF subscribers in view of rise in the cost of living index and hike in wages; (d)if so, the details thereof and the time by which it is expected to be announced; and (e)whether the Government/EPFO will revise pension calculation formula since the present one is arbitrary and biased against pensioners, if so, the details thereof? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE) (a) to (e): Yes Sir. Various representations have been received from various stakeholders to increase the minimum pension under the Employees' Pension Scheme (EPS), 1995. The Employees' Pension Scheme (EPS), 1995 is a 'Defined Contribution-Defined Benefit' Social Security Scheme. The corpus of the Employees' Pension Fund is made up of (i) contribution by the employer @ 8.33 per cent of wages; and (ii) contribution from Central Government through budgetary support @ 1.16 per cent of wages, up to an amount of Rs.15,000/- per month. All benefits under the scheme are paid out of such accumulations. The fund is valued annually as mandated under paragraph 32 of the EPS, 1995. Amount of member's pension under the Scheme is determined taking into account the pensionable period of service and pensionable salary as per following formula: Pensionable Service X Pensionable Salary 70 It is evident that the amount of pension is based on a predefined formula. However, the Government, for the first time, in the year 2014, provided a minimum pension of Rs. 1000 per month to the pensioners under the EPS, 1995 by providing budgetary support, which was in addition to the budgetary support of 1.16% of wages provided annually towards EPS to Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO). Considering the demands of Employees' Pension Scheme (EPS), 1995 pensioners, the Government constituted a High Empowered Monitoring Committee (HEMC) for complete evaluation and review of EPS 1995. The Committee considered the issue of dearness allowance under EPS, 1995 and has recommended, inter- alia, that linking the pension admissible under EPS 95 with cost of living index is not feasible in view of actuarial position of the Fund.