Bilaspur: Pensioners in Himachal Pradesh have warned of intensifying their agitation against the government over pending financial liabilities and various demands. On Friday, a state-level meeting of the Himachal Pradesh Pensioners Joint Struggle Committee was held in Bilaspur, where office-bearers of 18 organisations chalked out the strategy for the upcoming movement.
The committee issued a 15-day ultimatum to the government, demanding talks and positive action on their demands. The pensioners made it clear that if their demands are not met, they will march to Shimla in the coming days. They also warned of gheraoing the Vidhan Sabha and the Secretariat during the upcoming winter session of the Assembly.
The meeting, held at the District Council Hall in Bilaspur, was presided over by committee president Suresh Thakur. Pending demands of pensioners and financial liabilities were discussed at the meeting. Suresh Thakur said several payments have been pending for a long time and the government has not taken the expected action to resolve them.
He said arrears based on revised pay scales, pension arrears, leave encashment and revised gratuity for employees who retired between January 1, 2016 and January 31, 2022, are still pending. He demanded early payment of these liabilities.
What Are the Pensioners’ Demands?
The meeting raised demands for a 15 per cent dearness allowance, payment of pending medical allowances, regular pension for retired employees of the Himachal Road Transport Corporation, arrears of Rs 50,000 and release of the pending instalment of 3 per cent DA.
Other demands included restoration of the old pension scheme for retired employees of the Electricity Board, pension for retired employees of urban bodies from 2016, and bringing retired employees of 18 corporate sector entities under the pension ambit.
Agitation to Begin After 15 Days
Suresh Thakur said the government has been given 15 days. If no meeting is held with the Joint Struggle Committee during this period and no positive action is taken on the demands, a public awareness campaign will be launched across the state in October. After that, the agitation will be intensified from the block to the district level in November, he said.
Warning of Shimla March
The pensioners said that if the government still does not take a concrete decision, pensioners from across the state will march to Shimla during the winter session of the Assembly. A warning was also issued to gherao the Vidhan Sabha and the Secretariat during this period. The committee said the path of dialogue with the government remains open for resolving the demands, but the agitation will continue over the pending payments.
Pensioners to Meet CM Sukhu on September 21
Meanwhile, a delegation of the Himachal Pradesh Pensioners Joint Front will meet Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu at the Secretariat on September 21. The meeting, to be held under the leadership of Front’s state president Atma Ram Sharma, will discuss the pending demands and financial liabilities of pensioners. He said he hopes that there will be positive discussions on the pending demands of pensioners at the meeting.
