Denial Of Pension: Retired Multi-Tasking Staff Plea To PM
They argue that under Rule 88 of the CCS Pension Rules, 1972, the DoPPW holds the authority to amend rules to address genuine grievances but has failed to act.
Nellore: A group of retired multi-tasking staff (MTS) from the department of posts appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging the discriminatory denial of pension despite repeated pleas to the department of pension and pensioners' welfare (DoPPW), Government of India.
In a grievance submitted by Marella Venkatappaiah, a retired MTS from Ongole, the retirees claimed that over 100 written requests, sent by registered post and email over the past 2.5 years, have gone unanswered by the DoPPW. The inconsistent treatment between deceased and living employees was their main allegation.
The department of posts reportedly grants family pension to the spouses of employees who pass away even a day before retirement, but denies regular pension to those MTS personnel who retire after reaching superannuation, despite being promoted based on seniority without examination since 2010.
“We have been living without pension for the last four years, with no other source of income. We feel like we are being treated as walking corpses,” said Venkatappaiah, adding that the issue violates their Right to Livelihood under Article 21 of the Constitution.
They argue that under Rule 88 of the CCS Pension Rules, 1972, the DoPPW holds the authority to amend rules to address genuine grievances but has failed to act. So far, no explanation or resolution has been provided by the department, they said.
In a final effort to seek justice, Venkatappaiah pleaded, “We request the Prime Minister to intervene and instruct the concerned department to address this long-pending issue on humanitarian grounds.”
