The UPS (Unified Pension Scheme), approved by the Modi Government is a ploy to deceive and divide the government employees. The government lives in a fools’ paradise of halting the movement against NPS and for restoration of OPS (Old Pension Scheme) by introducing UPS.
The introduction of UPS marks no qualitative change vis-a-vis NPS. Rather, it is complete denial of employees’ right to the Old Pension Scheme, the benefit scheme to compensate for the decades of service they rendered to the government.
Whereas OPS is a defined benefit scheme, it did not require the employees to pay any contribution towards their pension. Pension was interpreted by the courts as unpaid wages. But, UPS, like NPS, continues to be a contributory one and the employees are forced to contribute 10% of their salary including DA.
The employees are also dealt a body blow by drastically reducing their gratuity at the conclusion of their service. Generally, on an average, the estimated amount received by a government employee at the end of their service was roughly around Rs 20 lakhs at the minimum and is now being drastically reduced to 10 percent of monthly pay for every six months of service, which is nothing but a pittance for rendering decades of service to the government. Also, the benefit of the GPF in OPS has been snatched away. Moreover, UPS remains a market driven scheme and dependent on the vagaries of the market. So, whatever be the proposal for any assured pension, the UPS is also extremely vulnerable.
Ultimately, UPS too, like NPS, continues to deny pension as a benefit and makes it proportionate to the contributions made by the employee in his/her service period. Furthermore, UPS is a blatant violation of several Supreme Court judgements and the constitution itself.
Hence, UPS must be opposed and the movement for restoration of OPS must be further intensified. AICCTU stands in solidarity with the government employees of the country in their struggle for restoration of OPS.
