Contributory Pension Scheme: Teachers, NGOs stage protest against scheme

Visakhapatnam: Around 300 government school teachers from 42 mandals of the district, including 11 agencies, have staged a dharna here on Saturday to protest against the contributory pension scheme (CPS). State government employees’ associations and NGOs also have joined the protest. Andhra Pradesh Teachers Federation (APTF), United Teachers Federation, Democratic Teachers Federation, Pandit Parishad, Veterinary NGOs Association, Health Supervisors Association and Contract Paramedical Employees Association are some of the bodies that have actively participated in the one-day protest.

All the leaders of these associations have raised slogans demanding the government to scrap the existing pension scheme that was introduced in 2004. As per the scheme, the government invests 20 per cent of the employees’ salaries in the stock markets. The employees say that it is unlawful to invest their future in market-risks.

APTF district general secretary V Venkatapathi Raju said that around 50,000 government employees across the state have participated in the state-wide dharna. There are more than 1.86 lakh CPS employees. All of them would take part in the protest by phase-wise. Recently, the government employees have achieved gratuity and family pension after some years of struggle. These associations in the state would intensify the agitation until the government cancels the CPS system, he said.