HATSINGIMARI: A large number of government employees of different departments staged a protest outside the District Commissioner’s office in the South Salmara Mankachar District of the state. The protest was against the implementation of the New Pension Scheme (NPS).
Along with the rest of the state, the employees of the South Salmara Mankachar District also took part in the state-wide protest against the implementation of the New Pension Scheme. The government of Assam ordered the implementation of the scheme after 2005.
The protesters mentioned that according to the New Pension Scheme, government employees will be receiving only a minor one-time compensation from the state at the time of retirement and alleged that it won't be enough to run the family with that amount.
Demanding that the government reverts back to the old system, the protesters mentioned that since the old system made way for monthly pensions, maintaining a family was not that difficult when this system was active. The protesters also mentioned that the employees will continue their protest till their demands of revoking the New Pension Scheme is not fulfilled.
Previously, the workers of the Powai Tea Estate staged a massive protest in the administration of the garden and put forward several key demands in front of them. The Margherita branch of the Bharatiya Chah Mazdoor Sangh along with the Powai unit of the same organisation led this protest demanding an immediate halt to the exploitation of the tea garden workers. The protest was carried out inside the campus of the tea estate on Saturday morning and saw the participation of hundreds of workers.
During the protest, the workers complained that they are being exploited by the company and that will no longer allow such behaviour to go on. Lack of proper medical facilities, deduction of additional benefits to the workers, and demand for better quality umbrella and tarpaulin sheets were highlighted by the protesters. The protesters also demanded that the labour minister Sanjay Kishan take proper action regarding the matter and ensure the well-being of the workers of the tea estate. Apart from staying away from their duties for the duration of the protest, they also engaged in sloganeering and displayed placards highlighting their problems and demands.
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