Guwahati: Joint Forum observes National Pensioners' Day, Demand Reforms

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Joint Forum of Pensioners Associations and Retired Persons, Assam observed National Pensioners' Day in Guwahati on Wednesday with a large gathering of retired employees from various sectors, renewing demands for key pension-related reforms.

The programme was held at BSNL office in Panbazar. The demonstration programme, held on the call of the Forum of Civil Pensioners Associations, demanded the scrapping of the validation clause of the Central Civil Services (CCS) Pension Rules and the inclusion of pension revision in the Terms of Reference (TOR) of the 8th Central Pay Commission through suitable amendments.

The meeting was presided over by a four-member presidium comprising Ghana Kanta Gohain, Dinesh Kumar Sarma, Shiba Prasad Bhattacharya and Dines Das. Pensioners' associations representing Postal, BSNL, Income Tax, Audit and Accounts, LIC, Banking, State Government, RBI, General Insurance, ASEB and other sectors participated.

The meeting was inaugurated by Garga Talukdar, Joint Convenor of the Joint Council of Trade Unions, Assam. Leaders of various pensioners' associations addressed the gathering, highlighting long-pending issues affecting retirees. Achyutananda Hazarika, President of the All Assam Government NPS Employees Association, also addressed the meeting.

A resolution demanding family pension for Public Sector General Insurance Company (PSGIC) pensioners was unanimously adopted and forwarded to the Union Finance Minister and the Chairperson, General Insurance Public Sector Association (GIPSA), New Delhi.

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