Restore OPS, Hike Minimum Wage: Chennai Pensioners Submit Charter to 8th Pay Commission
Representatives of the Chennai GPO Pensioners Forum met the 8th Central Pay Commission in Chennai on Tuesday to press for a range of demands concerning retired postal employees and pensioners. The meeting was part of the Commission's outreach to gather stakeholder inputs ahead of preparing its recommendations.
The delegation called for the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), which was discontinued in 2004. They also demanded enhancement of pension and family pension, relief on recovery of commutation amounts, and revision of benefits under the Modified Assured Career Progression (MACP) scheme. Improved allowances, better leave benefits, and stronger social security measures were also among the key requests.
In addition, the forum sought a permanent wage revision mechanism to avoid long gaps between pay commission cycles. It proposed a minimum wage of ₹68,000 and recommended replacing the existing pay matrix with running scales of pay, a system used by several state governments and public sector undertakings.
The representatives also raised concerns specific to postal employees, including better pay scales and improved career progression opportunities. They asked the Commission to address the workplace challenges faced by women employees and persons with disabilities in the postal department.
The demand to restore the OPS has been a recurring issue raised by various employees' and pensioners' bodies across the country. The OPS, in place until 2004, assured employees a fixed pension linked to their last drawn salary, whereas the National Pension System (NPS) relies on market-linked contributions. The forum's plea also included relief for pensioners who had availed commutation — a lump-sum advance in lieu of a portion of pension — as these amounts are currently recovered in monthly installments over a set period.
On the wage structure, the forum's suggestion of running scales would mean periodic automatic increments within a pay band, as opposed to the current pay matrix which fixes stages based on index of rationalisation. The suggested minimum wage of ₹68,000 exceeds the ₹26,000 minimum pay recommended by the 7th Pay Commission, indicating the rising cost of living expectations.
The 8th Central Pay Commission was set up to recommend changes to the pay structure of central government employees, including those in defence and civil services. Its recommendations typically have widespread implications for government finances and employee morale. The Commission has been visiting various cities to hear representations from recognised federations, associations and individual stakeholders.
The Commission reportedly listened to the representations and assured the forum that its demands would be taken into consideration. The 8th Central Pay Commission, constituted by the Union government, is expected to submit its recommendations on revising the pay, allowances, and pension for central government employees and pensioners. Stakeholder consultations such as this are being held across the country.
