Gadkari seeks Joshi’s intervention on revision of pension for coal sector workers

New Delhi: Road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari has sought the intervention of coal minister Pralhad Joshi in the matters related to coal sector workers’ demand for an increase in their pension which has not been revised for the past 23 years.

Gadkari said that some of the pensioners were barely getting Rs 1,000 a month.

”All India Association of Coal Executives (AIACE), Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh has submitted me a representation regarding a revision and increment of pension provided to coal sector pensioners.

”The representation is self explanatory and provide details of their grievance that in the absence of revision many pensioners are getting same amount as pension from last 23 years,” Gadkari told Joshi in his letter dated May 30.

Some of them are getting merely Rs 1,000 as a pension as claimed in the representation,” the letter said.

”They are following the matter of revision and increase of pension with many authorities but could not succeed so far. You are requested to have the matter looked and examined into and provide best possible relief to the pensioners as per rules with due verification,” Gadkari said.

AIACE — an association of serving and retired executives of state-owned CIL and SCCL– had earlier said that pension of Coal India and Singareni Collieries Co Ltd employees has not been reviewed since 1998 even though the Coal Mine Pension Scheme (CMPS) has the provision of review in every three years. Coal sector employees and executives are covered under CMPS, 1998 which is effective from April 1, 1994.

Pension once fixed at the time of retirement has never been increased since inception, AIACE said.

Since inception of the scheme 23 years ago, not even once the pension was enhanced leaving those retired 15 to 20 years ago in a state of destitution, AIACE principle general secretary P K Singh Rathor said.