Assam: Will restore Old Pension Scheme if voted to power in 2026, says Bhupen Bora

Guwahati: With the issue of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for government employees gaining momentum, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Bhupen Kumar Borah on Monday promised restoration of the old scheme for state employees if the party is voted to power in 2026 assembly polls.

“The Congress is known for keeping electoral promises while the BJP-JJP government is known for breaking them,” Borah said while addressing a special session organised by the All Assam Govt NPS Employees’ Association (AAGNPSEA) at Bhagawati Prasad Baruaha Bhawan here on Monday.

“Five Congress-ruled states, including Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Himachal Pradesh – have already decided to implement the OPS, apart from Punjab’s Aam Aadmi Party government. In Assam United Opposition forum has already decided for restorative of the OPS for the government employees,” Borah also said.

“We the United Opposition Forum comprising 15 political parties will be with you and with your democratic movement. It is a decision of the BJP taken in the interests of the corporate, not in the interests of commoners,” Bora said.

“The United Opposition forum will hold a meeting in Dibrugarh on November 30 and will publish our declaration on some selected issues,” he added.

Speaking on the occasion, United Opposition Forum (UOF) general secretary Lurinjyoti Gogoi said that all 15 opposition political parties would extend their support to the state employees for their movement for the restoration of OPS.

Addressing the session, AAGNPSEA president Achyutananda Hazarika said: “The OPS is a public pension system, where no private contribution is required but a minimum monthly pension is guaranteed based on the salary of the last month of service. Also, death allowance is guaranteed like working employees depending on the price of the goods. Twenty per cent increment in monthly pension for those, over the age of 80 and 40 per cent for the pensioners 90 years and above age is also applicable.”

Hazarika argued that the discontinuity of economic security to pensioners is also unconstitutional as per Article 14 of the Constitution of India.

According to the Supreme Court, “pension is not a bounty nor a matter of grace depending upon the sweet will of the employer and it creates a vested right subject to 1972 rules which are statutory in character, because they enacted in the exercise of powers conferred by the proviso to Article 309 and clause 50 of Article 148 of the Constitution, that pension is not an ex-gratia payment, but it is a payment for the past service rendered...".

“There is no need to explain that the NPS is a deprivation and a government system of money supply to the capitalists. Only the victims can understand how those who were receiving a monthly salary of Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 2,00,000 each until the day before retirement have suddenly received a pension of Rs. 1,000 or Rs. 2,000 each. In short, the collapse of the main driving force of the system called administration is obvious today,” Hazarika also said.

“The time has come for everyone who wants to stabilize the state, country and social system to speak out for change in this stubborn system. The struggle for system change and restoration of the OPS since 2004,” he said.

“The All Assam Government NPS Employees’ Association was incorporated in Aug 2018. In the past, we have united every teacher, employee and worker in Assam for the sake of resolving a single demand, for the sake of protecting the retirement lives of teachers and employees. This struggle is coming to fruition. We all want to solve the problem without full struggle,” he added.

 The special session demanded the Central and the state governments cancel NPS and provide pensions to all workers, employees and teachers working in the state under the OPS.

The session demanded for repeal of the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Act (PFRDA), 2013 immediately.

The session decided to intensify the struggle for the benefit of the working class of Assam if the state government and the Central government do not take a positive role in this demand.

The session organized by the AAGNPSEA and supported by JCC for OPS Assam Joint Forum for Restoration of OPS Assam, further decided to intensify the struggle to restore the OPS.

Earlier, the session was inaugurated by Gauhati University Professor Dr Akhil Ranjan Dutta.

Former vice-chancellor of Dibrugarh University, Dr. Alok Buragohain, former vice-chancellor of Krishankanta Handique State Open University and editor of Daily Asom Dr. Hitesh Deka, MP Ajit Kumar Bhuyan, CPI state secretary Isfakur Raman, senior journalist Adip Kumar Phukan, former labour leader Shatanjib Das, former MLA Mamud Imdadul Haque Chowdhury and many other leaders and intellectuals attended the session.