NEW CONTRIBUTORY
PENSION SYSTEM (NPS)
Pension system was in vogue in India for a century or more and the British
Government during the pre-independence era introduced Pension Rules for
Government employees and thus made it statutory. In the year 1982 Supreme
Court in its landmark judgement in Nakara’s case declared that - “as
per India’s constitution, Government is obliged to provide social and economic
security to pensioners and that Government retirees had the fundamental right
to pension..... Pension is not a bounty nor a matter of
grace depending upon the sweet will of the employer. It is not an
ex-gratia payment, but a payment for past service rendered. It is a
social welfare measure, rendering socio-economic justice to those who in the
hey days of their life, ceaselessly toiled for their employers on the assurance
that in their old age, they would not be left in lurch.
During
the advent of globalisation policies in 1980’s the pension reforms also started
simultaneously. IMF & World Bank started publishing so many reports and
documents emphasizing the need for pension reforms. They also
started studying about the reforms to be undertaken in the pension sector in
India. In 2001, “IMF work paper on pension reforms in
India” and World Bank India specific report“India - the challenge of old
age income security” were published. Their work reports emphasized
that “Pension obligations or promises made by the Governments which have
potential of exerting pressure on Govt. finances, have been a subject of
increased focus in assessing medium to long term fiscal sustainability.”
In tune with the dictates of IMF and World Bank BJP-led NDA Government
appointed Bhattacharjee Committee in 2001 headed by Ex-Chief Secretary of
Karnataka, to study and recommend pension reforms. Thus after creating
ground for pension reforms, under the pretext of implementing recommendations
of Bhattacharyya Committee, the NDA Government introduced New Pension System
called Defined Contributory pension system for all employees who join service
on or after 01-01-2004. The Congress-led UPA Government which came to
power in 2004 continued with the reforms and promulgated an ordinance to
legalise NPS. But UPA-I Govt. could not pass the Pension Bill in
Parliament due to stiff opposition of Left Parties supporting it. Later
when UPA-II Government came to power the Pension Regulatory and Development
Authority (PFRDA) Bill was passed in the Parliament with the support of BJP,
the then opposition party. Many State Governments governed by political
parties other than Left Parties, introduced Contributory Pension System for
their employees from various dates after 2004. Left Front Governments of
Kerala, West Bengal and Tripura refused to introduce the New Pension Scheme and
they continued with the old defined benefit pension scheme. Congress-led
UDF Government introduced NPS in Kerala. After BJP coming to power in Tripura
also Contributory Pension Scheme is introduced recently. In West
Bengal old Pension Scheme continues even now. Not only newly appointed
Central and State Government employees, almost all new entrants of public
sector and Autonomous bodies are also brought under the purview of NPS.
As
per New Contributory Pension Scheme an amount of 10% of pay plus Dearness
Allowance will be deducted each month from the salary of the employees covered
under NPS and credited to their pension account. Equal amount is to
be credited by the Government (employer) also. Total amount will go
to the Pension Funds constituted under the PFRDA Act. From the
pension fund the amount will go to the share market. As per the
PFRDA Act - “there shall not be any implicit or explicit assurance of
benefit except (share) market based guarantee mechanism to be purchased by the
subscribers”. Thus the amount deposited in Pension Fund may or may
not grow depending on the fluctuations in the share market. After
attaining 60 years of age i.e., at the time of retirement, 60% of the
accumulated amount in the Pension Account of the employee will be refunded and
the balance 40% will be deposited in an Insurance Annuity
Scheme. Monthly amount received from the Insurance Annuity Scheme is
the monthly pension i.e., Pension is not paid by Government, but by the
Insurance Company and hence NPS is nothing but Pension Privatization.
Thus
it can be seen that the growth of the accumulated amount in the Pension fund
depends upon the vagaries of share market. If the share markets
collapse, as happened during the 2008 world financial crisis, then the entire
amount in the pension fund may vanish. In that case employee will
not get any pension. Every fluctuation in the share market will
affect the future of pension of those employees who are covered under
NPS. Uncertainty about pension and retirement life looms large over
their heads. Even if there is a stabilized share market the 40% amount in
the annuity scheme is not enough to get 50% of the last pay drawn as pension,
which is the minimum pension as per old pension scheme. Many employees who
entered in service after 01-01-2004 has retired in 2017 and 2018 after
completing 12 & 13 years of service. They are getting Rs.1400- to Rs.1700-
only as monthly pension from Insurance Annuity Scheme. If they have entered
service in 2003 i.e., in the old pension scheme, they would have got 50% of the
last pay drawn as pension subject to a minimum of Rs.9000- as minimum pension,
that too without giving any monthly contribution towards pension from their
salary. In short, NPS is nothing but NO PENSION SYSTEM.
As
per clause 12(5) of the PFRDA Act even the employees and pensioners
who are not covered under NPS, can be brought under the Act by a Gazette
notification by the Government. Thus NPS is a Damocles’ sword
hanging over the head of all employees and
pensioners.
Who
is the beneficiary of this pension reforms? As in the case of every
neo-liberal reforms, the ultimate beneficiary is the Corporates. The
huge amount collected from the workers through pension fund is invested in
share market by the Pension Fund Managers and this amount in turn can be
utilied by the multi-national Corporates for multiplying their
profit. Amount deducted and credited to the Pension fund from each
newly recruited employees plus the employer’s share amount will remain with the
pension fund and share market for a period of minimum 30 to 35 years i.e., till
the age of 60 years. During this long period of 35 years crores and
crores of rupees will be at the disposal of share market controlled by
multinational corporate giants. Ultimate causality will be the poor
helpless employee/pensioner.
Confederation
of Central Government Employees and Workers and All India State Government
Employees Federation (AISGEF) has been opposing the NPS from the very beginning
and a one day strike was conducted on 30th October 2007. It was one
of the main demand in all other strikes during these period. The
campaign and struggle against NPS continued and as of now the subjective and
objective conditions for a bigger struggle against NPS has emerged as almost 50%
of the total employees in Central, State, Public sector and Autonomous bodies
are now covered under NPS and are becoming more and more restive and
agitated. 7th Central Pay Commission Chairman Retired Supreme court
Judge Sri. Asok Kumar Mathur has correctly pointed out that “Almost a
whole lot of Government employees appointed on or after 01-01-2004, were
unhappy with New Pension Scheme. Govt. should take a call to look
into their complaint”.
As
per the recommendations of 7th CPC, Central Government appointed a
Committee called “NPS Committee” for streamlining the functioning of NPS. The
Staff-side has demanded before this Committee to scrap NPS and guarantee for
50% of the last pay drawn as minimum pension subject to a minimum of Rs.9000-.
Even though, the Committee has submitted its report 18 months back, the
Government has not yet disclosed the recommendations of the
Committee.
Confederation and AISGEF has decided countrywide intensive
campaign culminating in one day strike on 15th November 2018 demanding that the
Defined Contributory Pension Scheme (New Pension Scheme - NPS) imposed on new
entrants must be scrapped and the Government should reintroduce the Defined
Benefit Pension Scheme (Old Pension Scheme - OPS) that was in vogue for a
century or more. We are also exploring the possibility of organizing an
indefinite strike in the coming days exclusively on one demand i.e., SCRAP
NPS, RESTORE OPS for which wider consultations are being made with all
like-minded organizations.
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us Þudkjkß dsl esa ,Sfrgkfld fu.kZ; nsrs gq, dgk Fkk fd ÞHkkjr ds lafo/kku ds
vuqlkj ljdkj dk ;g nkf;Ro gS fd og izR;sd lsokfuo`Rr deZpkjh dks lkekftd rFkk
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lkekftd dY;k.kdkjh dk;Z gS tks fd ,d deZpkjh dks mlds dfBu fnuksa esa lkekftd
vkfFkZd U;k; iznku djrk gS ftlus fd vius lsok dky esa dfBu ifjJe fd;k gS] rFkk cq<+kis esa
ftudks cslgkjk ugha NksM+k tk ldrk A
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lkFk & LkkFk isa”ku lq/kkjksa dk dke Hkh “kq# dj fn;kA varjkZ’Vªh; eqnzkdks’k rFkk fo”ocSad us reke
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lq/kkjksa dk v/;;u “kq# fd;kA
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lqq/kkjks ijß rFkk fo”o cSad us Hkkjr ds
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fjiksVZ esa bl ckr ij tksj fn;k x;k fd ljdkj }kjk fd;s x;s isa”ku lEcU/kh
dk;nksa ls ljdkj ds [ktkus ij fdruk ncko curk gS rFkk e/;e ,oe~ yEcs le; rd
foRrh; fLFkfr ogky j[kus ij D;k izHkko iM+rk gS A varjkZ’Vªh; eqnzkdks’k rFkk
fo”ocSad ds funsZ”kksa ds vuqlkj Hkkjr ljdkj us lu~ 2001 esa dukZVd ds iwoZ
eq[; lfpo HkV~VkpkthZ dh v/;{krk esa ,d desVh dk xBu fd;k ftlesa isa”ku
lq/kkjksa ds Åij v/;;u dj fjiksVZ nsus dks dgk A bl rjg isa”ku lq/kkjksa ds fy,
Hkwfedk rS;kj dj HkV~VkpkthZ desaVh dh laLrqfr;ksa ds vk/kkj ij rRdkyhu
,u-Mh-,- ljdkj us ubZ isa”ku;kstuk ftls dh fuf”pr va”knk;h isa”ku ;kstuk Hkh dg
ldrs gS] dks 01.01.2004 ls ykxw dj fn;kA lu~ 2004 esa dk¡xzsl ds usr`Ro esa
;w-ih-,- ljdkj vk;h vkSj mlus Hkh bu lq/kkjksa dks tkjh j[kk rFkk mls dkuquh
ntkZ nsus ds fy, ,d v/;kns”k tkjh dj fn;k ysfdu ;w-ih-,- I ds dk;Zdky esa okeiaFkh
nyksa ds izcy fojks/k ds dkj.k yksdlHkk esa bl dkuwu dks ikfjr ugha fd;k tk ldk
A ysfdu ;w-ih-,- II
ds dk;Zdky esa ih-,Q-vkj-Mh-,- fcy dks Hkkjrh; turk ikVhZ dh enn ls ikfjr dj
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okeiaFkh ljdkjksa dks NksM+ dj
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okeiaFkh ljdkjksa us bl ykxw djus ls euk dj fn;k rFkk iqjkuh isa”ku ;kstuk dks
gh pkyw j[kkA
dk¡xszl ds usr`Ro okyh
;w-Mh-,Q- ljdkj us dsjy esa ubZ isa”ku ;kstuk dks ykxw dj fn;k A f=iqjk esa
ch-ts-ih- dh ljdkj vkus ds ckn vHkh gky gh esa bls ykxw dj fn;k x;k gS A if”pe
caxky esa vHkh Hkh iqjkuh isa”ku ;kstuk py jgh gS A vc lHkh jkT; ljdkjksa] dsUnz ljdkj rFkk jkT;
,oe~ dsUnz “kkflr Lok;Rr”kk’kh laLFkkvksa ds deZpkjh ubZ isa”ku ;kstuk esa gSaA
u;h isa”ku ;kstuk ds varxZr deZpkjh ds osru ls izfrekg 10% ewyosru rFkk eagxkbZ
HkRrk dkVdj isa”ku QaM esa tek fd;k tkrk gSA
blds cjkcj ek=k esa ljdkj Hkh iSlk tek djrh gSA ;s lkjk iSlk
ih-,Q-vkj-Mh-,- ,DV ds vuqlkj “ks;j efdZV dks tkrk gS A bl ij fdlh Hkh rjg dk
ykHk dk dksbZ Hkh vk”oklu ljdkj ugha
nsrh gS A vkSj bldk ykHk iwjh rjg “ks;j ekdsZV ij vk/kkfjr gSA bl rjg “ks;j ekdsZV
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40% ,U;wVh esa tk;sxk ftlds
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bl rjg ;g Li’V gS fd bl ,df=r
/kujkf”k dh o`f) “ks;j ekdsZV ds Åij
fuHkZj jgsxh A vxj “ks;j ekdsZV Mqcrk gS tSlk fd 2008 esa fo”o fofRr;
ladV ds le; gqvk Fkk rks lkjk /ku Mwc tk,xk rFkk bl fLFkfr esa deZpkjh dks
dksbZ isa”ku ugha feysxh A “ks;j ekdsZV ds gj mrkj p<+ko dk bl ij vlj iM+sxk
rFkk isa”kujksa ds Åij gj le; vfuf”prrk cuh jgsxhA vxj “ks;j ekdsZV esa fuf”kprrk cuh Hkh jgs rc Hkh deZpkjh dks 40% ,U;qVh ds vk/kkj ij 50% isa”ku ugha
feysxhA tSlk fd iqjkuh isa”ku ;kstuk esa
izko/kku gS A reke deZpkjh tks 2004 ds ckn HkrhZ gq, gS rFkk 12&13 lky dh
lsok iwjh djus ds ckn fjVk;j gks x;s mudks 1400 ls ysdj 1700 : rd isa”ku fey
jgh gSA iqjkuh isa”ku ;kstuk esa U;wure 50% tks fd 9000/ ls de ugha gksrh] feyrh A bl rjg ;g dgk tk ldrk gS fd ,u- ih-
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,d xtV uksVhfQds”ku tkjh dj ,u-ih-,l- ds nk;js esa yk;k tk ldrk gSA bl rjg ;g
lHkh deZpkfj;ksa rFkk isa”kujksa ds flj ds Åij ,d ryokj yVd jgh gSA
bu isa”ku lq/kkjksa dk ykHkkFkhZ dkSu gksxk A ftl rjg uo mnkjoknh vkfFkZd
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fons”kh ogqjk’VªhZ; dEifu;k¡ rFkk dkiksZjsV mBk;saxsA 30 ls 35 o’kZ rd deZpkjh
ds 60 o’kZ iwjs gksus rd djksM+kas djksM+ #i;k ogqjk’Vªh; foRrh; dEifu;k¡ }kjk
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f”kdkj xjhc] vlgk; deZpkjh gksxhA
dUQSMjs”ku
rFkk vkWy bf.M;k LVsV xouZEkSUV
,EiyWk;ht QSMjs”ku bldk yxkrkj fojks/k dj jgs gSa rFkk 30 vDVwcj 2007 dks ,d fnu dh gM+rky Hkh dh Fkh A lHkh
gM+rkykss esa ;g ,d eq[; ekax jgh gS A vc lHkh dsUnz] jkT; ljdkj] lkoZtfud midze rFkk Lok;Rr”kk’kh fudk;ksa esa ,u-ih-,l- okys deZpkfj;ksa dh
la[;k 50%
ds vklikl igq¡p jgh gS blfy, vc ;g le;
dh vko”;drk gS fd blds fy, ,d cM+k rFkk fu.kkZ;d la?k’kZ “kq# fd;k tk,A lkros
osru vk;ksx ds v/;{k] lqizhe dksVZ ds lsokfuo`Rr
tt Jh v”kksd dqekj ekFkqj us viuh
fjiksVZ esa fy[kk gS fd 01-01-2004 ds
ckn fu;qDr lHkh deZpkjh ubZ isa”ku ;kstuk ls ukjkt gS rFkk ljdkj dks bl ij /;ku
nsuk pkfg,A
lkrosa osru vk;ksx dh f”kQkfj”k ds vk/kkj ij dsUnz ljdkj us
,u-ih-,l- ds lHkh dk;ksZ dks ,d /kkjk esa ykus ds fy, Þ,u-ih-,l-ß desaVh dk
xBu fd;k Fkk A LVkQ lkbM us bl desaVh ls
,u-ih-,l- dks jn~n djus rFkk U;wure 50% xkajVh tks
fd 9000/- ls de u gks dh
ek¡x dh Fkh A bl deasVh us 18 eghus ckn
viuh fjiksVZ izLrqr dh gS ysfdu vHkh rc mldks mtkxj ugha fd;k gSA
dUQSMjs”ku rFkk vkWy bf.kM;k LVsV xouZeSUV ,EiykW;ht QSMjs”ku
us ns”kO;kih vfHk;ku pyk j[kk gS rFkk 15 uoEcj 2018 dks ,dfnolh; gM+rky dk Hkh
vkgoku fd;k gS ftldh izeq[k ek¡xas gS fd ubZ isa”ku ;kstuk dks jn~n fd;k tk;
rFkk ljdkj mlh iqjkuh isa”ku;kstuk dks ykxw djs tks ,d “krkCnh ls Hkh vf/kd le;
ls ns”k esa izpfyr gSA
ge Hkfo’; esa dsoy blh ,d ek¡x fd ÞubZ isa”ku ;kstuk [kRe djks rFkk
iqjkuh isa”ku ;ksTkuk ykxw djksß dks
ysdj vfuf”prdkyhu gM+rky ij tkus dh lHkh leku fopkj/kkjk okys laxBuksa ls ckr
dj laHkkouk,¡ ryk”k jgs gSA
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