EPS Pension Hike: Big news is on the horizon for around 8.1 million pensioners linked to the EPS-95 pension scheme from the Employees’ Provident Fund Organization (EPFO). After waiting over ten years for a minimum pension boost, these pensioners are gearing up for a significant movement to advocate for their needs.
Currently, here are the key demands from the pensioners:
At a press conference in Delhi, Commander Ashok Raut, the National President of the EPS-95 National Struggle Committee, explained that pensioners have been voicing their concerns to the government through peaceful memorandums and appeals for quite some time. Unfortunately, they haven’t received any feedback. As a result, the committee has once again laid out its demands to the government. These demands include:
1. Raising the minimum monthly pension from Rs 1,000 to Rs 7,500.
2. Adding DA based on the inflation index along with the increased pension.
3. Providing free and improved medical facilities for pensioners and their spouses.
4. Ensuring that all eligible retired employees receive the actual benefits of a higher pension as per Supreme Court decisions as soon as possible.
If these demands are accepted, who stands to gain and by how much?
If the Central Government and the Ministry of Labor agree to the EPS-95 National Struggle Committee’s requests, it will have a direct positive effect on the financial well-being of over 8.1 million EPS pensioners across the nation. Right now, most EPS-95 pensioners are getting an average monthly pension of just ₹1,171. If their demands are fulfilled, every eligible pensioner will receive at least ₹7,500. This means retired employees, who have contributed to the country’s industrial and economic growth for many years, will no longer have to rely on others in their later years and will achieve financial independence. Additionally, with free health insurance alongside their pension, elderly couples won’t have to dip into their savings or depend on their children.
On this entire issue, Commander Ashok Raut says that the demand for a minimum pension of Rs 7,500 is not an extra or unfair benefit, but rather a fundamental requirement related to a dignified life, basic needs, and social security. Meanwhile, committee officials say that the government has repeatedly issued only assurances, but no concrete policy decisions have been made. The committee has warned that if the government continues to ignore their demands, they will be forced to resort to self-immolation.