Karnataka: Staff from government-aided schools, colleges demand pension. Threaten to go on hunger strike

Members of the Pensionless Employees Association, who are in schools and colleges that are aided by the state government of Karnataka, have threatened to launch an indefinite hunger strike along with their family members at Freedom Park in Bengaluru if the Karnataka government does not announce pensions before December 19, stated a report by The New Indian Express. 

The President of the Pensionless Employees Association, Sharath Kumar, said that the employees appointed after 2006 are getting pensions under the Open Pension Scheme (OPS) or the New Pension Scheme (NPS), as stated in the TNIE report. "There are 60,000 employees who are deprived of pension. As it will be difficult for them to lead a life after retirement without even having money for food and medical expenses, the government must announce the old pension scheme for them. It has been 18 days since the employees are protesting in Bengaluru, but the government has failed to consider our pleas," he said, reported TNIE.

Kumar said that the deadline for the government to take a decision and announce pensions for the staff of government-aided schools and colleges is December 19. “If the government fails to fulfill our demand, then 60,000 employees along with the family members will launch an indefinite hunger strike in Bengaluru from December 20,” he said, stated the report.