T.N. constitutes committee to study old, contributory and unified pension schemes and submit report

The Tamil Nadu government has constituted a three-member committee to study the Old Pension Scheme, Contributory Pension Scheme and the Unified Pension Scheme and submit a detailed report with recommendations within nine months.

IAS officer Gagandeep Singh Bedi, former Director of Madras School of Economics K.R. Shanmugam are members of the Committee. IAS officer Pratik Tayal would be the Member Secretary of the panel, an official release said.

The CPS was introduced for State government employees, who joined service on April 1, 2003. The National Pension System was introduced for employees of the Union government from January 1, 2004. However, the CPS was followed for the State government employees.

There have been representations from the State government employees to resume the Old Pension Scheme that was followed before April 1, 2003. Whileso, the Union government introduced the Unified Pension Scheme on January 24 this year.

Reacting to the development, Frederic Engels, State coordinator of CPS Abolition Movement, said it was a “betrayal” by the DMK government and was only a time-buying tactic, as only a year was left before the Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu.

“The committee will surely not submit report within nine months. As assured in the election manifesto, the DMK government should withdraw the CPS and bring back the Old Pension Scheme,” Mr. Engels said.