37 Union ministers to launch Rs 1,000 minimum pension tomorrow
32 lakh pensioners who get less than Rs 1,000 every month as pension to benefit
New Delhi: Thirty seven Union ministers and other Members of Parliament will simultaneously launch Rs 1,000 minimum monthly pension under Employees' Pension Scheme 1995 (EPS-95,) run by the EPFO, across the country tomorrow.
The Union ministers, MPs and other public representatives are invited by retirement fund manager Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) to preside over the launch function tomorrow at its over 120 field offices across the country. The government had recently notified the amendment to the EPS-95 to provide a minimum monthly pension of Rs 1,000 to beneficiaries under the scheme. According to EPFO estimates, around 32 lakh pensioners under the scheme, who get less than Rs 1,000 every month as pension, would immediately benefit.
There are 49 lakh pensioners under the scheme, at present. There are about 13 lakh pensioners under the scheme who get even less than Rs 500 every month as pension. Marking the launch of a guaranteed minimum pension of Rs 1,000 per month, the central government had decided to organise functions in every office of the EPFO across the country on September 30. It was decided that in 37 locations, the Union Ministers will preside over the functions and felicitate the pensioners whose pension is getting increased. However, this launch function will not be held in the EPFO's regional offices in Maharashtra and Haryana in view of forthcoming assembly elections scheduled next month.
Among the Union ministers who would be present at 37 different locations include Home Minister Rajnath Singh (Lucknow), Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad (Kolkata), Railway Minister D V Sadananda Gowda (Manglore), Water Resource Minister Uma Bharti (Allahabad). Labour Minister Narendra Sigh Tomar will attend the function at Gwalior. Health Minister Harsh Vardhan will preside over the function at Delhi. During this simultaneous launch, the EPFO's field offices would have a separate time slot for redressing grievances of pensioners and pension claim applicants during the event.