Visakhapatnam: With the slogan “Say no to new pension scheme”, pensioners led by the Defence Co-ordination Committee conducted a protest walk from Sriharipuram Coromandel Gate to the Eastern Naval Headquarters on Sunday morning.
As per the call given by the All India Defence Employees Federation and other national federations, the pensioners are going to strike on August 10 in New Delhi.
Defence Co-ordination Committee chairman Reddy Venkata Rao, addressing a gathering at the Eastern Naval Headquarters, said, “Pension is the right of the employees, it is not a charity. Let us continue the struggle until it is achieved.”
During the walk, Defence sector workers said, “We have spent our life’s major part in performing duty. The old pension provides minimum support to our dependent families. The New Pension Scheme is based on the profits of investments in the share market, which is a risky affair. We don't want to take that risk.”
Joint vice-president of Visakha District Pensioners' Association U.V.S.N. Varma formally flagged off the walk. AIDEF National Executive Committee members P. Gopala Krishna, CITU district general secretary RKSV Kumar, TNTUC district general secretary K. Nagarjuna Rao, DITU state president Chinta Chittiraju, INTUC Visakha district secretary T Sambasivarao spoke on the occasion.
