A demand was made in Lok Sabha today for increase in the minimum pension to Rs 3000 per month, review of the Employees Pension Scheme and hike in the government share in Provident Fund.
Supporting a resolution introduced by N K Premachandran (RSP) on 'Steps to Ensure Welfare of Employees Provident Fund pensionsers', Saugata Roy of Trinamool Congress said the government's contribution to the EPF is just 1.16 per cent since 1971 and that has to be increased.
Roy also demanded PF for the unorganised sector the way it is being given by the West Bengal government.
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He said the pension amount worth thousands of crores of rupees is lying with the government.
Under the existing provision, the unused pension is used for the benefit of the senior citizens fund.
Opposing this, Roy said the money of the workers should be spent on workers and the government can make separate provision for the senior citizens fund.
He said the Labour Ministry should protest publicly against the Finance Ministry regarding this move. He also opposed the move of EPF be allowed to be invested in the market.
Roy said the existing pension is of Rs 1000 per month and it should be increased to Rs 3000 as there has been no revision in this for the past 20 year.
There was a lighter moment when Roy mispelt the name of Labour Minister Banadaru Dattatreya.
To this, BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri said, "Hota Hain Budhape mein hota hain". (It happens in old age).
68-year-old Roy responded to 55-year-old Bidhuri: "Tum toh Navjavan Ho" (You are still young).
