The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has lent support to Tuesday’s strike call by state government employees demanding the restoration of the old pension scheme in Maharashtra. The AAP, which is in power in Delhi and Punjab, has been protesting against the new pension scheme and seeking the reintroduction of the old pension scheme. Several government employee organisations in Maharashtra have decided to go on strike Tuesday to press their demand for the return to the old pension scheme. “It may be recalled that during election campaigns in Delhi and Punjab, the Aam Aadmi Party had made an assurance to government employees with regards to the restoration of the old pension scheme. On getting elected, we promptly honoured our promise and brought the old pension scheme into effect,” said Vijay Kumbhar, sanghatan mantri, AAP Maharashtra. “The new pension scheme is applicable to those government employees who have joined service post-2005,” he said. Under the new pension scheme, a portion of the deductions from the employee’s salary is invested in the share market. The AAP leader said, “the payout post-retirement is dependent on the situation of the stock market, at the time of retirement. We all have seen the way government investments in the stock market invariably result in depreciation of value.” “Government employees have been agitating at various places under various banners for the restoration of the old pension scheme. The Aam Aadmi Party supports government employees’ demand for the restoration of the old pension scheme,” said Dhananjay Shinde, secretary, AAP Maharashtra.
