OBCs oppose raise in retirement age

SHIMLA, June 17: Himachal Pradesh Other Backward Classes Students Welfare Association has opposed the decision of the Central Government to increase the retirement age from 58 to 60 years. The association says it would further aggravate the unemployment problem among the youth in general and other backward classes in particular. This would also amount to denial of 27 per cent reservation to OBCs for two years, the association claims.

Pawan Chaudhary, president and V. Chaudhary, in a joint statement yesterday said OBC classes in the state felt let down by the previous government in the manner the reservation was increased by instalment from five to 10 per cent and 15 per cent which was further increased to 18 per cent on the eve of elections. They said previous Congress government made mockery of all this reservation.

The association demanded that a Vidhan Sabha Committee be constituted to monitor the progress of reservation to the OBCs similar to that of SC and ST committee.