The CPI(M) Government in Kerala Wednesday decided to freeze its earlier decision to raise the retirement age of employees of nearly all state public sector undertakings (PSUs). The Cabinet decision came a day after the Opposition parties flayed the government’s decision and warned of massive protest against the “betrayal of the youth.’’ On Saturday, the state Finance Department had issued an order raising the retirement age of employees in most state PSUs from 56/58 years to 60 years after the Cabinet ratified an expert committee's recommendation to make retirement age and salary in government undertakings uniform. According to the government, the decision will benefit nearly 1.5 lakh employees with other 122 PSUs and six other financial entities in the state. This would end up with a ban on fresh appointments in any of these entities for the next four years. The government decision was widely criticised in the state where records with the Employment Department show the state has nearly 37 lakh people registered as job-seekers. The CPI(M) and its youth wing Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) have always opposed raising the retirement age of state government and PSU staff, as well as that of government teachers, contending that any such move would adversely impact the prospects of job-seekers. In the past, DYFI had mobilised massive protests against such moves by the Congress-led UDF governments. Although DYFI did not openly protest against the decision with regard to enhancing the retirement age at PSUs, the outfit wanted the government to reconsider it. The Congress and BJP strongly protested against the decision to raise the retirement age at PSUs and feared that the government would make a similar increase in the retirement of state government employees and teachers, which is currently pegged at 56. State Congress president K Sudhakaran said the UDF, led by his party, “cannot agree” with the decision without factoring in the concerns of Kerala's youth. “The government has been a total failure in generating jobs. The CPI(M) came to power promising 40 lakh jobs, but the party has now betrayed the youths,’’ he asserted.' Calling the increase in pension age a “challenge to the people”, state BJP chief K Surendran said DYFI and SFI, the CPI(M)'s youth and students' wings, respectively, have lost their relevance to work among the youth. “It's better that these organisations are dissolved. DYFI is concerned only in ensuring backdoor entry for their family members in government service and PSUs,” the BJP leader said. Retirement age at the state's worst loss-making PSUs—Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), Kerala State Electricity Board, and Kerala Water Authority—has, however, not been raised. Last week, the government appointed another committee to study enhancing the retirement age in these entities.
