Hyderabad: The retired pensioners of Singareni Collieries Company Ltd have urged the Centre to restructure the present Coal Mines Pension Scheme (CMPS-1998) with a better scheme in line with the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS).
In a letter addressed to Union minister for coal and mines G Kishan Reddy on Thursday, January 30, PK Singh Rathor, convenor of the All-India Coal Pensioners’ Association (AICPA) has requested the union minister to immediately review and enhance the pension linked with Dearness Allowance (DA).
If needed, the organisation suggested the Centre impose a compulsory welfare cess on account of pension fund @ 1% on the selling price of coal, which could be used to enhance the pensions and other welfare measures for SCCL pensioners.
The expansion of the Coal Mines Provident Fund (CMPF) and the board of trustees to include eminent persons and investment experts was also suggested.
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“Sir, crores of rupees have been contributed by Coal India and Singreni Collieries to the central and state
government due to the untiring efforts of these pensioners who are looking towards the government with high hopes for enhancement of pensions,” AICPA’s letter read.
It has been heard that the coal ministry wants to make amendments to the CMPS-1998 to address the aspirations and demands of the pensioners, but the progress is very slow and no visible action is seen. The aged pensioners are dying in numbers by the day, waiting to get the benefit of pension enhancement. The surviving pensioners deserve a solution in their lifetime,” the pensioners pleaded with the union minister.
