UPS is a fraud on Indian paramilitary forces in the name of pension scheme, say CAPF soldiers. While on one hand the government is calling the Unified Pension Scheme as the most beneficial scheme for government employees, on the other hand the soldiers are strongly protesting against this scheme. Let us know what is there in this pension scheme that the soldiers of paramilitary forces are opposing it.
What is Unified Pension Scheme?
On August 24, the NDA government has launched a new pension scheme UPS which will be implemented from April 1, 2025. This scheme is a combined form of Old Pension and New Pension Scheme. Important points of this scheme are given below.
1. Under UPS, an employee who completes 25 years of service will be given 50% of his last 12 months’ average basic salary as fixed pension.
2. To be eligible for unified pension, one must complete at least 10 years of service.
3. A person who has completed 10 to 24 years of service will be given pension in proportion to the service.
4. In any case the minimum pension cannot be less than Rs 10,000.
5. Employees with less than 10 years of service will not get any pension.
6. Under UPS, after the death of the pensioner, his family will be given a pension, which will be 60% of the last pension of the pensioner.
Why are paramilitary personnel protesting against UPS?
Under UPS, it is mandatory to complete 25 years of service for full pension, but most of the paramilitary forces retire after 20 years of service, in such a situation they will be out of the jurisdiction of full pension. Therefore, their demand is that the maximum tenure for full pension for paramilitary forces should be made 20 years.
Most of the paramilitary forces retire at the age of 40 to 50, but their pension will come only after they complete 60 years of age. The soldiers say that it will be very difficult to survive without pension for the next 10 to 20 years and who will guarantee that a soldier will survive till the age of 60. Therefore, their demand is that pension should be arranged immediately after retirement.
Why is the central government discriminating?
Indian military forces and paramilitary forces come under the armed forces of the Union and Indian military forces are given the benefit of old pension, but the central government is refusing to give OPS to the paramilitary forces. Since 2004, paramilitary forces are being given benefits under the New Pension Scheme (NPS) and now with the advent of UPS, they can choose UPS.
The High Court Decision on Old Pension Scheme
Organizations of paramilitary forces had filed a case in the High Court for restoration of old pension. The organizations said that even after being an armed force of the Union, CAPF is being refused to give old pension. In response, the government refused to accept the CAPF as an armed force of the Union. However, the High Court considered CAPF as an armed force of the Union and ordered restoration of old pension like the Indian Army.
The Center appealed to the Supreme Court against the decision of the High Court and the Supreme Court stayed the High Court order. In fact, this case is not only about old pension but about considering paramilitary forces as armed forces of the Union. If the government considers CAPF as the armed forces of the Union then it will have to provide OPS. Let us tell you that according to the High Court and the Act of these forces, paramilitary forces have been considered as armed forces of the Union.