Pensioners Demand Rs 7,500 Minimum Pension: FM Assures Review

New Delhi, Aug 30 (PTI) Representatives of the pensioners' body EPS-95 National Agitation Committee on Friday met Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and demanded that the minimum pension should be raised to Rs 7,500 per month.

Sitharaman, according to the committee, assured that the government is sensitive to their needs and will try to find a way out to meet their demand.

EPS-95 National Agitation Committee (NAC) includes around 78 lakh retired pensioners and 7.5 crore working employees of industrial sectors.

"Assuring the delegation, the Finance Minister said the Government was sensitive to the needs of the elderly and took serious note of the proposals put across by the EPFO. She reiterated her assurance that the government is committed to ensuring financial security for pensioners and a way out will be found," a statement said.

Earlier this month, Union Minister for Labour and Employment Mansukh Mandaviya had met with EPS-95 NAC representatives and assured them that the government would take necessary steps to address their demand.

The EPS-95 NAC members have been protesting to press for their demand of Rs 7,500 as a monthly pension instead of an average monthly pension of only Rs 1,450 at present.

It is also their demand to give full medical coverage to EPS members and their spouses.

The pensioners have been demanding an increase in the minimum pension for the past eight years, but the government has not addressed their demands, the EPS-95 NAC President Ashok Raut said.