The government has assured to look into the demands of 78 lakh pensioners seeking a minimum monthly pension of Rs 7,500, the EPS-95 National Agitation Committee (NAC) said on Friday.

In a statement, the pensioners’ body said that Union Minister for Labour and Employment Mansukh Mandaviya met with its representatives and assured them that the government would take necessary steps to address their demand.

The meeting took place following a protest organised by members of the EPS-95 National Agitation Committee in the national capital on Wednesday. The members coming from various locations of the country have protested against the government here and demanded a higher pension instead of an average monthly pension of only Rs 1,450, the body said, adding that there are around 3.6 million pensioners who are getting even less than Rs 1,000 as pension per month.

The committee’s president Ashok Raut said, “Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has assured the government is serious about finding solutions to our problems. Mandaviya has conveyed that the Prime Minister is also committed to solving our problems.”

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Demand For Higher pension

Despite long-term contributions to the regular pension fund, pensioners receive very low pensions, Raut said, adding the current pension amount makes it difficult for an elderly couple to survive.

“We demand an increase in pension to Rs 7,500 per month with dearness allowance and free health facilities for the spouse of the pensioner. The current pension amount makes it difficult for an elderly couple to survive,” the president said.

Raut further said that several MPs from opposition parties like Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)—Sharad Pawar, also met the members of the organisation and assured support in meeting the demand for higher pension.

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Around 7.8 million pensioners have been demanding an increase in the minimum pension for the past eight years, but the government has not addressed their demands, he added.

The EPS-95 National Agitation Committee, which includes around 78 lakh retired pensioners and 7.5 crore working employees of industrial sectors, has its headquarter in Maharashtra.