Coal PSU pensioners still not being paid minimum pension: AICPA tells govt

The All India Coal Pensioners’ Association (AICPA) and the All India Association of Coal Executives (AIACE) have written a letter to the Coal Secretary, highlighting the delay in the payment of the minimum pension of Rs 1,000 per month to coal PSU pensioners.

New Delhi: The All India Coal Pensioners’ Association (AICPA) and the All India Association of Coal Executives (AIACE) have raised concerns over the delay in the disbursement of the minimum pension of Rs 1,000 per month to coal PSU pensioners. Despite an amendment notified by the government in March this year, the payment has yet to commence. “Though the government is taking time to understand the plight of coal pensioners, it has issued a Gazette notification No. G.S.R.165(E) dated March 6, 2024, for the enhancement of the minimum pension payable under the Coal Mines Pension Scheme-1998,” the letter dated June 29 stated.

“Subsequently, citing the above Gazette notification, the CMPF Commissioner, via Ref no. CMPFO/CP/116(7)/Gazette Notification/Vol-IV/99 dated March 12, 2024, wrote to the Chairman of CIL and CMD of SCCL, with copies to other concerned persons, organizations, and departments, for information and wider circulation regarding the payment of enhanced pension at Rs 1,000 per month,” said the two bodies representing pensioners and executives in coal PSUs.

“It is regrettable that even after the lapse of three months, the benefit of crediting this minimum pension of Rs 1,000 has not yet started. Many affected pensioners have informed us that the increased pension amount has not been credited to their accounts,” stated PK Singh Rathor, convenor of AIACE and AICPA.

CMPFO has misinterpreted the Gazette notification: Rathor In the letter, Rathor mentioned that the Coal Mines Provident Fund Organisation (CMPFO) has failed to correctly interpret and implement the amended provisions in the Gazette Notification, which decrees that the minimum pension cannot be less than Rs 1,000 per month. “Under these circumstances, we request immediate action so that all pensioners start receiving the minimum pension without further delay,” the letter concluded.