EPFO pension hike: The pensioners of the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) in Maharashtra protested for a pension hike. The founder president of the Nashik District EPFO Pensioners Federation Raju Desle led the protest. Also, the EPFO pensioners protested to increase the pension amount to Rs 9,000 from the previous amount.
EPFO pension hike: The pensioners of the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO ) in Maharashtra protested for a pension hike. On Tuesday, EPFO pensioners staged a demonstration outside the local office in Satpur area pressing for their demands.
The founder president of the Nashik District EPFO Pensioners Federation Raju Desle led the protest. The EPFO pensioners protested to increase the pension amount to Rs 9,000 from Rs 1000. As per the protestors, this sum would better reflect their years of contribution.
Additionally, the protestors also demanded essential support including dearness allowance to combat the increasing cost of living, free govt medical services, and inclusion in the food safety act.
EPFO’s private sector employees have long been demanding an increase in their minimum pension, which has remained Rs 1,000 per month since 2014.
It has been around 8 years since pensioners have been demanding a raise in the minimum pension from Rs 1,000 to Rs 7,500, along with DA benefits and free medical treatment for both retirees and their spouses.
EPF members contribute 12 per cent of their basic salary towards the provident fund, and employers match this contribution. 8.33 per cent is allocated to the Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS) from themployer’s share. On the other hand, 3.67 per cent goes towards the EPF scheme.
EPFO Minimum Pension Increase 2025
A delegation of EPS-95 retirees met Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to press for their long-standing demand of a minimum pension of Rs 7,500 per month plus dearness allowance (DA) before Union Budget 2025 announcement.
The EPS-95 National Agitation Committee however stated that the finance minister assured them that their demands would be considered with sympathy. The pensioners and advocacy groups have criticised the inadequacy of the current pension scheme for several years.
They have argued that the Rs 1,000 monthly pension is insufficient, especially for those who have spent around four decades contributing to the fund. Moreover, with increasing inflation and medical expenses, the pressure is mounting for the government to address these demands.