SAIL pensioners seek higher pension from EPFO

Retired Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) employees have written to the Prime Minister’s office seeking higher pension from the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), subject to an additional contribution. The retired employees claim there is disparity in the scheme implementation since some SAIL staffers are eligible to opt for it but others are barred despite favourable orders from courts.

“The principle of pension on higher wages was established nearly three decades ago which originally envisioned a non-discriminatory pension framework for both exempted and un-exempted establishments,” the SAIL BSP Pensioners Association said in a letter to the PM.

According to the association, a Supreme Court 2022 verdict has ruled in favour of retired employees, but EPFO has not been permitting the switchover. The pensioners said there is need to “bridge the gap between policy intent and ground-level execution, the centre should oversee the uniform implementation of these pensionary benefits across both exempted and un-exempted establishments.”