TN govt approves compassionate pension scheme for retired employees of milk cooperative societies

SALEM: The Tamil Nadu govt has issued an order approving a compassionate pension scheme for retired employees of Milk Producers' Cooperative Societies and Milk Consumers' Cooperative Societies. Retired employees of the Primary Milk Producers Cooperative Society had requested the state govt to grant them pension. Acting on the request, the animal husbandry, dairying, fisheries and fishermen's welfare department on Tuesday issued the Retired Primary Milk Producers' Cooperative Society' Compassionate Pension Rules 2026 (Aavin Welfare Fund). The GO, issued by department secretary N Subbaiyan, will be effective from this month.The dairy sector has three levels in the state: the Primary Milk Producers Cooperative Society, the District Milk Producers Cooperative Union and the Tamil Nadu Cooperative Milk Producers Federation Limited. Primary Milk Producers Cooperative Society employees play a vital role. However, they did not receive any retirement benefits. They requested the govt to provide them pension at least on compassionate grounds. At present, around 2,000 retired employees were waiting for pension.In August last, TOI carried a report on the retired employees' request to the govt.