Won’t revert to old pension scheme: Rajesh Agarwal

LUCKNOW: The state government has no plans of reverting to the old pension scheme, said UP finance minister Rajesh Agarwal in a written reply to a question in

Vidhan Parishad

on Thursday, dashing hopes of more than 25 lakh workers and teachers who had been pressing the demand.


Purani Pension Bahali Manch general secretary Hari Kishore Tiwari told TOI they were not expecting a hardened stand from government. He said employees are now putting their faith in the

Allahabad high court

which is scheduled to start hearings in this matter on daily basis from July 30.

“We will embark on a protest from August 6 and will stage a statewide march on August 27. We will continue to build pressure on government because we do not want our hard earned pension funds to be invested in stock market,” Tiwari said.

In October 2018, after a series of protests by employees, CM Yogi Adityanath had set up a committee headed by chief secretary to resolve the issue. The workers’ unions, however, said that the committee did not appear serious and was only trying to derail their work.

Earlier this year, the government had made some concessions and promised to work towards a solution when the unions issued an ultimatum for a week-long protest, threatening to derail UP Board exams. An office-bearer of Pension Bahali Manch said, “The minister’s reply in Parishad has effectively finished all scope for dialogue with government.”