Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh submits memorandum to Centre, seek pension and EPS hikes

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) submitted a memorandum to the central government, outlining a series of demands related to labour laws, social security, and worker welfare.In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Labour & Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, the trade union said the memorandum was based on resolutions adopted at its 21st All India Triennial Conference held in Puri earlier this month.“During the three-day conference, detailed deliberations were held on various pressing issues concerning workers across the country, and all resolutions were unanimously adopted,” the organisation said.Among its key demands, the BMS called for universal implementation of labour laws “for all sectors and all categories of workers without any exemptions, in the true spirit of Antyodaya.”The union also urged the government to address concerns arising from the Industrial Relations Code, 2020 and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020.On social security, the BMS sought a sharp increase in pension benefits, demanding that the minimum pension under EPS-95 be raised “from Rs 1,000 to Rs 7,500 per month along with Dearness Relief.”It further pressed for revisions in wage ceilings, calling for the EPF coverage limit to be increased to Rs 30,000 per month and the ESIC ceiling to be enhanced from Rs 21,000 to Rs 42,000 per month.The memorandum also flagged issues such as regularisation of scheme and contract workers, lifting of the ban on general recruitment, and implementation of the 3rd Pay Revision Committee recommendations for BSNL and MTNL employees.Talking about its protest plans, the BMS said nationwide dharna and demonstration programmes were organised on February 25 to draw the attention of governments to the demands. “We request your immediate intervention and prompt action in the interest of the working community,” the organisation said.