Mumbai: In a major escalation of their agitation, Maharashtra government employees, along with teaching and non-teaching staff, have announced an indefinite strike starting Tuesday, protesting the delay in implementing the revised pension scheme and other long-pending demands.
Revised Pension Scheme Pending Since March 2024
The decision was announced by the Government, Semi-Government, Teaching and Non-Teaching Staff Coordination Committee, which accused the state government of failing to honour assurances given earlier. According to the committee, the then Eknath Shinde-led government had promised to address key demands, including implementation of the revised pension scheme from March 1, 2024.
However, the committee alleged that even after two years, the present Mahayuti government has not issued any official notification to enforce the scheme. As a result, employees retiring after the promised date have been deprived of its benefits.
Government Ignored Demands for 15 Months
The coordination committee said it had submitted a charter of 17 demands, which were to be reviewed at the level of the Chief Secretary. “Despite repeated follow-ups, the government has neither taken cognisance of our demands over the past 15 months nor provided an opportunity for dialogue,” said convenor Vishwas Katkar.
He further stated that the strike is aimed at opposing what he termed the government’s “anti-employee and anti-teacher policies.” The protest, beginning April 21, is expected to see participation from a wide spectrum of state staff.
Health Insurance & Retirement Age Among Demands
Among the key demands are the immediate implementation of the revised pension scheme, filling vacancies for Class IV employees and drivers, introduction of a comprehensive health insurance scheme, and increasing the retirement age from 58 to 60 years.
The agitation is likely to gather significant momentum, with nearly 3.5 lakh Class IV employees expected to join the strike in solidarity. The large-scale participation could impact administrative and educational services across the state if the deadlock continues.
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