Government employees Archives - Lokmarg

Govt Employees Hold Massive Rally, Seek Revival of Pension Scheme

By LokMarg 1st October 2023

Employees of central and state government and public sector undertakings (PSUs) held a protest at Ramlila Maidan here on Sunday, demanding that the central government bring back the old pension scheme (OPS).

The protest named ‘Pension Shankhnaad Maharally’ was organized under the aegis of the National Movement for Old Pension Scheme (NMOPS) to put pressure on the Union government to nix the existing National Pension Scheme (NPS) and bring back the OPS.

“The old pension scheme has been closed in the country since 2004 and since 2005 in Maharashtra. We don’t want the NPS (New Pension Scheme), we don’t want this share market scheme. The Constitution also says the old pension is our right…”, Jitendra, one of the protesters who came from Pune, Maharashtra, told ANI.

Meanwhile, Opposition parties have supported the demands of the protesters and asked the BJP government at the Centre to bring back the OPS.

“Old pension is the right of the employees. State governments led by Congress have restored the old pension scheme,” Congress posted on X.

“Our policy regarding this is clear – employees must get their rights. Modi government should restore the old pension, and honor the workers who serve the country,” the post added.

States like Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Punjab, and Himachal Pradesh have announced the bringing back of OPS.

Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal said on Sunday that his party strongly supports bringing back OPS, adding that NPS (New Pension Scheme) is an “injustice against employees”.

“We strongly support the demand of govt employees to bring back OPS. NPS is an injustice against employees. We have implemented OPS in Punjab and have written to the Centre for implementing it for Del govt employees. Some other non-BJP govts have also implemented OPS,” Kejriwal posted on X. (ANI)

3,011 New COVID Cases In Last 24 Hours

By LokMarg 3rd October 2022

India recorded 3,011 new COVID cases in the last 24 hours, informed the Ministry of Health and Family Affairs on Monday.

India’s active caseload currently stands at 36,126, which accounts for 0.8 percent of the total cases. The national COVID-19 recovery rate increased to 98.73 percent, the health ministry said.
The daily positivity rate was recorded at 2.23 percent while the weekly positivity rate was 1.31 percent. The death toll climbed to 5,28,701 with 28 fatalities in the last 24 hours.

Under the nationwide vaccination drive, 218.77 crore total vaccine doses with 94.87 crore receiving a second dose and 21.41 crore being precaution doses. The total of 1,70,034 doses have been administered in the last 24 hours, the ministry said.

As part of the nationwide vaccination drive, the Government of India supported the States and Union Territories by providing them with COVID-19 Vaccines free of cost.

Earlier, ‘COVID Vaccination Amrit Mahotsava’, launched on July 15 this year to give an impetus to Precaution Dose as part of the national COVID vaccination drive, concluded on Friday after administrating over 15.92 crores of precaution doses, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The Ministry of Health said that over 13.01 lakh Special COVID vaccination camps were organized during these 75 days.

“In 75 days, across all states and UTs, 11,104 camps were organized at bus stations, 5,664 camps at railway stations, 511 camps at airports, over 1,50,004 camps at various schools and colleges, 4,451 camps at routes of religious yatras, and over 11,30,044 camps were organized at various private and government workplaces and industrial establishments,” the statement from the ministry read.

The Ministry claimed that more than 76.18 lakh first doses, 2.35 crore second doses, and 15.92 crore precaution doses had been administered in this period of 75 days. “More than 24.73 lakh doses per day have been administered, including 20.68 lakh doses of precaution dose per day,” it said, adding that with the intervention of a 75-day long free vaccination campaign, 27% of the eligible population have now received their precaution dose as it was only 8% earlier at the start of the initiative.

Under the COVID Vaccination Amrit Mahotsava, all states and UTs were urged to run the campaign as a “Jan Abhiyan’ with massive mass mobilization through a camp approach. Multiple special vaccination camps in the routes of Char Dham Yatra (Uttarakhand), Amarnath Yatra (Jammu and Kashmir), Kanwar Yatra (all states and UTs of North India) as well as major Melas and congregations were organized. Furthermore, special vaccination camps were organized at office complexes, industrial establishments, railway stations, inter-state bus stations, schools, and colleges. (ANI)

Say Vande Mataram On Calls: M’rashtra Govt Directs Officials

By LokMarg 2nd October 2022

The Maharashtra government led by Eknath Shinde on Saturday issued a government resolution (GR) making it mandatory for all government employees to say ‘Vande Mataram’ instead of ‘Hello’ while receiving telephone or mobile phone calls, saying that the word ‘hello’ is an imitation of Western culture.

The employees working in the government or in government-funded institutions would use “Vande Mataram’ instead of “hello” while receiving telephone or mobile phone calls from citizens or government officials, as per the government order.
The GR issued by the General Administration Department said that officials should also create awareness among the people who meet them to do the same.

“The word ‘hello’ is an imitation of Western culture and just a “greeting without any specific meaning and does not evoke any affection,” GR said.

Hitting back at the government over the decision, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) MLA Waris Pathan said that the Shinde government is creating new drama just to distract the public from the real issues.

“What will you do, if we do not say Vande Mataram? Will people get jobs by uttering Vande Mataram? Will farmers’ loans be forgiven? Inflation will come down?” Waris Pathan’s questioned the government. (ANI)

Cabinet Approves 4% Hike In DA Of Central Govt Employees

By LokMarg 28th September 2022

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday approved a proposal to increase the dearness allowance (DA) of the central government employees and pensioners by 4 percent.

This is the second increase in the dearness allowance of central government employees this year. In March 2022, the government announced a 3 percent increase in the DA. That increase was effective from January 1, 2022.
Central government employees, central government pensioners, and family pensioners getting pensions from the central government will benefit from the increase in the DA.

Before the 4 percent increase approved by the union cabinet on Wednesday, the effective DA of central government employees and pensioners stood at 34 percent. Now, this has increased to 38 percent.

The new increase is effective from 1st July 2022.

“Cabinet approves release of additional installment of Dearness Allowance and Dearness Relief @ 4 percent to Central Government employees and pensioners, due from 01.07.2022,” PIB tweeted.

Addressing a media briefing after the cabinet meeting, Union minister Anurag Thakur said the Cabinet has also decided to extend the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) for another three months.

The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) scheme was introduced after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. (ANI)