Lakhs of Maharashtra government employees, on Tuesday, 14 March, launched a statewide stir demanding restoration of Old Pension Scheme. The talks between the unions and the state government failed on Sunday, after which the employees decided to go on an indefinite strike.
As the teachers and non-teaching staff too have joined the strike, the schedule of 10th and 12th standard exams, which are currently underway, is likely to be disrupted.
The strike is being led by class 3 and class 4 employees. On Monday, they gathered at district headquarters to demonstrate in front of the administrative buildings. The ones who could not go to the district headquarters, protested in front of government offices near them.
A large rally was held at Mumbai's Azad Maidan where thousands of employees, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation workers, held demonstrations.
The Old Pension Scheme was discontinued by the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led National Democratic Alliance in 2003. The demand for the restoration of the OPS has picked up steam across the country. Congress-ruled states of Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Himachal Pradesh as well as Jharkhand where Congress is in alliance with Jharkhand Mukti Morcha have already reverted to the OPS. The other state to go back to the OPS is Aam Aadmi Party-ruled Punjab.
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