Rehan Qayoom Mir
Srinagar, Jun 14: The Central Government’s recently passed finance bill in Parliament has sparked widespread concern among pensioners and employees across Jammu and Kashmir, according to Abdul Qayoom Wani, President of the Jammu and Kashmir Pensioners’ Welfare Association.
He on Saturday warned that the new legislation could exclude millions from their rightful entitlements, citing growing anxiety over the government’s intentions and referencing a Supreme Court ruling that protects pensioners’ compensation rights.
Wani said that the central government’s recent finance bill passed in Parliament is raising apprehensions that millions of pensioners might be excluded from their entitlements.
Citing a 1982 Supreme Court ruling that mandates payment of compensation whenever pay revisions occur, he questioned the government’s intention behind the new bill, referencing both media reports and insider sources that suggest an adverse impact on pensioners.
Wani shared details of a recent meeting of the All India State Pensioners Federation in Delhi, which he attended. He stated, “We have resolved to fight this issue on all fronts—both legally and through democratic protests.”
He announced that on the 23rd of this month, district presidents of the Association from across India would submit memoranda and stage protests via their respective Deputy Commissioners, addressed to the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi.
He further explained, “We are affiliated with the All India State Pensioners Federation, and all 22 districts of Jammu and Kashmir will participate, submitting memoranda in every district under our banner.”
Wani criticised the Jammu and Kashmir government for what he described as “total ignorance and non-seriousness” concerning the plight of pensioners. Wani noted that many pensioners face delays in receiving their benefits and dues.
“The tragedy is that even when funds are sanctioned and sent to their accounts, family pensioners do not receive commutation loans, and deductions are being made since January without explanation,” he stated.
Wani also pointed out that, according to central government rules, pensioners above the age of 80 should receive a 20% increase in their pensions. He argued that if Jammu and Kashmir is to be treated as a welfare state, this benefit should be extended universally and more systematically: “Every five years after the age of sixty, a further 5% increase should be granted.”
A major point of concern was the medical allowance. Wani said that while every employee under the central government in Union Territories receives a monthly medical allowance of 1,000 rupees, Jammu and Kashmir pensioners continue to be neglected.
“We brought this matter to the Chief Minister and Governor as well. The Chief Minister even tweeted that he would resolve the issue if elected, but nothing has materialized,” said Wani.
He further criticized the disparity in benefits, noting that elected representatives such as MLAs receive multiple pensions and other perks, while employees under the National Pension System (NPS) since 2010 are forced to protest for their rights.
Wani pressed for job security, regularization, and the application of the Minimum Wages Act for casual and temporary employees, adding that the government had sought an additional six months to resolve these issues.
