Two 'ayas' seek recalculation of benefits under NPS
PANAJI
Two retired 'ayas' from the Sanjay Centre for Special Education, Porvorim, have filed a writ petition in the High Court of Bombay at Goa alleging irregularities in the implementation of the National Pension Scheme and in the fixation of their pay.
The petitioners, Karuna Mageshkar and Nayan Naik, who retired from service as ayas also sought determination of pension benefits and salary arrears with interest.
In the petition filed through the office of Advocate Shashikant Joshi, the State implemented the National Pension Scheme with effect from January 1, 2004, under which 10 per cent of an employee’s salary is deducted towards pension, with an equivalent contribution to be made by the government for investment through agencies identified by the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority.
The plea states that the scheme replaced the old pension system, under which retired employees were entitled to 50 per cent of their last drawn pay as pension, 15 days’ salary for every completed year of service as retirement gratuity, and provident fund accumulations with interest.
They sought arrears arising out of the alleged shortfall from the date of joining service on March 14, 2007, until their retirement on October 31, 2024, and December 31, 2024, respectively.
In the petition, they have sought a recalculation of the benefits available to them under the National Pension Scheme and payment thereof by the State Government, contending that the Sanjay Centre is a wholly government-owned society and a government-aided institution. They have also sought revision of their pay fixation to be on par with similarly placed government employees and payment of arrears with interest.
