Jan. 18: A section of former employees of Bijulee Bhavan in Paltan Bazar will go on fast on Friday in support of their four-point charter of demands.

The Assam State Electricity Board (ASEB) Pensioners’ Association announced the agitation programme today. The demands include 40 per cent fitment benefits — the level at which pay is fixed within the minimum and maximum amounts in a particular scale — of 40 per cent of basic pay plus dearness allowance for profit-making PSUs. For non-profitable PSUs, the fitment will depend on affordability and range between 10 and 20 per cent.

“We will launch the agitation for non-fulfilment of our basic demands. The condition of the ASEB pensioners, who have superannuated prior to 2006, is pathetic because we are deprived of the 40 per cent fitment benefits as recommended by the sixth Pay Commission,” said the vice-president of the association, Tankeswar Sarma Parashar.

The association has also demanded payment of arrears and medical benefits on a par with the pensioners of the state government and preference in recruitment of their wards if they are found eligible.

The board has now around 10,500 pensioners.

The Pay Commission, constituted by the government of Assam, has recommended 40 per cent fitment benefits for the pensioners following which, a pay committee was formed by the ASEB in 2006 to revise the pension as well as the pay of its employees.

Despite the pay commission’s recommendation of 40 per cent, only 20 per cent fitment benefits have been received by the pensioners who retired before 2006. This has, however, created a discrepancy between the pensioners who retired before 2006 and those who retired thereafter.

“We have been subjected to injustice by the government. We are deprived of medical benefits which is vital for the senior citizens. Even the National Policy for Older Persons has envisaged pension benefits for the senior citizens. We are not making any unjustified demand but the minimum benefits we deserve for our service,” Parashar added.

The board has stated paucity of funds as the reason for not being able to give 40 per cent fitment benefits.

In a tripartite agreement, the state government had promised to protect the interests of the pensioners till 2023-24 by providing Rs 2,169 crore for funding the pensioners’ liabilities. The government, however, has so far paid only Rs 301 crore in four instalments and Rs 176 crore, sanctioned, is yet to be released.

“We feel neglected and deprived by the board. It is putting the pensioners’ problem on the back burner. The board as well as the state government have shown no concern towards our problems,” Hiranmay Ghose, an executive member of the association, said.