Octogenarian’s fresh plea for additional pension

An octogenarian has again petitioned the government for sanctioning additional pension for State government pensioners above the age of 80 at Central government rates.

M.J. Antony, an 88-year-old pensioner from Pattom in the State capital, had met the Chief Minister in July seeking the grant of additional pension for all State government pensioners above the age of 80, as paid to retired Central government employees. Despite the Chief Minister’s assurance, the Finance department’s Pension Welfare Cell denied Mr. Antony’s request citing the current financial situation of the State.

In a plea seeking reconsidering of the government decision, Mr. Antony along with P. Balakrishna Pillai, former general secretary of the KSEB Pensioners’ Association, pointed out that the VIth Central Pay Commission had recommended additional pensions, beginning with 20% of basic pension to those attaining the age of 80 and going up to 100% of basic pension for those touching 100 years. Other State governments had sanctioned the additional pension at Central rates but governments in Keralam alone had been ignoring the demand for the past 17 years.

The 2009 Kerala Pay Revision Commission had recommended only 5% additional pension at 80 years and rising to 50% at 100 years, but even this meagre recommendation had not been accepted by the State government.

Only a ‘special care allowance’ of ₹1,000 a month was being allowed to pensioners on attaining the age of 80 as per the recommendations of the 2019 Kerala Pay Revision Commission instead of the additional pension as per Central rates, Mr. Antony pointed out.

The Supreme Court too had ruled in D.S. Nakara vs. Union of India that pension was a socio-economic justice measure providing relief in advancing age. It was not a bounty, but a right to dignified life in old age.

The governments in the State had incurred huge expenditure for various requirements, but had ignored the 20,000-odd State service pensioners who were aged 80 and above. Keralam, he alleged, was finding excuses to deny their claim, he said, hoping that his petition to the Department of Senior Citizens Secretary would reach the Chief Minister and be considered favourably.