Leader of the Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan has said that imposition of the contributory pension scheme on State employees would pauperise them and add to the uncertainties during their old age.
Speaking at the T.K. Ramakrishnan commemoration meeting, organised by pensioners of cultural institutions in the State here on Sunday, Mr. Achuthanandan said the subversion of the statutory pension scheme in favour of the contributory pension scheme under the Pension Regulatory Act would only help corporates to reap huge profits.
The LDF, he said, was firm that pension was a fundamental right of all sections of employees. Pension is the deferred part of the hard-earned wages of the employees and everyone must get pension on retirement. Denial of pension was equivalent to denial of the right to life. Those working in cultural institutions were also granted pension on this principle, thanks mainly to the initiative taken by the late T.K. Ramakrishnan, the Leader of the Opposition recalled.
Paying glowing tributes to the late CPI(M) leader and former Minister, Mr. Achuthanandan said his main contribution lay in ensuring people’s participation in all spheres of cultural activity. As Culture Minister, he had taken the lead to set up the Vyloppilly Samskriti Bhavan, launch the Nisagandhi Dance Festival and begin the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK). As a political activist, he had played a signal role in organising farmers and was one of their tallest leaders in the State, Mr. Achuthanandan recalled.
