Government employees in Arunachal Pradesh on Friday took out a large rally in Itanagar demanding the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) and scrapping of the New Pension Scheme (NPS), officials said.
The ‘Itanagar Chalo Maha Rally’ was organised by the Confederation of Service Associations of Arunachal Pradesh (CoSAAP) along with its pension wing, the National Movement for Old Pension Scheme. The protest drew significant participation from government employees and their families.
The rally began from the RK Mission Hospital compound and passed through key routes in the capital before concluding at IG Park. Participants raised slogans demanding guaranteed post-retirement financial security and immediate rollback of the NPS.
CoSAAP president Likha Tech, addressing the media, said the demand for reinstating the Old Pension Scheme has remained unresolved despite repeated memorandums and representations submitted to the state government over the years.
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He criticised the New Pension Scheme, saying it is linked to market performance and does not ensure stable income after retirement. “The future of employees and their families is tied to market fluctuations under NPS,” he said.
Tech said similar demands to scrap NPS and restore OPS have been raised in several states and Union Territories, reflecting widespread concern among government employees over pension security.
He added that the issue has been consistently raised but no concrete decision has been taken so far, prompting employees to intensify their agitation.
The protesters said the current pension structure exposes employees to financial uncertainty and urged the government to take immediate steps to restore the assured benefit system of the Old Pension Scheme.
Officials said the rally remained peaceful as participants concluded their demonstration at IG Park after marching through the city.
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