CPS employees to stage huge Kadapa rally on may 1

Tirupati: Andhra Pradesh CPS Employees Association State Associate President Cherla Kiran demanded the coalition government restore the old pension system for over 4 lakh CPS employees facing hardships without pensions for 21 years.

Speaking to media persons here on Friday Cheerla Kiran said, the previous government gave promises but ignored them. Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan must honour his word. Employees serving 30-40 years get less than half the social pension for elders, he said.

He criticized Central and state governments for pushing GPF and UPS schemes amid CPS abolition fights. States including Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal, and Tripura have already scrapped CPS and restored old pensions, Kiran added. 2003 government order (57th GO) mandates old pensions for those selected that year, but it's not implemented. Despite nearly two years in power, no discussions or assurances on CPS scrapping have occurred. Unions face pressure on IR, PRC, and DA issues, with leaders mentally harassed, he alleged.

Past protests led to two GOs scrapped in 2017 by then CM (now CM) N Chandrababu Naidu, providing family pension and death gratuity for deceased CPS families.

He urged scrapping the remaining two GOs on service pension and retirement gratuity, dropping false cases against CPS employees, releasing pending IR and DA dues immediately, implementing PRC, and fully scrapping CPS.

He further said the association will hold a grand "Maha Sankalpa Garjana" on May 1 in Kadapa for May Day.

Kiran along with association members released posters and called on all employees to attend.

Association Tirupati district president Vankeepuram Pavan, associate president Jayachandra, secretary Murali Mohan, state council members Nakka Ramachandra, Pasha Mohammad and Gunasekhar were present.