Nagpur: Award-winning ophthalmologist and former member of Rajya Sabha from BJP, Padma Shri Dr Vikas Mahatme on Monday launched “Ekach Mission Sarvana Pension” (‘One Mission – Pension for All’) campaign to benefit farmers, farm labourers, unorganised labourers and others. This is in response to the State Government employees’ demand of bringing back the old pension scheme.
Mahatme says that even farmers, farm hands, herders, contract workers, domestic servants, fisherman, drivers and other such persons engaged in the unorganized sector should be given a pension. “If the government servants contend that they have been serving the nation, aren’t the unorganized workers not contributing to the country?” said Mahatme and added if their demand is agreed to, then expenditure on other social heads will have to be curtailed for the pension payout.
He said those in the unorganized sector deserve a pension more than government employees. “The latter retire at the age of 60 and work for eight hours only,” he said.
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During a press conference held at Press Club of Nagpur, Civil Lines, he said, “A committee has also been formed to fight for the rights of unorganised sector of the society. Just like government employees, the farmers, farm labourers, construction workers, workers in unorganised sectors, artisans, fishermen, contract workers, maids, sanitation workers, autorickshaw drivers, taxi and truck drivers, hawkers, tea vendors, security guards, vegetable and fruit sellers,and small shopkeepers are also contributing in nation building. For all such people we have launched the mission,” said Dr Mahatme.
“Farmers and labourers perform hard work almost 10 to 12 hours a day and after the age of 60 years, they will hardly have any strength to work further, but they still work as there is no other alternative, neither do they get pension,” said the former MP. Government should first give pension to farmers and labourers and then increase the pension of government employees, said Dr Mahatme.
