Gajuwaka MLA Palla Srinivasa Rao discussing the issue with the Regional PF Commissioners I and II in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday.
| Photo Credit: BY ARRANGEMENT

Gajuwaka MLA and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) State president Palla Srinivasa Rao and representatives of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant officers and pensioners have appealed to the Regional Provident Fund Office (RPFO) officials to provide pension on full salary to the VSP pensioners.

Along with Mr Srinivasa Rao, the Visakha Steel Officers Association General Secretary K.V.D. Prasad, pensioners’ representatives V.S. Murthy, Ranganath, Srinivas, Koteswara Rao and others called on Regional Provident Fund Commissioners Vijay Kumar Prasad and Pawan Jasti at the EPFO office at Marripalem and submitted a representation on the issue.

They said that in November 2022, the Supreme Court had given four months to all eligible employees to apply for pension on full salary. As per the judgment, more than 10,000 people, including those in service and those who had retired in RINL, the corporate entity of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, have applied.

The management of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant supplied all information in respect of all the aspirants to the Regional PF Commissioner in May and June 2023. Subsequently, the PF Commissioner took legal advice, examined all the details thoroughly and issued demand notices to about 3,000 people from September 2023. They were advised to pay their dues on full salary, including interest, to the PF office within 90 days.

About 1,800 RINL pensioners deposited more than ₹400 crore in the RPFO office. More than 400 people, who had retired foreclosed their deposits, and paid the differential amount, with the hope of getting Pension on Higher wages, to RPFC. Some RINL pensioners even took loans expecting that sanction of pension with arrears would also come in three months. In March 2024, higher pension orders were given to 10 people but the pension was not sent to the banks. When asked about it, it was stated that the Zonal Commissioner, EPFO, Vijayawada, had raised objections and had written to the Delhi EPFO Head Office for guidelines and it would be resolved soon.

Even after 14 months of paying the money, the problem was not solved. The EPFO authorities have been repeatedly saying that higher pension will come soon. As a result, the retired RINL people are facing severe distress and financial difficulties.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Palla Srinivasa Rao said he would take up the issue to the notice of Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and asked the Regional PF Commissioner, Visakhapatnam, to give good and sufficient reasons for denial of pension in writing which was agreed to by the latter. Accordingly, a letter was issued to RPFC, Visakhapatnam by the MLA bringing out the need and reasons for sanction of pension on higher wages (POHW).

After receiving the reply in a day or two, Mr. Palla Srinivasa Rao assured that he would take an appointment shortly through Union Minister K. Rammohan Naidu and meet the Labour Minister along with a representation of three to four higher pension aspirants from the RINL for resolution of the issue.