Teacher MLC I. Venkateswaralu criticized the state government for reneging on its promise to abolish the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) and said the agitation would continue till it was abolished.
A motorcycle rally organized under the aegis of AP United Teachers Front (APUTF) to demand abolition of CPS reached Madilapalem Junction on Wednesday. Forum for Development of North Andhra (FDNA) general secretary A Aja Sarma, CITU city general secretary RKSV Kumar, NCEU leader G Arun Kumar and CITU leaders welcomed the members of the rally.
The leaders garlanded a statue of Telugu Thalli at Madilapalem. Refreshments were provided to the people involved in the rally.
Addressing the gathering, Shri Aaja Sarma, Shri Kumar and G. Arun Kumar said that on January 1, 2004, the Center abolished the old pension scheme and introduced the New Pension Scheme (NPS) in its place. The employees and employees had protested against the NPS, saying that it was harmful to their interests. The then central government had failed to repeal it. The UTF had opposed this saying that it was not in favor of the state government adopting the new scheme.
Union leaders said, “Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had assured before being elected to power that the CPS would be abolished, but he failed to keep his promise.” It was absurd on the part of YSR Congress Party (YSRCP). The leaders say that Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy made the promise ‘unintentionally’.
He said that from April 18, four motorcycle rallies are being organized at four places in the state to demand the abolition of the contributory pension scheme.
The motorcycle rally will reach Vijayawada on April 25. He said that if other government employees also went on strike in support of the UTF, the state government would be forced to implement its promise. The motorcycle rally proceeded towards Anakapalli via Gajuwaka.
UTF leader Ch. The bike rally participants included Ravindra, B. Gopi Murthy, Nagamani, Appa Rao, Chinabai, Ramakrishna, Ambedkar and Rambabu were included.