Synopsis
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has tasked four cabinet ministers to negotiate with state government employee associations regarding their demands, including the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme. This meeting precedes planned protests by employees and comes amid uncertainties regarding government responses.Key Takeaways
- M.K. Stalin appoints four ministers for talks.
- Discussions to address demands from employees' associations.
- Primary demands include restoration of the Old Pension Scheme.
- Protests scheduled for February 25 by JACTTO-GEO.
- Uncertainty over government announcements post-meeting.
Chennai, Feb 23 (NationPress) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has assigned four cabinet ministers to engage in discussions with representatives from various state government employees' associations concerning their demands.
A statement from the Chief Minister’s Office indicated that Ministers E.V. Velu, Thangam Thennarasu, Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, and N. Kayalvizhi Selvaraj will participate in the discussions at the Secretariat on Monday to strive for an “appropriate decision”.
The main demands include the reinstatement of the Old Pension Scheme and the restoration of various incentives that were previously removed by the state government.
This announcement comes prior to protests organized by the Joint Action Council of Tamil Nadu Teachers’ Organisation and Government Employees Organisation (JACTTO-GEO), scheduled for February 25 in all district headquarters.
However, it is unclear if the government will make any announcements after the meeting, as it is not typical to do so once the date for the Assembly session has been declared. The Budget for the financial year 2025-26 is anticipated to be presented on March 14.
The Tamil Nadu Secretariat Association President G. Venkatesan welcomed the government’s initiative, stating: “It is good that the government has initiated talks. However, our future course of action will depend on the follow-up measures taken by the government after these discussions.”
In contrast, Frederic Engels, the state coordinator of the Contributory Pension Scheme Abolition Movement, expressed doubt.
“Instead of fulfilling the promises made in its election manifesto, the DMK government continues to form committees. This is just another delaying tactic aimed at diffusing the upcoming protests.”
Engels pointed out that a similar meeting held a few months ago with three ministers had only resulted in the temporary postponement of protests, with no significant progress since then.
The state government had previously announced the establishment of a committee to examine the Old Pension Scheme, the Contributory Pension Scheme, and the Unified Pension Scheme (as notified by the Union government) to recommend the most appropriate system for implementation in Tamil Nadu.
