HYDERABAD: Over 1,000 retired bank employees gathered at Indira Park on Monday for a hunger strike and mass protest. They demanded the immediate update of their overdue pensions.
The protest was led by the Coordination of Bank Pensioners and Retirees Organisations (CBPRO) and the All India Bank Pensioners’ and Retirees’ Confederation (AIBPARC). Participants included retirees from public sector banks, State Bank of India, and some private banks.
The main issue was the implementation of pension updates in line with Pension Regulation 35(1). Protesters pointed out that this update has been delayed for almost 30 years, despite the pension fund holding a significant Rs 4.5 lakh crore.
Besides pension updates, they called for the inclusion of special allowances in gratuity and basic pension calculations. They also demanded that the pension option be extended to retirees previously excluded, apex-level pensioners’ groups receive consultative status, and banks cover health insurance premiums.
K. Madhusudan, Secretary of AIBPARC’s AP and TS Unit, spoke to the crowd. He expressed concern over the discrimination faced by retirees, most of whom are over 75. Despite their contributions to banking, they have had to protest for their rights due to the government’s lack of sympathy.
