CPI(M) has thrown down the gauntlet to AIADMK, charging the party with deliberately confusing government servants over the long-standing demand for the Old Pension Scheme. The broadside comes as AIADMK defends the EPS amid rising employee unrest.
The Old Pension Scheme provided retirees with 50% of their last salary as pension, adjusted for inflation—a stark contrast to EPS’s contribution-based formula that has left many struggling. Employee unions report growing frustration with erratic payouts and inadequate coverage.
‘AIADMK’s narrative is pure deception aimed at crushing legitimate aspirations,’ CPI(M) declared, citing actuarial studies showing OPS feasibility with proper fiscal planning. The party pointed to recent reversals in multiple states as proof of concept.
Responding firmly, AIADMK warned that OPS reinstatement would balloon pension expenditures from current 4% to over 15% of budget, risking service cuts. The DMK government faces mounting pressure to convene talks.
With strikes looming and public sympathy building, the pension imbroglio tests political will and economic strategy in Tamil Nadu.