ગુજરાતી
English
The Miserable Condition of Retired Employees of Government Companies
Ahmedabad, October 7, 2025
EPS-95 pensioners are living in miserable conditions due to the low amount of pension they receive after retirement. In Gujarat, 400,000 EPS-95 pensioners receive a mere ₹1,200. There are 7.8 million pensioners in the country. These pensioners typically retired after working in government companies, corporations, or government-owned organizations.
Demands
EPS-95 pensioners are demanding a minimum retirement pay of ₹10,000 and implementation of the Supreme Court’s decision. The higher pension orders given by the Supreme Court of India should be implemented immediately. A quick and immediate grievance redressal system should be implemented for pensioners. Pensioners have spent the best years of their lives working. Now they can live their lives with respect and dignity. The government and EPFO are responsible for this. Give them their rightful right to live.
The BJP governments at the Centre and in the state are silent on the plight of pensioners across the country and in Gujarat. The Employees’ Pension Scheme-95 comprises 10% of the employee’s contribution, 10% of the unit where they work, and 1.16% of the central government’s financial savings.
Retired pensioners are finding it difficult to survive on a meager sum of ₹1,200 to ₹1,500. Considering age, health, and inflation, such a meager amount is unsustainable. They are suffering financially, physically, and mentally. Living on such a meager pension is extremely difficult compared to the cost of medicines and daily living expenses. Many pensioners suffer from serious illnesses, but due to financial constraints, they are unable to afford proper treatment. The plight of retired employees has become extremely dire. It is not even enough to sustain their livelihood.
EPFO has an undisclosed amount of ₹30,000 crore.
Of the 7.8 million pensioners, 4.5 million receive a monthly pension of less than ₹1,500. The objective of the pension scheme is financial security and social security.
A minimum pension of ₹10,000 should be provided to ensure a life of dignity and social and financial security.
EPS-95 (Employees’ Pension Scheme 1995) refers to retirement pay; current salary; a monthly or annual amount paid to an individual or their family in exchange for their previous employment. People who have worked for a certain period in a department are given a pension in old age, upon retirement, equal to half their salary. Employees of the department receive this pension after their death. Such pensions are called pensions.
Retired employees have long demanded a minimum pension of ₹7,500 for EPF-95 pensioners. The pensions paid are ₹417, ₹541, and ₹1,250, respectively. On average, the salary is paid at a rate of only ₹1,170.
Various stakeholders, including trade unions and public representatives, had made representations to increase the minimum pension for employees from July 2025.
The employer’s contribution to the Employees’ Pension Fund is 8.33 percent of the salary; the central government contributes 1.16 percent of the salary through budgetary support, up to a maximum of ₹15,000 per month. All benefits under the scheme are paid from this accumulated fund.
The government recently announced that 12 percent of the salary (basic pay and dearness allowance) of EPFO members goes into the EPF account. Of the 12 percent employer contribution, 8.33 percent goes into EPS 95, while the remaining 3.67 percent is deposited into the EPF account.
