Government employees’ associations such as the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) Abolition Movement and Tamil Nadu Secretariat Association (TANSA) have questioned a recent statement of Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu which, they claim, reflected the “double standards” of the Tamil Nadu government over the demand to revive the old pension scheme.
To a query on the demand for revoking the CPS, Thennarasu had said the Tamil Nadu government would consider the Central government-constituted committee headed by IAS officer Somanathan and the decision taken by the Andhra Pradesh government in this regard. It would then consult with the Chief Minister, the Minister had said.
The CPS Abolition Movement contended that the committee constituted by the Union government had nothing to do with the State government, but was applicable only to those State governments that had signed agreements with the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA).
