Shimla, April 22,
Anguish is brewing among Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) pensioners as they report not receiving their pensions for the past 21 days. A delegation from the Transport Pensioner Welfare Organization met with HRTC Vice President Ajay Verma on Monday, submitting a nine-point demand letter and urging a permanent resolution to the recurring pension delays.
The pensioners’ delegation, led by Devraj Thakur, emphasized the urgent need for the Vice President’s intervention, warning that they would be forced to “choose the path of struggle” if their demands were not addressed promptly.
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Prior to this meeting, the delegation also met with Corporation Managing Director Dr. Nipun Jindal to voice their concerns. Thakur stated that the organization plans to meet with the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister on Tuesday to further escalate their demands.
A key grievance highlighted in the demand letter is the non-initiation of pensions for employees who have retired since 2024. The organization demanded the immediate commencement of pensions for these retirees. Furthermore, they stressed the necessity of a permanent budgetary allocation to ensure timely pension disbursements in the future, putting an end to the current uncertainty.
The pensioners are also demanding the release of all outstanding arrears, aligning with the practices followed for other state pensioners. They called for the implementation of a court-mandated increase in pension allowance – 5, 10, and 15 percent – for pensioners completing 60, 70, and 75 years of age, respectively.
Additional demands include the issuance of individual statements detailing all pending financial benefits, the revision of retirement benefits for those who retired between January 2020 and March 2023 based on current dearness allowance, and the immediate payment of pension arrears resulting from an eight-month delay in pension fixation under the new revised pay scale. The organization also advocated for the pay of pensioners who retired before January 1, 2016, to be determined using the pay matrix system.
Among those present during the meeting were State Pension Welfare Organization President KC Chauhan, Additional General Secretary Rajendra Thakur, Nanak Shandil, Shimla unit General Secretary Hardayal Singh, Joint Secretary Hakam Thakur, Publicity Secretary Jasvir Singh, Treasurer Rajkumar, Madan Sharma, Manoj Gautam, and Media Incharge Devendra Chauhan Lama.
Adding a personal dimension to the widespread concern, Rajinder Verma, a retired HRTC employee, lamented the persistent delays in pension payments, stating, “This has become a regular affair. We served the corporation for decades, and now we have to constantly worry about when our rightful pension will be credited. It’s disheartening and creates immense financial strain.”
His words echoed the sentiments of many other pensioners present, highlighting the urgent need for a sustainable solution to the ongoing pension crisis within HRTC.
