Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 28 August 2025
As part of the nation-wide agitation by pensioners under the Forum of Civil Pensioners Associations, the Government Pensioners Association, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, conducted a Special Convention on 26 August 2025 at Shaheed Bhavan, Anarkali. The convention was aimed at demanding the withdrawal of the government’s decision to categorise pensioners based on their date of retirement for Central Pay Commission benefits and urging the immediate formation of the 8th Central Pay Commission.
Inaugurating the convention, KG Das, President of the Government Pensioners Association, criticized the central government for attempting to divide pensioners according to their retirement dates, which he said was intended to deny them pay commission benefits. He called upon all pensioners in the islands to strengthen the Association to facilitate larger movements against what he described as the government’s anti-pensioner policy.
D. Ayyappan, former General Secretary of the Non-Gazetted Government Officers’ Association, addressed the convention and elaborated on the government’s intention to categorise pensioners. He explained that the power for this categorisation was granted to the central government through the inclusion of Part IV in the Finance Act, 2025, passed by Parliament in March. He also expressed concern over the delay in constituting the 8th Central Pay Commission, despite the government’s announcement on 16 January 2025 regarding its formation.
Other office bearers, including Pronob Banerjee, Vice President; Suresh Lall, General Secretary; and P. Sathyapal, Assistant General Secretary, also addressed the gathering. The convention was attended by a large number of pensioners from both the Municipal area and rural parts of South Andaman.
