Stalin announces Tamil Nadu Assured Pension Scheme ending two decades protest by govt employees

CHENNAI: Chief minister M K Stalin on Saturday announced the Tamil Nadu Assured Pension Scheme (TAPS), offering benefits on a par with the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), which ceased to exist from 2003, effectively ending the two-decade-old agitation by JACTTO-GEO (Joint Action Council of Tamil Nadu Teachers’ Organizations and Government Employees’ Organizations). The scheme is expected to benefit more than six lakh govt employees in TN. To implement TAPS, the state govt will make a contribution of Rs 13,000 crore to the pension fund. It will also contribute Rs 11,000 crore annually as its share. This amount is set to increase every year in line with salaries.Under TAPS, govt employees will be assured guaranteed pension equivalent to 50% of their last-drawn monthly salary. Employees will contribute 10%, while govt will meet the additional funding requirements. Pensioners will also be entitled to dearness allowance revisions twice a year, on a par with serving employees. In the event of a pensioner’s death, 60% of the pension will be paid as family pension to nominated beneficiaries. Govt employees will also be eligible for a gratuity of up to Rs 25 lakh upon retirement or death during service.The scheme further provides a special compassionate pension to employees who joined service under the contributory pension scheme (CPS) and retired without pension benefits.It also guarantees a minimum pension to those who retired without completing the qualifying service period.In a social media post following the announcement, Stalin said the “Dravidian model govt has fulfilled a 20-year-old demand of govt employees”, adding that the decision reaffirmed DMK’s commitment to its electoral promises — restoration of OPS. He described TAPS as a New Year and Pongal gift to govt employees and said despite severe financial constraints, the state would fully bear the expenditure to safeguard the welfare of govt employees, teachers and their families.Govt employees and their associations welcomed the announcement and withdrew their indefinite strike from Jan 6, while their representatives celebrated the decision by sharing sweets with Stalin at the Secretariat.Opposition leaders including state BJP chief Nainar Nagenthran and PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss criticised the move.