All India Coal Pensioners Association (AICPA), will be organising one day Dharna

 To protest against the indifferent attitude of Coal Mines ProvidentFundOrganization

(CMPFO) in solving pensioners’ problems, All India Association of Coal Executives, under 

banner of All India Coal Pensioners Association (AICPA), will be organising one day Dharna 

by all coal Pensioners settled across the length and breadth of this country. This Dharna will 

be held simultaneously in front of CMPFO Office, Dhanbad and its all Regional offices 

working in different parts of the country on Monday, 15th February, 2021.

Coal pensioners under banner of AICPA will stage one day Dharna in front of CMPFO office 

Dhanbad from 10 am to 4 pm and at Regional offices of CMPFO at Ranchi, Bilaspur, Nagpur, 

Chhindwara, Hyderabad, Ramagundam, Kothagudem, Talcher, Jabalpur, Asansol and other 

places from 2 PM to 4 P M. 

The situation of Dharna has arisen due to constant neglect of pensioners’ demands of,

(i) simplification of process for commencing pension to widow/widower of deceased 

coal pensioner, and

(ii) non-compliance of periodical review of CMPS 1998 and upward revision of pension 

stagnant since inception

Explaining further, it is to state that, a contributory pension scheme called Coal Mines 

Pension Scheme, 1998 (CMPS-1998) was framed by Coal Mines Provident Fund 

Organisation, a statutory body under the Ministry of Coal, Government of India. All 

employees in the Coal sector are covered under Pension scheme called CMPS-1998 which 

came into existence after a long struggle. The grievances of pensioners covered under the 

scheme can be understood by the following elaborations.

Talking about the first issue, after the death of a coal pensioner, the widow/widower is 

entitled to a reduced pension for life. However for starting this widow/widower pension, 

the age-old rules of CMPFO ask them to re-submit all those forms & papers which were 

already submitted by the deceased pensioner at the time of retirement. Moreover, they are 

required to personally visit the place of working of deceased pensioner for submission. The 

pity is that many a time the last place of working becomes non-existent because of 

liquidation of collieries and areas due to coal reserves getting exhausted. Age related

complications and physical inability to long-distance travel have deprived many 

widows/widowers of their legitimate right of pension. On the contrary, since 2013, various

Provident Fund organizations managed by central government are allowing easy starting of 

widow / widower pension at the bank level itself where the deceased pensioner had the 

account. of respective branches of banks. This is part of a simplified process adopted 

elsewhere, and, aggrieved coal pensioners are demanding similar provisions in CMPFO P

ension scheme.

The second issue of revision of Pension is another vexing ailment of the pension scheme.

Pension of about 4.5 lakh coal industry retired employees (executives and non-executives) is 

covered under Coal Mines Pension Scheme 1998 (CMPS-1998). This scheme is a 

contributory pension scheme and, contrary to inherent provisions, it has never been revised 

since its inception 23 years ago. As a result the pensioners get a pension fixed at the time of 

retirement for any number of years they live. The pension of retired coal mining industry 

employees is not getting enhanced in spite of several pay revisions of coal industry 

employees and ever increasing cost of living.

Thus, in order to draw urgent attention of the authorities to the issues, we propose to hold 

a one day long DHARNA at CMPFO, Dhanbad and all its Regional Offices on 15th February

2021 with an expectation that, under able guidance of concerned authorities, steps will 

taaken to find an amicable solution to our problems.