Government pensioners threaten agitation

MARGAO: The All-Goa Government Pensioners Association (AGGPA) expressed anger at the government over the long delay in providing compensation to veterans who retired two years early. It announced a 15-day ultimatum to respond to the demands, after which they would take to the streets in protest.

In 1996, nearly 4,000 government employees were asked to retire at the age of 58. Six months later, the government reverted to 60 as the age of retirement. The employees who retired early missed two years’ worth of salaries and benefits, which amounted to five or six lakhs for each of the retired.
“We have been made to wait for too long. We want our benefits at least before we die of old age. Most of the affected pensioners are 75 and 76 now,” said Ganesh Verlekar, a member of AGGPA.

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