The Coimbatore Consumer Cause has urged the State Government to restore the retirement age of government employees to 58.
In a representation to the Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin, the consumer body’s Secretary K. Kathirmathiyon said the increase in retirement age from 58 to 59 and then to 60 was without consultation and demand and made only with an eye on the immediate outgo of funds from the Government to retiring employees. This was an illogical and short-sighted move by the then government.
The increase in retirement age was an injustice to qualified youth waiting to enter government service. It was also wrong because three or four youth could be employed with the money to be paid as retirement benefits to every senior. This assumed significance because with financial crunch, recruitment was not periodical and government departments faced manpower shortage.
The consumer body pointed out that no government employee asked for rising the retirement age and, in fact, employees’ unions or associations had opposed the increase in retirement age.
There was also the possibility that the employees who had planned their retirement age might not put in maximum effort to work. Besides, those on the verge of retirement could be suffering from age-related weakness, stress, etc.
And, the government’s move had only postponed by two years the financial strain. The increase in retirement age would only increase the financial burden because the seniors would be moving to higher slab in pay and consequently higher pension resulting in more outgo from the exchequer.
Therefore, in the State’s interest, the consumer body would like to the Government to revise its decision to bring down the retirement age.
