Haryana government employees organise ‘sankalp march’ over demands to restore Old Pension Scheme

The movement for the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) has regained momentum in the state, with the Pension Bahali Sangharsh Samiti announcing a state-wide campaign to press the government for reinstatement of the scheme.

As part of the campaign, the committee has planned ‘OPS Sankalp March’ in every district of the state to mobilise government employees and strengthen the demand for restoration of OPS. The state-wide campaign was launched from Rohtak on Sunday with a protest march, marking the beginning of a series of district-level programmes.

“We will take out protest marches every Sunday at one of the district headquarters to highlight our long-pending demand for the restoration of OPS. Local employees will participate in these marches, while state-level office-bearers of the association will also join them. The campaign will culminate with a state-level OPS Sankalp March in Kurukshetra on February 7, 2027, during which the local residence of Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini will also be gheraoed,” said Sanjay Singhmar, general secretary of the samiti.

He said the objective of the campaign is to unite employees from different departments and create pressure on the state government to bring back the OPS.

Earlier, the protesters assembled at Mansarovar Park and took out a march to Ashoka Chowk before proceeding to the Mini Secretariat, where they submitted a memorandum addressed to the state government to the Tehsildar. Employees from various departments participating in the march raised slogans against the government.

Addressing the protesters, Anil Swami, district president of the samiti, called for an all-out struggle for the restoration of the OPS stating that they would not step back from agitation until the demand is met.

Vijender Dhariwal, state president of the samiti, urged the CM to initiate talks with the samiti at the earliest because the demand is directly linked to the future of employees. “The OPS was not merely a financial issue for employees but was also connected with the social security of their families and a dignified future after retirement,” he added.

State general secretary Rishi Nain claimed that the existing National Pension System (NPS) and Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) do not provide employees with the assured social security benefits that are available under the OPS.

“The OPS provides employees with the assurance of a defined pension, whereas the pension amount under NPS and UPS remains uncertain as they are market-linked systems. The OPS also offers family security, dearness relief, a stable post-retirement income and medical benefits,” he added.