Retired bank employees in Visakhapatnam staged a protest demanding a minimum monthly pension of ₹10,000 and better healthcare benefits under the Group Health Insurance Scheme.
Retired Bank Employees Protest for Pension and Healthcare
On a call from the All India Bank Retirees Federation (AIBRF), retired bank employees protested on Monday at the Gandhi statue near the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC). They were organized under the United Forum of Bank Retirees Organisations (UFBROs).
The protesters raised slogans demanding a minimum monthly pension of ₹10,000. They also sought the implementation of the L1 policy for retired bank employees under the ‘Group Health Insurance Scheme’. Additionally, they called for periodic grievance redressal meetings to address pending issues at the bank level.
P. Srinivas, president of the Visakhapatnam District Bank Retirees Federation (VDBRF), and R.V. Ravi Kumar, general secretary, urged bank managements to discuss and settle the long-pending grievances of retired employees quickly.
An 81-year-old retired chief manager, T. Kameswara Rao, joined the protest and encouraged the participants. The protesters expressed their dissatisfaction with the Centre and the Indian Banks Association (IBA) for not updating the pensions of retirees.
Other demands included providing subsidized healthcare for retirees, similar to that of serving employees under the Medical Health Scheme. B.V.V. Kondala Rao, president of the APBRF, presided over the event. The leaders announced that the protest would continue until justice is achieved for retired employees.
| Demand | Description |
|---|---|
| Minimum Pension | ₹10,000 monthly pension |
| L1 Policy | Implementation for Group Health Insurance |
| Grievance Meetings | Periodic meetings for pending issues |
| Healthcare | Subsidized healthcare for retirees |
