EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE
CHANDIGARH, Dec 1: The Punjab State Pensioners' Confederation, on the occasion of their annual conference held here today, demanded the implementation of the Fourth Punjab Pay Commission recommendations, including merger of 97 per cent dearness relief in basic pension, grant of 5 per cent and 10 per cent old-age pension at 65 and 75 years, grant of 0.5 per cent additional pension for service of over 33 years and merger of 97 per cent DA in basic pay of retired employees with effect from July 1, 1993.
More than 250 delegates of 50 pensioners associations attended the conference.
Former MP Satya Pal Jain, while addressing the pensioners, assured them his party's full support and promised to take up their demands with the Chief Minister. B.S. Dard, Secretary General of Central Govt pensioners Coordination Committee, urged for a united struggle by the state and central pensioners. B.D. Sharma, president, Northern Zone Pensioners Confederation, while inaugurating the delegate session, called upon the pensioners to rise up in arms against the Centre and state governments for doing nothing concrete except policy paper for pensioners during UNO year of 1999.
