Need for greater clarity of pension funds, says RS MP

NEW DELHI, Dec 10:
The need for greater clarity of pension funds for government servants was raised in the Rajya Sabha by Prof Ram Gopal Yadav, SP, on Tuesday.
Taking up the issue during Zero Hour, Prof Yadav said in 2005, the old pension scheme was scrapped and replaced with the new pension fund which was managed by SBI, UTI and LIC. However, those contributing to these funds were unaware where their money was being invested, interest generated or other details.
Worried workers had written to the UP Chief Minister regarding this and sought updates on their contribution.
The SP MP asked why could not the fund be managed on the lines of provident fund and receipts issued to allay fears of the contributors.
Dola Sen, AITC, mentioned about the non-implementation of the wages of workers of Hindustan Paper Mill despite a liquidation orders passed by National Company Law Tribunal in May 29, 2019.
She expressed concern that workers of two paper mills in Assam under the state-owned HPC were in deep distress as they had not been paid for 35 months. While the Cachar paper mill has been non-functional since October 2015, the one in Nagaon has been closed since March 2017. She urged the Central Government to release their salaries saying there had been 100 deaths due to non-release of salaries, about 10 suicides and withdrawal of children from higher studies.
Raising the issue of Nirbhaya fund for victims of sexual violence, Prof Manoj Jha, RJD, wanted committed fund for victims so that they could access it for plastic surgery in top government hospitals, as well as psychological rehabilitation.
Speaking on Aravalli hills, Kumari Selja, Congress, said there was dwindling forest cover in Haryana which stood at 3.5 per cent at present. Since the 1990s there had been a 47 per cent decline in forest cover in the state.
She regretted that the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA), 2019 had been amended in the state and weakened and T 130 villages removed from green cover. The Aravalli hills were the green lungs of the National Capital region and were a shield against the desertification from Rajasthan side, she said. (UNI)