Guntur, Aug 24: The Andhra Pradesh CPS Employees Association (APCPSEA) has announced a statewide mobilisation in Guntur on September 1, naming the event a “Samara Sankham”, as employees and teachers under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) step up demands for the scheme’s scrapping and for stronger measures to safeguard retired workers’ finances.
Association unveils poster in Tirupati
The programme poster was unveiled in Tirupati on Sunday by APCPSEA state Associate President Cheerla Kiran, who said the issue was not merely about routine deductions from salaries but related to the financial security of employees’ families after retirement. He stressed that those now in service will become pensioners in the future and that the matter concerns every employee rather than being an individual grievance.
“Every employee working today will become a pensioner tomorrow. Therefore, the issue concerns the future of every employee and cannot be treated as an individual problem,” said Cheerla Kiran.
The association has framed the September 1 programme as a consolidation of the agitation to push the state government to consider reverting CPS beneficiaries back to an Old Pension Scheme (OPS)-style arrangement or provide equivalent post-retirement security.
States that returned to OPS cited as precedent
During the poster unveiling, APCPSEA pointed to recent decisions by several states that moved away from the National Pension System (NPS) towards the Old Pension Scheme (OPS). The association named five states — Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh — and posed a question on whether Andhra Pradesh should lag behind in addressing employee pension concerns.
| State | Action cited by APCPSEA |
|---|---|
| Rajasthan | Moved from NPS towards OPS (cited by APCPSEA) |
| Chhattisgarh | Moved from NPS towards OPS (cited by APCPSEA) |
| Jharkhand | Moved from NPS towards OPS (cited by APCPSEA) |
| Punjab | Moved from NPS towards OPS (cited by APCPSEA) |
| Himachal Pradesh | Moved from NPS towards OPS (cited by APCPSEA) |
The association’s references to other states are part of its broader argument that policy reversal on pension schemes is feasible and has precedent elsewhere. APCPSEA asked why Andhra Pradesh should not follow suit if other states have taken steps to restore older pension arrangements.
What the Guntur programme seeks to achieve
APCPSEA has described the Guntur event as a platform to intensify calls for the scrapping of CPS and to “strengthen the movement for employees’ future security”. The association framed its demand in terms of long-term financial protection for public servants and teachers after retirement.
- Primary demand: Scrapping of the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).
- Objective: Strengthening mobilisation for secure post-retirement benefits for employees and teachers.
- Timing: Rally/ programme scheduled for September 1 in Guntur.
The APCPSEA announcement is likely to draw attention from state administration, employee groups and political parties given the potentially large number of workers covered by CPS provisions. The association has positioned the September 1 event as a critical step in pushing the pension issue onto the state’s policy agenda.
As of the poster unveiling in Tirupati, APCPSEA made its plans and rationale public; there was no immediate official response from the Andhra Pradesh government or departmental authorities on the announcement. The association’s statement cited other states’ policy shifts as part of its case for seeking similar action in Andhra Pradesh.
The September 1 gathering in Guntur will be watched for its scale, participation by employees and teachers, and any resulting engagement with the state administration over pension policy. APCPSEA leaders have indicated their intent to consolidate support across employee ranks to press for a change in the pension framework.
