Maha employees call off strike after reaching in principle agreement to extend monetary benefits equivalent to OPS

Maharashtra government employees agitating for restoration of the old pension scheme called off a week-long strike after a successful meeting between their representatives and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde over key demand, a union leader said.

Vishwas Katkar, the striking unions coordination committee's convenor, said the state government has in principle agreed to extend monetary benefits equivalent to the OPS to employees who are part of the New Pension System (NPS).

The government employees were on an indefinite strike since March 14 demanding restoration of the OPS, which was discontinued in 2005.

The government employees were on an indefinite strike since March 14 demanding restoration of the OPS, which was discontinued in 2005. Under OPS a retired employee got monthly pension equivalent to 50 per cent his/her last drawn salary. The OPS was replaced by contribution-based and market-linked NPS in 2004-05.