BENGALURU, August 1, 2025 – The Karnataka unit of the Coordination of Bank Pensioners and Retirees Organisations (CBPRO) will launch a Hunger Strike and Dharna at Freedom Park on August 2, 10Am.This protest is part of CBPRO’s nationwide action programme, which has already seen similar demonstrations in other state capitals and major cities throughout July and August.

Hundreds of former bank employees are expected to participate, pressing the Government of India and the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) to address long-standing grievances affecting senior and super-senior banking retirees.

Demands of the Protesters:

1. Periodic Pension Updation
Full implementation of Clause 35.1 of the Bank Employees Pension Regulations, ensuring regular pension revisions on par with central government and RBI pension schemes—overdue for more than 30 years.

2. Inclusion of Special Allowance in Pension
Recognition of Special Allowance for superannuation calculations, restoring the basic pension to the agreed 50% of last drawn basic pay instead of the current 31%.

3. Reimbursement of Medical Insurance Premiums
Restoration of government guidelines by transferring medical insurance premium costs back to banks, rather than imposing them on retirees.

4. Parity for SBI Pensioners
Uniform basic pension of 50% of last drawn pay for SBI retirees, with retrospective effect.

5. Coverage for Initially Excluded Retirees
Inclusion of the fewer than 1,000 bank retirees who missed the original pension option, mirroring RBI’s corrective measures.

6. Ex-Gratia for Private Bank Pensioners
Payment of agreed ex-gratia amounts to private bank retirees, eliminating current discrimination.

7. Ex-Gratia for 2024–25
Release of ex-gratia payments for 2024 and 2025 as per the Settlement/Joint Note with unions.

8. Dearness Allowance Rectification
Resolution of discrepancies in the payment of dearness allowance to pensioners.

9. Reversion to the Old Pension Scheme
Abolition of the New Pension Scheme in favour of the Old Pension Scheme to safeguard serving employees and officers from market-linked uncertainties.

10. Consultative Status for Pensioners’ Organisations
Granting formal negotiation rights to CBPRO and affiliated bodies, respecting the principle of engaging senior citizens in dialogue.

CBPRO Convenor A. N. Krishna Murthy, Joint Convenor K. V. Acharya, and other senior members outlined these demands at a press conference held at the Press Club of Bengaluru. They urged the Government and the IBA to respond promptly and honour the genuine demands of bank pensioners and retirees.

City Today News 9341997936