Kakinada: Pensioners furious over cut

Kakinada: Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy's decision to slash pension by half for a month has not gone well with the retired employees. They are criticising the government for taking this decision unilaterally without consulting their representatives. The state government on March 31 issued GO 26 for deferred payment of salaries and pensions.

Expressing his displeasure over pay cut, N K V Rao, a retired principal, told The Hans India that public representatives were leading luxurious lives at the cost of the poor. He asked the government not to lay hands on the meagre pensions of senior citizens and instead use MLA and MP funds to tide over the financial crisis.

Arun Kumar, another retired principal, said that reducing pension of retirees is akin to infringing on the fundamental rights and violates constitutional provisions. Similarly, K Rama Rao, a retired lecturer, said that the matter was serious and attracts judicial intervention and any harsh strictures by the court will compel the Cabinet including the Chief Minister to resign.

Another retired principal D S Murthy echoed the same views and felt that the cut was adding to their woes after recent Income Tax deductions.