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New Delhi: Retired coal workers across the country are planning a fresh protest as their pensions have not been revised since the time of their retirement, with several top-level executives getting less than Rs 10,000 per month.

The retired employees – mainly from Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL), Coal India Limited (CIL) and their subsidiary companies – have alleged that the pension amount which, as per the Coal Mines Pension Scheme, 1998, is to be reviewed every three years has not been revised since inception. Additionally, the 1998, 2007 and 2017 wage revisions for employees were also not applied to these pensioners.

“There are more than five lakh coal pensioners whose pensions have not been revised. Many have even passed away waiting,” said Venu Madhav, a retired SCCL employee, who has been advocating for pension revision for years. 

While the government raised the minimum monthly pension rate in 2024 to Rs 1,000 for those getting even lesser, many mid-to-senior-level retired employees continue to receive meagre monthly pensions that have not kept pace with inflation.

SCCL and CIL are both public sector undertakings under the administrative control of the Union coal ministry. However, these pensioners have been overlooked despite the pensions of other central government employees having been enhanced from time to time as per the Unified Pension Scheme. 

Similarly, the pension amount for employees of other public sector enterprises and public sector undertakings – like Gas Authority of India Ltd, Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum Corporation and public sector banks – have also increased over the years.

The Coal Mines Provident Fund Organisation (CMPFO), the autonomous body which provides for the pension of coal sector employees, and falls under the Union coal ministry, has repeatedly told the pensioners that due to a shortage of funds, they have not revised the pensions.

Pensioners have, however, countered this in a petition in the Delhi high court, stating that the fund has grown over the years. 

‘Government not doing anything for us’

Rayanna P.B. worked at SCCL, Telangana for 33 years before retiring as the chief transport officer with a basic pay of Rs 40,000 in 2006. Seventy nine now, he gets a pension of Rs 8,087 per month, the same as 20 years ago.

“We work so hard for so many years, take risks on the job, inhale coal dust regularly, yet the........

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