49 lakh EPF pensioners receive less than ₹1,500 per month: Govt data

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): A big disclosure has been made by the government. According to the report presented in Parliament and government data, about half of the people who retired under the Employees' Pension Scheme 1995 (EPS-95) are getting less than Rs 1500 pension every month. This pension amount is so low that it can be difficult to run the expenses of not only a month, but also a week. The Ministry of Labor said that till March 31, 2025, a total of 81.5 lakh people were taking pension under this scheme.

49 lakh EPF employees are getting pension of less than Rs 1500, revealed in government data! : According to government data, more than 50 percent people get pension of less than Rs 1500. 96 percent get less than Rs 4000. 99 percent are getting pension of less than Rs 6000. Only 53,541 people get pension of more than Rs 6000. Under EPS-95, the minimum pension is fixed at Rs 1000 per month, but in the current times this amount is considered to be very less. In today's times, especially in cities, this cannot cover even a day's expenses.

Financial advisors and trade unions are constantly saying that the elderly cannot survive with such a low pension. The unions demand that the minimum pension under this scheme be increased to Rs 9000. They have also submitted a charter of 17 demands to the government in which this is the main demand.

Minister of State for Labor and Employment Shobha Karandlaje told the Rajya Sabha that in the year 2023-24, the total pension payment under this scheme has reached Rs 23,028 crore, which was Rs 22,113 crore last year. During the same period, EPFO's interest income has also increased to Rs 58,669 crore. As of March 2025, Rs 10,898 crore (provisional) is lying in inactive accounts. It is clear from this entire report that the government has money, but very little amount is still being given to the pensioners. Lakhs of retired employees are hoping that the government will take some concrete steps soon.