<p>The ‘Bharat Pensioners Samaj’, an organisation representing nearly 10 lakh pensioners, has put forward some major demands to the 8th Pay Commission. They want Dearness Allowance and Dearness Relief to be reviewed every three months.</p><img><p>The ‘Bharat Pensioners Samaj’ (BPS), an organisation that represents about 10 lakh pensioners, has made a key demand to the 8th Pay Commission. They are asking for the rates of Dearness Allowance (DA) and Dearness Relief (DR) to be reviewed every three months.</p><img><p>The BPS has also urged the commission to consider merging Dearness Relief with the basic pension once the DR rate crosses 25%. According to them, this step will help both working and retired employees to better handle the impact of inflation.</p><img><p>Right now, the government revises DA/DR twice a year. The BPS has pointed out that inflation negatively affects the standard of living for pensioners. That’s why they are demanding a three-month average calculation and a ‘point-to-point’ compensation method for revising these rates.</p><img><p>During a meeting with commission officials on August 7, the organisation also raised the demand for a fair pension revision. They want pension parity between employees of the same rank who retire before and after January 1, 2026.</p><img><p>Along with quarterly DA/DR revisions, the BPS has proposed a minimum pension of ₹45,000. They also want the minimum basic pay to be set at ₹69,000, with a 3.83 fitment factor. For calculating the fitment factor, they have suggested using a ‘5.2 weighted-unit family formula’.</p><img><p>The BPS is pushing for a minimum pay of ₹69,000 and a 3.83 fitment factor, following a policy similar to the ‘Staff Side’ of the NC-JCM. The BPS has also demanded that pay and pension should be reviewed every five years, instead of the traditional system of setting up a new commission every 10 years.</p><img><p>This organisation, established in 1955, represents about 10 lakh pensioners through its 245 associate bodies. These new demands have been added to the growing list of proposals submitted to the 8th Pay Commission. The main question for pensioners now is whether the commission will accept their demands for regular, inflation-linked financial support and the merger of 25% DR with the basic pension in its final recommendations.</p><img><p>We might get some information on whether the 8th Pay Commission has accepted these demands by the middle of next year. That’s when the commission, headed by Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, is expected to submit its final report.</p><img><p>The commission has just finished its important meetings in Delhi. The 8th Pay Commission is now scheduled to hold meetings in Chennai, Puducherry, Chandigarh, and Jaipur in the coming months. The commission was formed on November 3, 2025, and the Union Cabinet gave it an 18-month deadline to submit its report.</p><img><p>As of August 11, more than half of that 18-month period has already passed. The final report is expected to be submitted around May-June 2026. The commission is currently reviewing all demands related to pension payments, pay revisions, and various allowances. It is also holding discussions and consultations with employees, various organisations, pensioners, and other stakeholders.</p>
