<p><strong>8th Pay Commission Updates: Retired employees protested in Shamli with 12 demands. They want the 8th Pay Commission benefits and the Old Pension Scheme back. The pensioners also demanded pending DA arrears and railway fare concessions</strong></p><img><p><strong>8th Pay Commission:</strong> Retired employees and pensioners protested at the collectorate premises in Shamli, Uttar Pradesh, on Tuesday. They demanded that the government must include employees who retired before January 1, 2026, under the 8th Pay Commission.</p><img><p>The retired employees and pensioners association raised 12 demands. They submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath through the District Magistrate.</p><img><p>Protesters pointed out the lack of clarity regarding senior pensioners’ status after the 8th Pay Commission formation, according to Dainik Bhaskar. The association stated that earlier pay commissions did not discriminate based on retirement dates.</p><img><p>The association demanded that the government must stop retirement date-based discrimination and revise the pensions of senior retirees. They also want the government to restore the old pension scheme and make pension income tax-free.</p><img><p>Pensioners demanded a 5% pension hike every 5 years after crossing 65 years of age. They also want the government to stop pension commutation deductions after 10 years and release the pending 18-month DA/DR arrears from the COVID-19 pandemic.</p><img><p>The memorandum urged the government to merge the Dearness Allowance with the basic pension once it crosses 50%. The association also demanded interim relief for employees, teachers, and pensioners due to the delay in the pay commission process.</p><img><p>Pensioners demanded a 50% railway fare concession for senior citizens. They also want the government to increase the Ayushman Bharat cashless treatment limit to Rs 10 lakh and set up a dedicated Senior Citizen Commission.</p><img><p>Association officials confirmed they already sent a signature-backed petition to the Prime Minister’s Office. They stressed that the association is fighting legally to improve the living standards of retired government employees and their families.</p><img><p>The demands include bringing pre-January 1, 2026 retirees under the 8th Pay Commission and ending retirement date-based discrimination. Pensioners also want pension revisions, Old Pension Scheme restoration, tax-free pensions, and a 5% hike every five years after age 65.</p><img><p>Pensioners want the government to stop commutation deductions after 10 years and pay the 18-month COVID-era DA/DR arrears. They also demanded merging DA above 50% with basic pension, interim relief, 50% railway concession, and a Rs 10 lakh Ayushman Bharat limit.</p><img><p>The Shamli Retired Employees and Pensioners Association raised these 12 demands, as per Dainik Bhaskar. The 8th Pay Commission or the government has not approved them yet. We will know the outcome only after the panel submits its final report.</p><img><p>Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai heads the three-member 8th Pay Commission. The panel was formed on November 3, 2025. It must submit its final report within 18 months. The commission will likely present the report around May-June 2027 if it does not seek an extension.</p>
