The consideration of a rise in the minimum pension given by the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) under the Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS) is still in conversation on 2nd April 2025. The minimum pension is now ₹1,000 a month, fixed in 2014. Different groups, including pensioners’ associations and trade unions, have been requesting that this be increased to ₹7,500 monthly, matching the increased cost of living.
Advocacy for Pension Increase
The EPS-95 National Agitation Committee, representing EPS-95 pensioners, has been at the forefront of the movement. In January 2025, committee members met with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during a pre-budget consultative meeting to present their case for the pension hike. They emphasized how this pension is inadequate to sustain minimal living standards and demanded an increase to ₹7,500 per month with the addition of dearness allowance (DA). The Finance Minister assured the delegation that their demands would be considered.
Consideration by the Government
Reports appeared in early 2025 to suggest that the government was indeed considering this proposal. It was expected that the Union Budget 2025 would respond to the demands of the pensioners by increasing the minimum EPS pension to ₹7,500, thus giving instant relief to millions of retirees, who hardly manage to survive with very meager pension benefits.
Parliamentary Recommendations
Further supporting the initiative, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Labour under BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai recommended that the Centre increase the minimum pension. The committee noted the unrelenting demands from trade unions and pensioners’ associations for an increase to ₹7,500 per month and voiced the necessity of this raise to make a decent living for these retirees.
Current Standing
So far, there has been no confirmation regarding the proposed pension increment or any sure date for its implementation, although discussions and all recommendations have been made underway. The government is nonetheless considering the proposal on its financial viability. Pensioners and stakeholders hope that a good decision will get reached in the soonest time, thereby providing useful financial support to the retirees. .
Conclusion
The proposal to increase the EPFO minimum pension to ₹7,500 illustrates a major attempt to update the financial situation for the retirees in India. While this proposal enjoys support from many quarters, such as the parliamentary committees and the Finance Ministry, there is still no confirmation or implementation. Pensioners and their advocates are still waiting for an official announcement, hoping that soon the government will address their concerns.
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