8th Pay Commission: Chennai GPO Pensioners Forum Submits Charter of Demands, Seeks OPS Restoration

The Chennai General Post Office (GPO) Pensioners Forum has formally submitted a charter of key demands to the 8th Pay Commission, pressing the panel to restore the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), raise pensions, and reform post-retirement financial deductions. The representation was made during the commission's consultative sessions held in Chennai on September 7 and 8, where central government employee unions and pensioner associations presented their views before the panel finalises its report. The meetings served as a key consultation window for pensioner bodies seeking to address long-standing grievances over post-retirement security and financial stability under the upcoming central pay revisions.

Key Demands Put Forward

The forum outlined five central priorities focused on pension enhancement and welfare. It pressed for the complete restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), reiterating a demand widespread among central government staff, and urged upward revisions to basic pensions and family pensions to offset rising living costs. 8th Pay Commission Salary: How Different Fitment Factors Can Hike Central Government Employees' Salaries.

The forum also called for clearer, revised guidelines on the period and recovery terms for commuted pension amounts, which directly lower retirees' take-home monthly pension. Other demands included structural improvements to the Modified Assured Career Progression (MACP) scheme, better promotional pathways and pay scales for postal staff, and expanded medical and social security provisions, improved leave terms, and enhanced allowances for both serving staff and retirees.

Wage Floor And Career Reforms

Beyond retirement-specific benefits, representatives pushed for broader structural reforms in central employment. These included a proposed minimum monthly wage of INR 68,000, a permanent wage-revision mechanism, and the introduction of 'running pay scales' alongside the existing pay matrix system. 8th Pay Commission: Central Govt Employees May See DA Rise to 66-67% From January 2027.

Discussions during the Chennai hearings also flagged the need for targeted policies addressing the working conditions and career advancement of women employees and persons with disabilities.

Next Steps And Commission Timeline

The 8th Pay Commission, chaired by Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, was constituted on November 3, 2025, with an 18-month mandate to submit its final recommendations. Having completed 10 months of consultations, the panel is expected to present its final report to the central government tentatively by May-June 2027.

The commission is scheduled to hold its next round of stakeholder consultations in Chandigarh from September 16 to 18. Any final changes to central pay scales, allowances, and pensions will depend on the government's acceptance and notification of the commission's ultimate recommendations.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 10, 2026 03:59 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).