Expectations for Budget 2024: Labor organizations demand the 8th Pay Commission, reinstatement of the Old Pension Scheme, and tax exemptions.

The labor organizations also asked the government to stop the privatization of public sector undertakings, abolish the New Pension Scheme and restore the Old Pension Scheme (OPS).

The government should constitute the 8th Pay Commission, increase tax exemption for the salaried class and restore the old pension scheme. The leaders of the labor organizations made this demand during a pre-budget meeting with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday. The labor organizations also asked the government to stop the privatization of public sector undertakings, abolish the New Pension Scheme and restore the Old Pension Scheme (OPS). The organizations said in their memorandum, "The maximum limit of income tax exemption for the salaried class on their salary and gratuity should be increased substantially. A government-sponsored social security fund should be set up for unorganised workers and agricultural workers, so that they can get a minimum pension of Rs 9,000 per month and other medical, educational benefits etc.''

Outsourcing should be stopped

Apart from this, he has demanded that all the existing vacancies in the Central Government departments and public sector undertakings should be filled immediately and the practice of contracting and outsourcing should be stopped. He further said that instead of burdening the general public through GST on essential food items and medicines, corporate tax, increase in property tax and inheritance tax should be implemented.

Increase the scope of MNREGA

Representatives of 12 labour organisations including INTUC, AITUC, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC and UTUC participated in the meeting. Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) separately submitted a memorandum with its demand. They demanded to increase the scope of MNREGA and guarantee 200 days of work to every family. Apart from this, it was also said to link the work of agriculture and allied sectors with MNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act). According to the memorandum, the criteria of Ayushman Bharat scheme should be increased from Rs 1.20 lakh to Rs 3 lakh.