Chennai: On January 3, 2026, representatives from JACTO-GEO and FOTO-GEO met Hon’ble Chief Minister M.K. Stalin at the Secretariat. They expressed their heartfelt gratitude and shared sweets to celebrate the announcement of the Tamil Nadu Assured Pension Scheme (TAPS).
A Legacy of Struggle
This celebration marks the culmination of a long history of struggle. Many who fought against the New Pension Scheme (NPS) when it was introduced in 2003 are still with us. They remember being arrested at midnight and imprisoned in Puzhal jail. At that time, 999 employees were dismissed for eight months. Under the guidance of former CM Karunanidhi, a legal battle was fought all the way to the Supreme Court to reinstate them. Today, JACTO-GEO and FOTO-GEO stand united with that same spirit of struggle.
Positive Aspects of TAPS
Several features in the TAPS scheme deserve a welcome:
Pension Eligibility: Employees are eligible for a pension even with just 10 years of service.
Assured Amount: Those completing 30 years of service will receive 50% of their last drawn pay as a pension.
Gratuity: A gratuity of up to [?]25 lakh based on the length of service.
Cost of Living: Dearness Allowance (DA) hikes every six months provide significant relief.
The Hidden Concern: Where is the Employee’s Money?
Despite these benefits, a major question remains: how many of the 6.25 lakh employees actually support this? Social media is filled more with grievances than gratitude. Across India, the demand is clear: No to NPS, No to the Central Government’s UPS; we want only the non-contributory Old Pension Scheme (OPS).
Younger employees are asking if senior leaders realise that TAPS is essentially the same “Contributory Pension Scheme” under a new name. There is a specific reason why Central Government employees are hesitant to join the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS):
- Under NPS, an employee can withdraw 60% of their total contribution upon retirement.
- Under UPS and the TN Government’s TAPS, the money contributed by the employee is not returned.
While the government states it is spending 13,000 crore on this scheme, teachers and professors are pointing out a bitter reality. By the time they retire, their own contributions (with interest) often amount to 50 lakh to 1 crore. In families where both husband and wife are government employees, this sum is massive.
Granting a pension while withholding these lifetime savings has caused deep resentment. Currently, those celebrating the move are mostly those already under the Old Pension Scheme, not the ones actually affected by the new scheme.
The Road Ahead
Once the official Government Order (G.O.) is released, it is the responsibility of JACTO-GEO, FOTO-GEO coordinators, and senior leaders to present these realities to the Chief Minister and Finance Minister for a fair resolution.
We urge younger employees not to post “condolence” messages for OPS on social media, as this weakens our collective strength. Do not feel divided. Have faith that we respect your feelings and will work to find a solution. We are well aware that seven other states have already implemented OPS. Do not rush to ask for “options” immediately. Let us welcome what is good, but stay committed to negotiating and solving the remaining challenges.
Contact for further details: AIFETO Annamalai Phone: 94442 12060 / 9962222314 Email: annamalaiaifeto@gmail.com
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