It is really disgusting that while pension-system for government-employees has since been discontinued, pension-scheme for Parliamentarians is still continuing. What more, there is provision of Income Tax being levied on pensions being received by government-employees under earlier scheme. But in case pension to Parliamentarians is free from Income Tax; it is indeed a matter of serious concern. In case of retired judges of Supreme Court and some high Courts, class-distinction is still more disturbing when retired judges and their spouses are now self-gifted of a lifetime domestic help at public-expense.
Such class-distinction for those retired from bureaucracy, legislature and judiciary should be abolished by having similar post-retirement benefits including in regard to pension and super-luxurious facility of a permanent domestic help. Rather recommendations of Pay Commission should be universally applicable to those in bureaucracy, legislature and judiciary with President, Vice President, Prime Minister, state-Governors, Chief Ministers, Chief Justice of Supreme Court and High Courts getting pay and benefits equivalent to highest paid bureaucrat Union Cabinet Secretary with ministers and other judges of higher courts getting salaries and benefits equivalent to that of Secretary to Government of India. Even grades in government-service should be minimised to reduce class-distinction even in government-service. All this will tremendously reduce pressure on public-exchequers paving way for reduction of taxes.
Subhash Chandra Agrawal
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
