Pensioners demand exemption from income tax

The Central Civil Pensioner’s forum has appealed for the Finance Minister to exempt pensioners from Income Tax or consider raising the exemption limit to Rs. 5 lakh for senior citizens and Rs. 7 lakh to pensioners above 80 years.

A resolution to this effect was passed at its general body meeting recently.

In other resolutions passed at the meeting in Srirangam, the forum has requested the Ministry of Health and Public Welfare to permit pensioners residing outside the areas covered by the central government health insurance scheme to access treatment at residence through nearest branches of the referral hospital and avoid tension, physical strain and heavy expenditure in traveling to headquarters.

The pensioners also demanded full parity to pre-2006 pensioners and implementation of modified parity as per court judgment, merger of 50 per cent dearness relief with basic pension, fixed medical allowance of Rs. 1,000, reimbursement of inpatients treatment cost for pensioners residing in non-Central Government Health Scheme areas and option for fixed medical allowance to post and telegraph pensioners residing beyond 2.5 km from the dispensary and restoration of balance pension to public sector unit retirees. The meeting was chaired by Ramanujam.