Thiruvananthapuram: The opposition protests forced the Kerala government put a hold on its decision to raise the retirement age of employees working in the state government undertakings.
The state cabinet, on Saturday, had decided to raise the retirement age of all employees of nearly all state public sector undertakings (PSUs) from 56/58 years to 60 years, approving an expert committee's recommendations to bring uniformity on retirement age and salary of the government employees.
The opposition parties, including Congress and BJP, called the government decision a betrayal of the state's youth and warned of massive protests if the government moves ahead with the plan.
If implemented there would be no fresh recruitments in the listed government undertakings for the next four years when Kerala is counted among states where the employment rate is high. As per data, about 37 lakh people are found to have registered as job-seekers.
The youth wing of ruling CPI(M), the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), was seen in the past protesting against the retirement age raise when the Congress party had made a similar move when it was in the power.
DYFI though inconspicuous is seen making objections against the move by its own government, is reported to have urged the government to reconsider its decision instead of making the overt protest.
The Congress, meanwhile, came heavily on the CPM government, saying the government, which failed to generate employment, now betrayed the youth by depriving them of their chance for employment.
It also feared that the government would make a similar increase in the retirement of state government employees and teachers, which is currently pegged at 56.
Retirement age at the state's worst loss-making PSUs—Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), Kerala State Electricity Board, and Kerala Water Authority—has, however, not been raised. Last week, the government appointed another committee to study enhancing the retirement age in these entities.