SEFI Urges Immediate Action on Pension, HRA Issues to Steel Secretary
A delegation from the Steel Executives Federation of India (SEFI), led by Chairman Narendra Kumar Banchor, recently met with Steel Secretary Sandeep Poundrik in New Delhi to address key concerns affecting the steel sector. Among the primary issues raised were the delayed implementation of DPE-compliant pensions for officers at Steel Authority of India (SAIL) and the unresolved matter of House Rent Allowance (HRA) for SAIL employees.
SEFI urged the steel secretary to issue guidelines that would ensure 30% retirement benefits for SAIL employees in line with the directives of the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE). They highlighted the significant discrepancy in pension contributions, calling for an increase from the current 3% to 9% of monthly transfers. Furthermore, the delegation brought attention to the delay in the transfer of National Pension Scheme (NPS) funds by SAIL and sought compensatory interest for the period of delay. In addition to pension issues, the SEFI delegation raised concerns about the lack of a uniform HRA policy within SAIL, which has led to widespread employee dissatisfaction. Banchor pointed out that company housing had been allocated to third parties, leaving many employees without adequate accommodation and forcing them to live outside the plant townships. SEFI stressed the urgent need for a unified HRA policy and its immediate reinstatement to alleviate the housing concerns of SAIL employees.
The delegation also expressed appreciation for the Ministry of Steel’s ongoing support for the RINL Visakhapatnam and NMDC Steel Plant Nagarnar projects. However, they reiterated their demand for the immediate imposition of safeguard duties on imported steel, citing the need to protect the domestic steel industry from unfair competition. Another critical point discussed was the long-standing issue of 11-month arrears in perks owed to MECON employees, which SEFI said had not been addressed adequately. The meeting, which included SEFI General Secretary Sanjay Arya, Vice President Narendra Singh, and Deputy General Secretary R. Satish, underscored the urgency of resolving these issues to ensure the welfare of steel industry employees and safeguard the future of the sector.
