Maha govt 'ready' for OPS, employees call off weeklong strike

Mumbai, March 20 (IANS) The 18 lakh government employees in Maharashtra called off their weeklong indefinite strike on Monday after successful negotiations on the contentious issue of implementing the Old Pension Scheme, a top leader said.

The striking unions coordination committee's convenor Vishwas Katkar said that the state government has agreed "in principle" to consider the issue of bringing back the OPS, which was discontinued in 2005.

The much-awaited discussions were held this afternoon with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and top state officials, and Katkar and other unions' representatives on the other side.

"The government has assured that the OPS will definitely be implemented and also given the same in writing. They will also withdraw the show cause notices issued to the strikers. We shall also fully cooperate with the government on this issue," Katkar told media persons.

In view of the positive outcome, he said that the strike has been called off immediately and all employees will resume normal duties from Tuesday.

Katkar also thanked the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) for supporting the strikers and raising their issue in the state legislature and appreciated the government for positively considering the staffers' pending demand on OPS.

Shinde is likely to make a statement on the outcome of the OPS negotiations in the legislature shortly.

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