Bharatiya Pensioners Manch demands to exempt from pension from income tax

Bharatiya Pensioners Manch has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to exempt pension from income tax to provide relief to the senior citizens in the country.

In a letter to the prime minister on August 25 this year, the body argued that if the pensions of the Members of Parliament and Members of Legislative Assemblies are not taxable, then why does the government levy income tax on the pension of retired employees.

"Every retired person is paid pension as a superannuation fund for his/her livelihood on account of serving the nation for so many years.

"Now, the question is raised why the income tax is levied on pension (of retired employees). This is not an income for any service or work. If MPs and MLAs pension is not taxable, why our pension is taxed?" the body stated in the letter.

The body in its first all-India conference held at Shirdi (Maharashtra) on July 23, 2018 has resolved that pension should be exempted from income tax. Since then, this issue is continuously being raised by this organisation with the finance minister, but there is no response from the ministry, it stated.

In the letter to the PM, the body added, "Bharatiya Pensioners Manch urges upon you to kindly intervene into the matter and direct the Ministry of Finance to consider this long pending genuine demand of pensioners. An early and immediate action with a line of reply to this organisation will be highly appreciated."

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