Govt employees take out march in support of Old Pension Scheme demand in Pune

Thousands of government employees took out a march demanding restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) here on Friday.

Shivaji Khandekar, a coordinator of the `morcha' (protest march), said several unions of state government employees, employees affiliated to Zila Parishad departments and those of teachers and non-teaching staff of schools took part in it.

The march concluded outside the Collector's Office.

More than 15,000 employees participated in the march, Khandekar claimed.

''Today was the fourth day of the state-wide government employees' strike but the government did not take any lead to start dialogue,'' he said.

Meanwhile, authorities at the Sassoon General Hospital said they have hired 60 nurses from outside and more nurses are expected to join.

All of the hospital's more than 900 staff nurses have joined the strike.

With the help of trainee nurses and doctors, the hospital administration ensured that medical services were not affected, an official said.