Tamil Nadu Government Approves Pension Scheme for Retired Milk Cooperative Workers
The Tamil Nadu government has taken a significant step to support retired employees in the dairy sector. It has issued an order approving a compassionate pension scheme specifically for retired workers of Milk Producers' Cooperative Societies and Milk Consumers' Cooperative Societies.
Addressing Longstanding Requests
Retired employees from the Primary Milk Producers Cooperative Society had been urging the state government to grant them pension benefits. They argued that despite their vital role in the dairy industry, they received no retirement support after years of service.
In response to these persistent requests, the animal husbandry, dairying, fisheries and fishermen's welfare department acted decisively. On Tuesday, the department issued the Retired Primary Milk Producers' Cooperative Society' Compassionate Pension Rules 2026, also known as the Aavin Welfare Fund.
Implementation and Impact
The government order, signed by department secretary N Subbaiyan, will take effect from this month. This move is expected to benefit approximately 2,000 retired employees who have been waiting for pension assistance.
The dairy sector in Tamil Nadu operates through a three-tier structure:
- Primary Milk Producers Cooperative Society
- District Milk Producers Cooperative Union
- Tamil Nadu Cooperative Milk Producers Federation Limited
Employees at the primary society level play a crucial role in milk collection and distribution. However, until now, they lacked formal retirement benefits, creating financial uncertainty for many former workers.
A Compassionate Solution
The new pension scheme represents a compassionate approach by the state government. It acknowledges the contributions of these employees to the dairy industry and provides them with much-needed financial security in their retirement years.
This development marks an important recognition of the workforce that supports Tamil Nadu's dairy infrastructure at the grassroots level.
