The pension gap is widening, how to narrow the gap?
With the aging of the population, the mainland's pension system is facing unprecedented pressure. In this process, the gap between pension levels is also getting bigger and bigger, and it has become the focus of social attention. How to adjust the policy to make the pension system more fair and just, and reduce the gap between different groups?
First, we need to recognize the root causes of the widening pension gap. As can be seen from the article, there are mainly the following reasons:
The "average contribution index" factor in the formula for calculating the basic pension. This indicator is directly linked to the level of individual contributions, resulting in higher basic pensions for those who pay more.
The difference in the pension calculation base in various places. The level of economic development in different regions of the mainland is uneven, and there are also large differences in the pension calculation base, which has an adverse impact on retirees in some relatively underdeveloped areas.
The gap between the retirees of enterprises and the retirees of government institutions and institutions. There is a big difference between the two in terms of payment base and payment period, resulting in a huge disparity in the level of pension after retirement.
In view of these reasons, I believe that we need to start from the following aspects to gradually narrow the pension gap:
Reasonable adjustment of the basic pension calculation formula. The weight of the "average contribution index" in the basic pension can be reduced, and the influence of other factors such as the number of years of payment can be appropriately increased, so that the pension level is not so linked to the individual payment situation. In this way, it can not only reflect the fairness of the amount of contributions, but also take into account the fairness of basic living security.
Improve the national unified pension system. At present, there are large differences in various places, and the national unification of basic pension standards should be realized as soon as possible to narrow the gap between regions. At the same time, it is possible to consider implementing appropriate preferential policies for economically weak areas to increase their pension levels.
Narrow the pension gap for retirees in enterprises and institutions. The gap between the two can be gradually narrowed by increasing the payment base and the number of years of payment for enterprise employees. In addition, it can also be considered to appropriately increase the basic pension level for enterprise employees to reflect their social security responsibilities.
Establish a sound pension adjustment mechanism. We can refer to the practice of Beijing Municipality to implement the adjustment policy of "raising the lower and controlling the higher" for retirees with high and low pension levels, and gradually narrow the gap. At the same time, the adjustment mechanism should be more transparent and institutionalized, so that the majority of retirees can fully participate in it.
Improve the multi-level old-age security system. In addition to the basic pension, it is also necessary to encourage and guide the masses to actively participate in supplementary pension insurance plans such as enterprise annuity, occupational annuity, and commercial insurance to prepare for their future life. This can make up for the gap in the level of basic pension to a certain extent.
In general, narrowing the pension gap requires the joint efforts of the government, enterprises and individuals. Only through continuous policy adjustment and institutional reform can we effectively ensure the basic life of all kinds of retirees in order to achieve social fairness and justice and promote the long-term development of the pension industry.
Of course, this process is not achieved overnight, and it needs to be done gradually and over a long period of time. We should fully recognize the complexity and sensitivity of the pension gap and adopt gradual reform measures to take care of the interests of current retirees and pave the way for future retirees. Only in this way can we truly narrow the pension gap and let the majority of retirees enjoy a happy old age.
In addition to the above-mentioned measures to adjust from the institutional level, we also need to promote the narrowing of the pension gap from the level of society as a whole. These include:
Increase the openness and transparency of pension information. At present, the pension level in different regions and industries is not fully disclosed, which gives people a feeling of "black box operation" and reduces the sense of gain of the majority of retirees. We should establish a unified information disclosure platform, timely announce the pension levels of all types of retirees, and accept the supervision of all sectors of society.
Encourage the participation of public opinion and all sectors of society. The pension gap is a wide-ranging and far-reaching problem, and the government should not fight alone. We should give full play to the power of the media, experts and scholars, and the broad masses to form a social consensus and promote the continuous improvement of policies through rational discussions and suggestions.
Enhance the awareness of old-age security in the whole society. Only when everyone fully understands the importance of old-age security can we truly solve the problem of pension gap fundamentally. We need to strengthen publicity and education for the public, so that everyone understands the role of individual payment, corporate responsibility, government protection and other aspects, and form a benign pattern of "everyone participates and everyone benefits".
Improve the multi-level and multi-pillar old-age security system. In addition to the continuous improvement of the public pension system, we must also vigorously develop supplementary pension insurance such as enterprise annuity, occupational annuity and commercial pension insurance, so that different groups can have their own pension security channels.
Promote social fairness and justice. The pension gap is inherently a matter of fairness and justice. We should improve the social security system and narrow the gap between urban and rural areas, regions, industries and other gaps, so that all the elderly can feel social fairness and justice.
In short, narrowing the pension gap requires from top-level design to grassroots implementation, from institutional innovation to social co-governance, and mobilizing all social forces to participate. Only in this way can we truly realize the fairness and impartiality of the pension system and provide more secure and stable pension security for the elderly.
This is not only a livelihood project related to thousands of households, but also an important measure to promote social fairness and justice, narrow the gap between urban and rural development, and promote comprehensive, coordinated and sustainable economic and social development. Let us work together to contribute to the construction of a balanced and fair old-age security system that covers the whole people, so that the beautiful vision of the elderly can be realized as soon as possible.