The Congress party on Friday said that its government in Himachal Pradesh has approved the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme in the state. The decision was taken at the first meeting of the Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led Cabinet today. Over 1.36 lakh employees under the new pension scheme would now be migrated to the Old Pension Scheme. The benefits would come into effect immediately.
Addressing the media after the Cabinet meeting, Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhu said that the government will also keep its promise to provide Rs 1,500 per month to women.
“A sub committee with cabinet ministers, including Chander Kumar, Dhani Ram Shandil, Anirudh Singh and Jagat Negi, has been constituted to prepare a road map for disbursement of Rs 1,500 per month in 30 days,” he added.
Restoration of the Old Pension Scheme for state government employees was among the major poll promises by Congress in the run-up to the Himachal Pradesh elections.
Employees retiring after 20 years of service from the government will now be entitled to receive 50 per cent of last drawn salary as pension under the Old Pension Scheme. The new pension scheme, on the other hand, was a contributory scheme in which the government and employees contributed 10 and 14 per cent of the salary respectively towards the pension fund.
Speaking to the media, CM Sukhu further said that the government has constituted a committee to explore the possibility of provindng 1 lakh jobs. The government said that the liability under the OPS for the current year will be in the range of Rs 800-900 crore which would be met through a hike of Rs 3 in VAT on diesel.
The Chief Minister said the state government has restored OPS not for political gains but with a view to provide social security and safeguard the self-respect of the employees who have scripted Himachal’s development.
CM Sukhu further added that arrears worth Rs 11,000 crore including Rs 4,430 crore to employees, Rs 5,226 crore to pensioners and Rs 1,000 crore dearness allowance under the sixth pay commission were left pending by the erstwhile BJP-ruled government.