Old Pension System : Central employees are continuously demanding restoration of the old pension scheme. In some states too, government employees went on strike recently demanding reinstatement of OPS.
Taking a decision on the demand of government employees, the old pension scheme has been restored in the non-BJP ruled states of Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. After the restoration of OPS, retired employees have benefited financially. On the other hand, political parties are also seeing their political benefits in this.
Promised to restore old pension
During the Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections, Congress had made an election promise of restoring the old pension. After this, after coming to power in Himachal Pradesh, Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, keeping his promise, restored the old pension. Now when the activities are intense regarding the assembly elections and Lok Sabha elections of five states of the country, the demand for old pension has started gaining momentum again. Restoration of old pension was also discussed in the interview given by Union Minister Amit Shah to Times of India.
Restoration of old pension was a big election issue
During the interview, he was asked that the restoration of the old pension scheme was a big election issue in states like Himachal Pradesh, where BJP lost. On this he said that it is true that government employees are demanding the return of the old pension scheme. But before restoring it, we will also have to look at the availability of resources and budgetary constraints. He said that a committee has been formed to investigate this. The pension issue will be decided on the basis of the report received from the committee.
Changes possible in NPS by the end of the year
Recently, it was claimed in media reports that the Central Government can make changes in the National Pension Scheme (NPS) by the end of this year. The government is preparing to decide that after retirement, employees should get at least 40 to 45 percent of their salary as pension in their last days. This recommendation has been made by a high level panel in this regard.
The government has not given any official statement regarding this. The government can take a decision on this before the Lok Sabha elections. Under the old pension scheme, there is a provision to give 50 percent of the last salary to the employees as pension. The old pension scheme has been restored in Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand. The currently implemented market linked pension plan was launched in the year 2004. In this, employees are required to contribute 10% of the basic salary and the government is required to contribute 14%. Whereas the employee does not make any contribution in the old pension.
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