Chhattisgarh becomes 2nd Congress-ruled State to restore old pension system for government staff
The Hindu
CM Bhupesh Baghel also doubles the yearly MLA local area development fund
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel in his Budget speech on Wednesday announced the government’s decision to revert to the old pension system (OPS) for State government employees and double the yearly MLA local area development fund. He carried the Budget papers in a briefcase made of cow dung powder.
The move will benefit over three lakh employees who joined service after January 1, 2004. It, however, will not be applicable to officials of the All India Services like members of the Indian Administrative Service or the Indian Police Service.
With this, Chhattisgarh becomes the second Congress-ruled State after Rajasthan to adopt OPS.
The main difference between two pension systems is that while an employee has to make a voluntary contribution towards pension by undertaking a 10% deduction from the basic salary and dearness allowance, there is no such deduction under OPS.
“In this Budget, I propose the restoration of the old pension scheme for government employees. A sum of ₹2 crore is proposed for the Chhattisgarh Rojgaar Mission to work on the possibilities of creating new jobs by coordinating the skill development programmes,” Mr. Baghel said.
He also announced the exemption of examination fees for the applicants who are domicile of the State in all professional exams conducted by the Chhattisgarh Professional Examination Board and the Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission.
Other highlights of the Budget are increasing the annual assistance for landless agriculturists -- under the Rajiv Gandhi Bhumihin Krishi Majdur Nyay Yojana -- to ₹7,000 per annum from the present ₹6,000; creating employment opportunities by setting up the Chhattisgarh Rojgaar Mission and focus on skill development, filling up the existing government vacancies and setting up a new cadre of District Strike Force in the Bastar region.