Last Update: January 11, 2023, 13:58 IST
Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu had announced at a victory rally in Dharamshala last week that the decision to implement the old pension scheme would be taken in the first full cabinet meeting. (File Photo/PTI)
According to official sources, apart from the old pension scheme, the Himachal Pradesh cabinet will also provide financial assistance of Rs 1,500 per month to women in the age group of 18 to 60 years.
The newly formed Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu-led government in Himachal Pradesh will restore the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) in its first cabinet meeting on Friday. The promise to revive the OPS is believed to have played a key role in bringing the Congress to power in the hill state.
According to official sources, apart from the OPS, the cabinet will also take up financial assistance of Rs 1,500 per month to women in the age group of 18 to 60 years – the two most important promises made by the Congress in the run-up to the Assembly polls last November.
While the Aam Aadmi Party-led government in Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh and Punjab has already announced the restoration of the pension scheme, there is no clarity on how they will be able to financially back the promise.
Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhu had announced at a victory rally in Dharamshala last week that the decision to implement OPS would be taken in the first full cabinet meeting. He announced that a budgetary provision has already been made for the purpose, adding that bureaucrats, who had earlier said that no budget had been allocated for OPS, are now saying that the plan can be implemented .
“This shows the intention of the Congress government. A budgetary provision has also been made to give Rs 1500 per month to all women in the age group of 18 to 60 years in the state. The decision to implement this will also be taken in the first full cabinet meeting. The decision to give 1 lakh jobs to the youth in government and private sectors will also be announced in the meeting.
Ahead of the Himachal Pradesh elections, the BJP appeared to be taking a cautious stand on the issue. BJP leaders had announced that they would go ahead with the OPS based on the report of a panel constituted by the state government with the approval of top party officials. Along with significant employee voters, the BJP’s stand irked the class and became one of the main reasons for the defeat.
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