Congress MLA Vikramaditya Singh has said that the financial assistance from Centre will be required to implement the 'Old Pension Scheme', an important poll promise of the party, in the state.
Singh, who has been elected as the member of Himachal Pradesh assembly from Shimla rural seat, also appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to set aside political animosity and display generosity towards the needs of the state.
“The state will need the Centre’s support for building infrastructure, etc. We will need financial assistance from the Central Government to implement the old pension scheme (OPS). So, I urge the Prime Minister and his government to show magnanimity towards the state," Singh was quoted in a Tribune India report as saying on Tuesday (20 December).
The Congress MLA also expressed hope for a positive relationship between Prime Minister Modi and new Himachal Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, similar to the one between former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee and his father and former state CM Virbhadra Singh, despite the fact that they belonged to rival parties.
The newly elected Congress government in Himachal Pradesh has promised in its manifesto to re-introduce the old pension scheme (OPS) without any contribution from the contributory National Pension System (NPS). Given that Debt-GSDP of Himachal was close to 43% of GSDP in FY22, economists have expressed fear that it will led to further ballooning of debt causing serious damage to state's growth prospects
In the latest development on the OPS issue, Himachal CM Sukhu on Wednesday (21 December) said that he had directed the state Finance Department to come up with a detailed proposal regarding the implementation of the old pension scheme (OPS) at the earliest.
The CM said that he was committed to honouring the 10 promises made by the Congress and the old pension scheme (OPS) would be restored in the very first Cabinet meeting.
However, he said that the suggestions of various employee organizations and other sections of society were being taken into consideration so that a viable and comprehensive way is found to implement the OPS.
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