HP cabinet nod to implementation of old pension scheme from April 1 - Hindustan Times
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HP cabinet nod to implementation of old pension scheme from April 1

By, Shimla
Mar 04, 2023 03:26 AM IST

In a meeting presided by chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the Himachal cabinet gave its nod to the implementation of the old pension scheme, which would put a burden of ₹1,000 crore on the state exchequer

The Himachal Pradesh government on Friday decided to implement the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) from April 1 in the state.

Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu presiding over the cabinet meeting at the Himachal Pradesh secretariat in Shimla on Friday. (HT Photo)
Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu presiding over the cabinet meeting at the Himachal Pradesh secretariat in Shimla on Friday. (HT Photo)

In a meeting presided by chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the Himachal cabinet gave its nod to the implementation of the OPS, which would put a burden of 1,000 crore on the state exchequer.

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More than 1.36 state government employees, who are currently under the New Pension Scheme, will be benefited by the decision while those to be recruited in future will also be brought under the ambit of the OPS.

The employees will also be brought under the ambit of general provident fund (GPF) and those who retired after May 15, 2003, will get OPS benefits as well.

After making necessary amendments in the rules, the contribution by the government and the employees under the NPS will stop from April 1, 2023, the cabinet decided.

If any employee wants to remain under the NPS, they can give their consent to the government for the same.

The cabinet has also passed a resolution to be sent to the central government to return to the state 8,000 crore under the NPS.

The cabinet has asked the finance department to amend the rules and issue necessary instructions in this regard.

In another important decision, the cabinet approved engagement of 780 accredited social health activists (ASHAs) under the National Health Mission (NHM) on incentive basis to provide affordable and reliable healthcare to people.

It also gave its nod to the guidelines for the engagement of ASHA facilitators under community process programme in the NHM.

The cabinet decided to transfer 600 per student to all girls and Schedule Caste, Schedule Tribe and below poverty line boys of classes 1 to 8 through direct benefit transfer, either in the name of the student or mother, in lieu of providing them school uniforms. At least 3.7 lakh students in the state would benefit from the decision.

The cabinet has given the go-ahead to lease out toll barriers under the Himachal Pradesh Tolls Act, 1975, through auction-cum-tender process for year 2023-24.

Approval was accorded by the cabinet to rationalise the engineering staff of the forest department and services of 26 engineering department staffers would be absorbed into public works department, Jal Shakti Vibhag, HP state industrial development corporation, HP state electricity board and HP power corporation.

The cabinet gave its nod to merge excised civil areas from the limits of Yol Khas Cantonment Board with the adjoining gram panchayats of Rakkar, Baghni, Tangorti Khas and Narwana Khas.

It also approved repealing of the Himachal Pradesh Loktantra Prahri Samman Adhiniyam, 2021, and Himachal Pradesh Loktantra Prahri Samman Niyam, 2022.

The cabinet decided to fill one post of assistant professor of the community medicine department in Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Government Medical College, Ner Chowk, Mandi to facilitate the patients of the area.

HP govt signed MoUs worth 2,110 crore: CM

Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday said that his government participated in the country’s largest pharma expo where 17 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) amounting to 2,110 crore were signed.

He assured full support and commitment by the state government to facilitate the investors in a time-bound manner in a bid to ensure that Himachal remains the preferred investment destination.

Himachal Pradesh showcased the pharma ecosystem of the state to invite potential players for investments in its upcoming bulk drug park and medical devices park, he said. Himachal is developing 1,405-acre bulk drug park at Una and 300-acre medical devices park at Nalagarh.

Industries minister Harshwardhan Chauhan had on Thursday inaugurated ‘Himachal Pavilion’ at Pharma Live Expo in Mumbai, where he was honoured by the organisers of Indian Drug Manufacturing Association and Himachal Drug Manufacturing Association.

Government to business (G2B) meetings were held with big pharma players, who showed interest in setting up their industrial units in HP. A leading director and producer of film industry, Anil Sharma, also expressed his intent to set up a film city in state. Pacts were inked by director, industries, Rakesh Kumar Prajapati, on the behalf of the state government with heads of various industrial houses as well.

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  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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    Gaurav Bisht heads Hindustan Times’ Himachal bureau. He covers politics in the hill state and other issues concerning the masses.

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