Team News Riveting
Raipur, March 9
Chhattisgarh has reintroduced the old pension scheme for government employees facilitating an assured pension after retirement.
Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel today made the announcement while presenting the state budget for the financial year 2022-23. Chhattisgarh will be the second state to revert to the old pension scheme that was scrapped from April 1, 2004, and replaced with a market-driven new pension scheme.
The old pension scheme was done away with in December 2003 by the BJP-led central government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Its substitute, the National Pension Scheme (NPS), came into effect from April 1, 2004.
According to Congress sources, senior leader Rahul Gandhi took the initiative to reintroduce the old scheme. He had discussed in detailed about the scheme with Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his Chhattisgarh counterpart Bhupesh Baghel.
While Rajasthan was first to follow, Chhattisgarh made the announcement today; propelling the employees in other states to aggressively place the demand.
While BJP-ruled states are reluctant, Jharkhand has also denied to reintroduce the scheme citing fiscal burden. Congress is an ally of ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha in Jharkhand.
