Govt will go bankrupt if old pension scheme comes back, warns Himanta Biswa Sarma

Govt will go bankrupt if old pension scheme comes back, warns Himanta Biswa Sarma

Assam’s Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, voiced his concern on Monday that replacing the New Pension Scheme (NPS) with the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) would lead to economic instability and bankruptcy for the state government.

The OPS issue was brought up in the state assembly where Sarma shared that out of approximately 4 lakh government employees, close to 1.76 lakh are under OPS and around 2.85 lakh under NPS. He noted that young employees and central government employees have not protested against the NPS.

Sarma said, “There are around 4 lakh government employees in the state, of which 1,75,998 are under OPS and around 2,85,000 under NPS. About 1.5 lakh of them were employed during the BJP regime. Employees who are young have never protested the NPS. The central government employees have never protested the NPS-OPS.”

The opposition, dissatisfied with Sarma’s response, staged a walkout from the assembly and protested with placards reading ‘NPS is not required, OPS is needed’. Sarma further stated that 1 lakh recruits in Assam would benefit more from NPS after 35 years of service.

Sarma said, “One lakh recruits in Assam will get much more than OPS after 35 years of service. The Government of India has formed a committee to study the NPS-OPS. The Assam government has given a memorandum for assured pension. Even Kerala has made similar suggestions. Let us wait for the committee’s recommendations.”

He also mentioned the formation of a committee by the Government of India to study the NPS-OPS issue, and that the Assam government has submitted a memorandum for assured pension.

He added, “West Bengal has not paid Dearness Allowance. Earlier the government in Rajasthan opted for OPS, money is cut it will be only known when those employees retire what money they get. In Himachal Pradesh one is not sure. Basically, opposition governments across the country have stopped deducting the employee’s contribution in the pension and telling the people that they are under OPS. If they become OPS will be known only in 2035.”

“Our pension bill is Rs 1700 Crore and if we return to OPS, the government will crumble, there will be no way through which we can run the government. If we continue to do this, the economy will suffer. Our monthly salary bill stands at Rs 2800 Crore to 3000 Crore. In the next five-year pension will outstrip salary if taken to OPS as the life expectancy of people is increasing.”

CPI (M) MLA Manoranjan Talukdar expressed his concern that employees lack confidence in NPS, demanding the cancellation of NPS and the retention of OPS.

CPI (M) MLA Manoranjan Talukdar said, “The chief minister said employees will get more money in NPS. If OPS is implemented, the government will go bankrupt in 5 years. However, the employees have not been able to establish confidence in NPS. We demand the cancellation of NPS and the retention of OPS.”

Watch Live TV in English

Watch Live TV in Hindi