Latest news with #NationalPensionScheme
Time of India
6 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Haryana cabinet okays Unified Pension Scheme, aims to cove 2.1L employees
Chandigarh: The Haryana cabinet on Thursday announced the implementation of Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) from Aug 1, a move that will go against state govt employees who had been demanding the reinstatement of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS). Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Now, govt employees who joined service after 2006 can opt out of either UPS or National Pension Scheme (NPS), which is prevalent in Haryana. However, there will be no scope for OPS. The decision on pension was among the 33 agenda items taken up by CM Nayab Singh Saini's cabinet during a four-hour meeting. The cabinet also approved pension benefits-related amendments to Haryana Civil Services Rules 2016 and increased the facilitation of housing for the kin of deceased govt employees occupying govt accommodation. Over 2.15 lakh employees will be covered under UPS. UPS will provide 50% of the average basic pay drawn by a state govt employee during the 12 months prior to retirement, provided the employee completes 25 years of service. A minimum guaranteed payout of Rs 10,000 per month will be assured if the employee retires after completing 10 or more years of qualifying service. In the event of the pensioner's death, the family will receive 60% of the last-drawn pension amount. Dearness relief will be applicable to both the assured pension payout and the family pension, calculated in the same manner as dearness allowance (DA). However, dearness relief will be payable only once the pension payout commences. A lumpsum payment will also be allowed at the time of superannuation, amounting to 10% of the monthly emoluments (a sum of basic pay and DA) for every completed six months of qualifying service. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now This lumpsum will not affect the assured pension payout. Once an employee opts for UPS, all terms and conditions of the scheme will be deemed accepted, and this choice will be final. The decision regarding the implementation of UPS in boards, corporations, PSUs and state universities will be taken later, said the CM. Pension Bahali Sangharsh Samiti Haryana president Vijender Dhariwal, who has been spearheading protests for the implementation of OPS, termed the decision futile. "UPS had few takers in the Union govt, and the state govt had to extend the date till Sep. Now, we don't think it will be accepted by employees in Haryana too," he said. OTHER DECISIONS More casual leaves for women | The cabinet approved amendments to Haryana Civil Services (Leave) Rules, 2016, increasing casual leaves for regular woman employees in govt departments, boards and corporations from the previous 20 per calendar year to 25 Changes in treasury officer recruitment rules |The cabinet approved amendments to Haryana Finance Department Treasuries (Group B) Service Rules, 1980. Now, only 25% posts of assistant treasury officer (ATO) will be filled through promotion, down from the earlier 50%. The remaining 75% will be recruited directly by Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) Relaxation in job policy for kin of battle casualties | The cabinet approved a significant relaxation in the policy for compassionate appointments given to the dependents of Haryana-domicile battle casualties. The decision will pave the way for compassionate appointments in eight cases where the families had applied after the mandatory three-year period Scholarship for children of fallen soldiers, paramilitary personnel | Students of fallen soldiers and paramilitary personnel will receive an annual scholarship ranging from Rs 60,000 to Rs 96,000, according to a decision by the cabinet. As per the new policy inspired by PM Scholarship Scheme, students from Class VI to XII will receive an annual scholarship of Rs 60,000. For those pursuing graduation, the scholarship will be Rs 72,000 per year, while post-graduate students will receive Rs 96,000 annually. IN all, 189 students will get Rs 1,31,640 as scholarship Royalty on mining material doubled | The cabinet also approved amendments to Haryana Minor Mineral Concession, Stocking, Transportation of Minerals, and Prevention of Illegal Mining Rules, 2012. As a result, the process for providing compensation and rent to farmers has been simplified to ensure greater ease and transparency. In addition, royalty for stone and sand have been revised. Royalty for stone has been increased from Rs 45 to Rs 100 per tonne, while the royalty for sand has been raised from Rs 40 to Rs 80 per tonne. Cabinet has also approved the implementation of an inter-state mineral transportation fee. A charge of Rs 100 per tonne will be levied for inter-state transportation of minerals. The inter-state transit fee has been fixed at Rs 100 if the destination mentioned in the e-transit is within Haryana, and Rs 20 if the destination in e-transit is any place outside Haryana. MSID:: 122093963 413 |
Hans India
19-06-2025
- Business
- Hans India
State to fill up 35,000 vacancies in power sector, regularise 532 civic workers
Bengaluru:Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday announced that his government will begin phased recruitment to fill 35,000 vacant posts in the Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Ltd (KPTCL) and declared the regularisation of services of 532 civic workers in the department. Speaking at the Platinum Jubilee celebrations of the Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Employees' Association, the CM said the state government is committed to fulfilling its promises to the workforce. 'Ours is a government that walks the talk. We will examine your demands and take appropriate action,' he said. Addressing concerns over pensions, the Chief Minister said the National Pension Scheme (NPS) was implemented by the central government. 'But we have already promised to implement the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) in our election manifesto. We will hold discussions and take necessary steps in that direction.' Siddaramaiah lauded the power corporation employees for their service and underscored Karnataka's legacy in the electricity sector. 'Karnataka was the first in Asia to produce electricity in 1902, launched its first supply company in Bengaluru in 1905, and supplied power to the Mysore Palace by 1908,' he said. He noted that the state now generates 34,000 megawatts, with plans to scale it to 60,000 megawatts, a move aimed at ensuring at least seven hours of daytime power supply to farmers. 'The electricity sector is essential. You have been working with dedication. The government is ready to meet your demands. We are with you — and we ask you to stand with us too,' he told the employees. Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, who also spoke at the event, asserted that the Congress government will not permit the privatisation of Electricity Supply Companies (ESCOMs) as long as it remains in power. 'As long as Siddaramaiah and I are in power, we won't allow privatisation of ESCOMs in Karnataka. There were attempts to allow entry of private players, but I did not allow it,' Shivakumar said. He claimed that there was significant pressure from the Centre during his earlier tenure as the Energy Minister, especially after the BJP government privatised ESCOMs in Mumbai, Delhi, and other cities. However, he said he resisted the pressure and stood by the efficiency of the corporation's workforce. 'When I took over, the Transmission and Distribution (T&D) loss stood at 19–20 per cent. We brought it down to 10 per cent, which is now a benchmark in the country,' Shivakumar said, noting that most states continue to report losses of 17–18 per cent. He added that during his tenure, the state's generation capacity doubled from 11,000 MW to 23,000 MW, and that 24,000 employees were recruited through a transparent process, ensuring job creation without corruption. Highlighting innovations like the Pavagada Solar Park, Shivakumar said the government adopted a land-leasing model rather than acquisition, which allowed farmers to retain ownership and earn annual rental income — a model later adopted by the Union government
The Hindu
18-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Centre brings parity in gratuity for NPS, UPS pensioners
The Personnel Ministry has brought parity between National Pension Scheme pensioners and Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) pensioners in the eligibility of gratuity and both the categories of pensioners will now be eligible for ₹25 lakh gratuity. The Ministry has also given the employees the option to avail benefits under the old pension scheme (OPS) on death during service or discharge from government service on account of invalidation or disability. Briefing about the decisions, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for the Ministry Jitendra Singh said the move addressed a significant demand of government staff and brings parity in retirement benefits, and the new provision reflected the government's commitment to ensure social security for all categories of employees under the National Pension System. The Ministry has issued two orders on these matters. 'UPS has been notified as an option under the NPS. Therefore, it has been decided that the Central government civil employees who opt for UPS under NPS shall also be eligible for option for availing benefits under UPS or the CCS (Pension) Rules, 2021 or the CSS (Extraordinary Pension) Rules, 2023 in the event of death of the government servant during service or his discharge on the ground of invalidation or disablement,' the order said. Outdated provisions Dr. Singh added that the Centre had taken pride in doing away with redundant rules rather than creating new ones. He said over 1,600 outdated provisions — many of them colonial-era legacies — were repealed. 'The decision to make job interviews non-evaluative for certain categories, announced from the Red Fort by the Prime Minister and implemented nationwide by January 2016 was flagged as a key move towards fairness and transparency in recruitment,' he added. He said the amendments to the Prevention of Corruption Act sought to balance accountability with protection for well-performing officials, while changes in how cases of unfair means in examinations are handled have been aimed at protecting students from the fallout of organised cheating rackets. 'We are here to punish the racketeers, not the students,' the Minister said.
Time of India
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Aided school teachers: Kerala HC asks govt to provide details of steps needed for fair selection process
Kochi: High court has directed the director of general education (DGE) to file an affidavit within seven days, detailing the steps required to ensure a fair selection process for the appointment of teachers in govt-aided schools in the state. Justice D K Singh gave the order on a petition filed by certain higher secondary school teachers challenging the deduction of a levy towards the contributory pension under the National Pension Scheme (NPS) from their salaries. In its interim order, the bench observed that, as of now, managers have absolute discretion to appoint any qualified individual as a teacher without following any formal selection process or advertising the posts. The court also questioned how such appointments are being approved by the educational authorities despite the absence of a due selection procedure. Prima facie, the court noted that there appears to be a nexus between school managements and educational authorities, enabling appointments not based on merit but on considerations other than merit. The court further directed the DGE to file an affidavit outlining steps to streamline a fair selection process for the teachers' appointment in govt-aided schools and to curb the malpractices currently prevalent in such appointments. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Het meest ontspannende boerderijspel van 2025. Geen installatie Taonga: la fattoria sull'isola Play Now Undo The affidavit must also clarify the nature of the selection committee constituted, whether the manager has absolute authority to constitute it, and whether the govt has any role in the process. If the affidavit is not filed before the next posting date of the petition, the DGE shall appear in person before court. The bench also directed that an affidavit from the principal secretary of general education be filed on the same issues before the next posting date, and adjourned the matter to June 20. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
Indian Express
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Govt employees adamant on ‘flag march' over ‘failed' OPS promise
Government staff from over 50 departments in Punjab will take out protest march in bypoll-bound Ludhiana West on Thursday demanding the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for more than 2 lakh employees recruited after the implementation of the National Pension Scheme (NPS) on January 1, 2004. The protest, named flag march, has been called by Purani Pension Bahali Sangharsh Committee (PPBSC) and the Central Provident Fund Employees Union (CPFEU) 'to expose the unfulfilled promises of the AAP government, even after more than three years in power'. Sukhjeet Singh, convenor of the Punjab unit of CPFEU, said, 'Before coming to power, AAP had assured NPS employees that OPS would be restored within six months of forming the government. However, even after three-and-a-half years, the employees have received nothing beyond an incomplete notification'. PPBSC convener Jasvir Singh Talwara accused the government of spending crores of rupees on 'hollow advertising' campaigns, while failing to allocate funds for restoring OPS. 'This has led to widespread anger and resentment among more than two lakh government employees in the state,' he said, adding that extensive preparations have been made to bring this issue to the public's attention through the march. Sources said that senior officials as well the ruling party leaders have allegedly advised employees not to gather in large numbers in the poll-bound constituency. Talwara, however, asked, 'When political parties can organise roadshows, why can't we protest against the false promises made by the government? We are being approached by authorities not to bring in more than five vehicles. Our appeal to the voters of Ludhiana West is to vote for anyone but the AAP. It is time to teach this arrogant government a lesson.' The Ludhiana West bypoll was necessitated following the death of AAP MLA Gurpreet Gogi Bassi. The candidates in fray included Rajya Sabha member Sanjeev Arora (AAP), Bharat Bhushan Ashu (Congress), Parupkar Singh Ghuman (Shiromani Akali Dal), and Jiwan Gupta (Bharatiya Janata Party). Talwara said, 'The AAP already has 93 MLAs in 117-member Assembly. Winning one more seat will not change much for them, but a loss on this seat will send a strong message that they must take employee, farmer, industry, and public issues seriously.' Ajitpal Singh Jassowal, a PPBSC member, said they are mobilising a large number of vehicles and cadres, with duties assigned at the block level. 'During the march, employees will also distribute posters highlighting the AAP government's betrayal and breach of trust. These are meant to educate voters and encourage them to make an informed choice,' he said. The AAP had promised the implementation of OPS in its 2022 Punjab election manifesto. Later, ahead of the Himachal Pradesh elections in October 2022, employee unions in Punjab threatened to protest at the Ridge in Shimla to expose the non-implementation of OPS by the AAP government in Punjab. To pacify the protesters, the Punjab government had then announced that the OPS will be implemented soon. A formal notification followed on November 18, 2022, shortly before Punjab employee unions planned a four-day protest in Gujarat, also a poll-bound state then, to expose the AAP's inaction. Both protests were postponed after this, but as of now, OPS still has not been implemented. 'Unlike Himachal Pradesh, where OPS was implemented after the Congress government came to power in December 2022, Punjab continues to 'study the possibilities',' said Talwara. 'Now, they are asking us to switch to the unified pension scheme, but our demand is for full implementation of OPS.' Sukhjeet explained the technical differences between the two pension schemes. 'Under OPS, employees used to contribute to the General Provident Fund (GPF) up to 50 per cent of their salary, with a minimum of Rs 2,000 per month. This money was retained by the state government, and the scheme provided a fixed, lifelong monthly pension — 50 per cent of the last drawn salary—adjusted for inflation through dearness allowance (DA).'
