1,18356 employees benefited from OPS, Himachal notified OPS on January 17, 2023 : Sukhu

Himachal Pradesh Government informed the state assembly on  Tuesday that Old pension Scheme is notified on January 17, 2023 benefited about 1,18356 employees, this was stated by the Chief Minister while replying to two queries being raised by the Congress member Rajinder Rana, BJP member Vipin Singh Parmar and Prakash Rana. He said that OPS was denotified for state employees on May 15, 2003 to new government employees; however, the government has restored the scheme. He said that the government is deducting ten percent of salary of employees under New Pension schemes as employees pay under the scheme. In reply to another query raised by Rajinder Rana the Chief Minister said that till May 2003 the amount of Rs 9,242.60 crore (including Net Asset Value) of NPS employees has been deposited with the NSDL company.  Employees appointed on a regular basis before May, 2003 are already covered under OPS.  In those cases in which the employees were appointed after May, 2003, but according to the decision of the court they have been given regular appointment from the date before 15.05.2003, such employees have been taken under OPS.  And the money has been returned back. Replying to another query raised by Mr Rana whether the government’s share of the remaining employees which is deposited in NSDL will be brought back to the Government treasury Chief Minister said that correspondence was made to the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority to bring back the government’s share of the remaining employees which is deposited in the NSDL to the government treasury. Mr Sukhu said that in response to government correspondence it has been informed by the Office that the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development that no such provision is available as per PFRDA  Act, 2003, Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (Exits and Withdrawals under NPS ) exchange rule  2015 and other relevant regulations that the employee contribution made and the interest earned thereon could be returned to the State Government. However, according to the decision of the cabinet, correspondence is being done again with the Government of India.