Old pension has returned in Himachal after 20 years. The state government has completely abolished the National Pension Scheme ie NPS through two notifications and an office order issued on Thursday. This order has been done by Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena.
The state government has amended the Central Civil Service Pension Rules 1972 to implement old pension. According to its provisions, employees coming from NPS to Old Pension Scheme will get their contribution in NPS in full, but the contribution of the state government and the dividend earned on it will have to be returned.
The state government will deposit it in a separate head. Employees who have retired or died in NPS will also be entitled to old pension, but after applying. That is, they will not get the previous pension or arrears. Along with this, they will also have to return the government contribution of NPS to the government.
Himachal Pradesh Civil Services Contributory Pension Rules 2006 has been amended for NPS employees who retired from May 15, 2003 to March 31, 2023. With this amendment, families of employees who have retired or died in NPS will also get old pension subject to certain conditions.
After this, on April 17, 2023, through an office order, the state government stopped the NPS contribution. Now orders have been issued to implement the old pension in the old format. For the eligibility of old pension, the condition of 10 years of regular service will be applicable as before.
How will old pension be implemented? For this, Standard Operating Procedures have been issued separately through office orders. Employees coming in Old Pension will come under General Provident Fund Rules 1960. The heads of the concerned departments will get the GPF accounts of their employees opened.
NPS Association thanked
State President Pradeep Thakur, and General Secretary Bharat Sharma have thanked Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu and the state government for the restoration of old pension.
He said that the working class of the state will always be indebted to the Chief Minister. He is a hero in the true sense. This is a historic decision and the state needed a Chief Minister like Sukhu to take such a historic decision.
NPS employees, who want to remain in NPS, will have to certify it from the notary and give the option to their head of office within 60 days. Their employee and employer share will continue to go to PFRDA till retirement.
NPS employees, who want to join the old pension scheme, will also have to give the option within 60 days after getting it certified by a notary. Option once given will not be changed.
Such NPS employees, who want to remain in NPS and whose contribution has been stopped on April 17, 2023, will be restarted by the state government