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Assembly session: HP government to set up panel to restore old pension scheme
Himachal Pradesh chief minister Jai Ram Thakur on Wednesday announced that a committee will be set up under the chairmanship of chief secretary Ram Subagh Singh for restoring the old pension scheme in state
Himachal Pradesh chief minister Jai Ram Thakur on Wednesday announced that a committee will be set up under the chairmanship of chief secretary Ram Subagh Singh for restoring the old pension scheme in state.
He made this announcement in the Vidhan Sabha while replying on the motion of thanks at the governor’s address. Jai Ram said his government was working for the welfare of employees. He said in the five-year tenure, his government made efforts to facilitate the employees and resolve issues related to them. “Employees should engage in talks to get their issue resolved,” he said, while accusing the Opposition of provoking employees.
“During the pandemic, the government ensured that employees get their salaries in time,” he added. Many states, the chief minister said, deducted salaries of their employees but this was not the case in Himachal.
Jai Ram said his government has always been employee-friendly. He said the genuine demands of employees will be heard. It’s not right for them to involve in agitation, he added.
The chief minister said his government has not only successfully resolved the issues like PTA and SMC, but in these matters, the government also stood with the employees in court.
He appealed the people who were agitating for jobs on compassionate grounds to end their dharna and talk to the government. Jai Ram said 1,000 posts of class IV were vacant with the government and if a candidate, who is seeking a job on compassionate grounds, opts for such post, he will be given the job immediately.
The chief minister also said that his government has increased the age limit for getting jobs on compassionate grounds from 50 to the last day of retirement. Jai Ram also listed the achievements of his government.
He said his government has lowered the age limit for old-age pension from 80 to 70 years.
While announcing measures to protect stray cows, Jai Ram slammed the previous Congress government for not working seriously on rehabilitating stray cows and said the state is now providing shelter to 20,000 stray cattle in gau sadans and cow sanctuaries as compared to 6,000 in the previous regime. “Our government not only worked for the welfare of humans, but thought of animals too,” he added.
Congress legislator from Kinnaur, Jagat Singh Negi, meanwhile, lashed out at the state government. He said the government failed to impose lockdown in time and claimed that there was discrimination against tribal regions of the state.
Nadaun legislator Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu also hit out at the government over various issues. He said the government did not fix the accountability of officers while referring to Mandi hooch tragedy in which seven persons had died. He also said that there was no policy to contain the wild animal menace.
CPI (M) lone legislator Rakesh Singha outrightly rejected the governor’s address.
