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With eye on Gujarat elections, AAP govt notifies OPS in Punjab
Bhagwant Mann govt’s move is being seen as a bid to score brownie points in Aam Aadmi Party’s poll campaign in Gujarat; once implemented, decision is likely to benefit 1.6 lakh Punjab govt employees who joined service after 2004
With an eye on the Gujarat assembly elections, the Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party government on Friday notified the implementation of the old pension scheme (OPS) in Punjab.
Also read: Gujarat polls: BJP brushes aside AAP’s claim of being its main challenger
“OPS has been approved by the cabinet today. Its implementation will bring huge benefits to employees. Notification of OPS has been done,” Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann announced at a press conference at the secretariat.
Punjab is the fourth state after Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan to implement OPS.
An in-principle approval to implement OPS in Punjab had already been given by the cabinet on October 21.
The government’s move is being seen as a bid to score brownie points in the Aam Aadmi Party’s campaign in the assembly elections in Gujarat, where the AAP is making a desperate bid to expand its base.
Once implemented, the move is likely to benefit around 1.6 lakh Punjab government staff, who joined service after 2004, according to state employee union leaders.
“Details about the implementation of OPS will be shared with the media later in the day,” Mann said.
Sugarcane to be procured at ₹380 a quintal
The cabinet also gave its nod to procure sugarcane at the rate of ₹380 a quintal. “This rate is highest in the country. It’s for the first time that all pending payments for the last season are being cleared. Crushing of sugarcane in the sugar mills will start from November 20,” Mann said.
Vacancies of 645 lecturers to be filled
In another decision, the cabinet approved the filling of vacancies of 645 lecturers in government colleges.
It decided to fill 16 posts of principal in the government colleges by increasing their minimum qualification age from 45 to 54 years.
Dharna has become ‘riwaaj’ for farmers: CM
The chief minister took on farmer unions for holding dharnas (protests) against his government despite it taking “historic decisions” for their welfare over the past seven months.
“It has become a tradition in recent times that one dharna is done for raising a demand, another for meeting the administration and yet another for the notification of the demands. It appears that dharna has become a ‘riwaaj’,” said Mann.
He appealed to farmer unions not to resort to dharnas so frequently as it inconveniences the common man.
