Minor Irrigation Minister N.S. Boseraju
| Photo Credit: File photo
The government of Karnataka is awaiting further report on the United Pension Scheme (UPS) by the committee headed by additional chief secretary before taking a decision on reverting employees under National Pension Scheme (NPS) to the Old Pension Scheme (OPS). It has refused to set a time limit to settle the issue for the 2.86 lakh employees in NPS.
“State Government is serious on the issue and is awaiting the committee’s recommendations. The Centre wants to work for a common scheme. The decision is being taken whether there should be a unified system for the country, or should States have their own,” Minor Irrigation Minister N.S. Boseraju informed the Legislative Council on March 13 in response to a question by Congress member Ramoji Gowda. Mr. Boseraju was responding on behalf of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
Mr. Gowda said that about 2,188 employees under NPS, who have retired after putting in more than 10 years’ service, have been receiving pension in in the range of ₹1,000 to ₹3,000. “The committee in Karnataka has been sitting on the issue for over one-and-a-half years. The government has had multiple rounds of discussion. Our party (Congress) committed in its manifesto. No time limit has been set for reverting to OPS when neighbouring States have already done it.”
Intervening in the discussion, Home Minister G. Parameshwar, who was the chairman of the Congress’s manifesto committee, said, “We agreed in principle, and we are going to implement. There are procedures. There is a financial implication of crores of rupees. The Centre has also realised the problem.”
When Leader of Opposition Chalavadi Narayanswamy questioned the delay despite Congress promising in its manifesto, Mr. Parameshwar said, “Did you have it in your manifesto?”
Published – March 13, 2025 03:09 pm IST
