Congress will 'compel' Centre to implement old pension scheme in entire country: Rajasthan CM Gehlot

Gehlot also announced to increase old age pension if Congress government retains power

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday said the Congress will "compel" the Centre to implement the old pension scheme (OPS) in the entire country, asserting that the committee on the new pension scheme (NPS) was constituted under pressure mounted by his party.

Gehlot also announced to increase old age pension from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 if the Congress government retains power in Rajasthan.

“Under the chairmanship of the finance secretary, the Centre has formed a committee to find out a way forward for what can be done after combining OPS and NPS. They formed the committee after we mounted pressure,” he said.

The chief minister was addressing a 'Kisan Mahasammelan' in Maulasar of Nagaur district on the sidelines of inflation relief camp review.

On April 6, the Union Finance Ministry set up a committee under Finance Secretary T V Somanathan to review the pension system for government employees. The committee would suggest whether in the light of the existing framework and structure of the National Pension System, as applicable to government employees, any changes therein are warranted.

“They (Centre) have developed a thinking (about OPS). Now, they are facing a problem that how to save their face,” Gehlot said.

He said that OPS is a revolutionary decision and it will not be reversed.

“The OPS is not going to be reversed. If our government comes again, then we will uphold it. But, we will compel the Centre to implement it in the entire country. We are progressing with this thinking,” Gehlot said.

He said that India is among the top six-seven largest economies of the world because of the plans and schemes made in 70 years and not because of the Narendra Modi government.

“I would like to say that Right to Social Security law be enacted in the country. This is my demand from Modi ji,” he said.

Later, talking to reporters, Gehlot said that the new Parliament building should have been inaugurated by the President.

“It is unfortunate that PM Modi inaugurated it. The President should have inaugurated it. Even the Rajasthan Assembly was inaugurated by the President,” Gehlot said.

When asked about PM Modi's proposed tour to Ajmer on May 31, the chief minister said they (BJP) have a plenty of leaders and resources, but they do not have any issue.

Exuding confidence that the Congress will retain power in Rajasthan, Gehlot said that the people in Karnataka have given BJP a reply and now the same will happen in Rajasthan.

Rajasthan Congress in-charge Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa said that PM Modi promised to give Rs 6,000 to farmers, but it is not being given.

“I want to ask Modi ji...he had promised to give Rs 6,000 to farmers in 2019. Where the promise has gone in 2022,” Randhawa said.

He alleged that whenever elections come, the prime minister makes promises and later forgets them.

Rajasthan Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasra said that PM Modi did only hollow promises to the farmers whereas the Gehlot government waived off cooperative loans of farmers in the state.