Odisha to implement Unified Pension Scheme, says CM Charan Majhi

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has decided to implement the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS), 'Antyodaya Gruha Yojana' for economically weaker sections of society and another scheme for construction of block-level stadiums, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said on Saturday.

These decisions were taken at the Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi held on Friday night.

The Cabinet also approved several other proposals on education, health, sports infrastructure, transportation and social security.

Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Majhi said the state government is set to implement the UPS for its employees who are considered eligible for pension under the National Pension System (NPS).

He said under the provision of UPS, for a minimum qualifying period of 25 years, a pension of 50 per cent of the average basic pay or basic pay earned in the 12 months preceding retirement will be available.

Majhi said that a family pension of 60 per cent of the pension that the employee was drawing before death will be available and the minimum pension amount will be Rs 10,000 after retirement on completing a minimum period of 10 years of service.

He said the employees under NPS can decide to opt for UPS or remain affiliated with NPS.

In UPS, there will be a guaranteed family pension benefit in case of death of a government employee after retirement, which was not available in NPS, the chief minister pointed out.

The state government has also decided to implement Antyodaya Gruha Yojana, which aimed at providing affordable housing to the economically weaker sections of society, those who were denied houses under PMAY, displacement and other such factors.

Under the new scheme, as many as 2.25 lakh houses will be constructed over the next three years, with an investment of Rs 7,550 crore, the chief minister said.

He said the beneficiaries will receive financial assistance of Rs 1.20 lakh to construct houses under the scheme and provisions will remain on a par with the PMAY.

Those who complete their houses within four months of getting the work order will be eligible for a bonus of Rs 20,000, while those who finish within six months will receive Rs 10,000.

The definition of a family has been simplified under the scheme. A family will now include the husband, wife, dependent parents, and children. This will enable newly formed families to benefit from the scheme, Majhi said.

Similarly, to strengthen the sports infrastructure of the state at the grassroots level, Majhi said a new scheme has been approved for the construction of block-level stadiums in all 314 blocks of the state.

This initiative will strengthen the sports infrastructure. For this, an outlay of Rs 4,124 crore has been sanctioned for a period of 5 years in phases, he said.

The chief minister said it has been decided to construct a new bridge near the old one over the Brahmani River on the Cuttack-Chandbali road in Kendrapara district, a bridge over the Mahanadi at Pujaripalli Ghat in Jharsuguda district, and a new bridge to connect Aul and Chandbali over the Kharasrota River at Bharigada on the Cuttack-Chandbali road.