Lashing out on Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) for abolishing old pension scheme, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said that the central government’s decision has left elderly dependent .
Gandhi assured that if Congress elects to power in Gujarat, will restore the old pension scheme, saying it is the right of government employees who strengthen the nation.
Taking to a microblogging site, Rahul Gandhi added, “By abolishing the old pension, the BJP has made the elderly dependent from self-reliant. The government employees who strengthen the country have a right: The old pension. We restored the old pension in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh. Now the Congress government will come to Gujarat and will bring the old pension, CongressDegiOldPension.”
The old pension scheme was discontinued on April 1, 2004, and was replaced by the National Pension Scheme. In the old pension scheme, the pension was 50% of the last drawn salary of the employee and the entire amount was paid by the government. The national pension scheme (NPS) or contributory pension scheme is effective for employees who joined on or after April 1, 2004.
On Monday, Senior Gujarat Congress leader Arjun Modhwadia said that his party will implement the old pension scheme in Gujarat just like Congress governments have done in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan if it is voted to power in the Assembly polls.
Recently in Gujarat, thousands of retired government employees held protests demanding the re-introduction of the old pension scheme.
The Gujarat Assembly elections are due in the next few months and the Congress is seeking to wrest power from the BJP in the state.
On Monday, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said his government is considering restoring the old pension scheme for government employees.