BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad (file image)
Photo: Twitter
KEY POINTS
- Ravi Shankar Prasad has slammed the Congress for its president Mallikarjun Kharge’s “change of direction” comments.
- On Saturday, the Union Cabinet announced the UPS.
- Prasad described the UPS announced by the Cabinet as a “significant decision”.
New Delhi: Senior leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (Indian People’s Party (BJP)) leader Ravi Shankar Prasad On Sunday he criticized the Congress for the “U-turn” comments by its chairman Mallikarjun Kharge after the Union Cabinet announced the Unified Pension System (UPS) Prasad responded to accusations from the grand party of making false promises.
“Will the Congress party only make announcements or will it also deliver on them one day?” the former Union minister said at a press conference. He also questioned Raul Gandhiasking whether “his government implemented the old pension scheme as promised in Himachal Pradesh” during his election campaign.
Prasad said “governing India is a serious business” and accused the Congress party of giving false assurances on pensions, saying the party lacked the courage to include such promises in its manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections.
The former Union minister added: “The Congress party only makes announcements to get votes and now the public has lost confidence in its decisions.”
Prasad termed the UPS announced by the Cabinet as a “significant decision”. “Employees, whether serving or retired, are under considerable pressure and at times it becomes a political issue. First, there was the Old Pension Scheme and in 2004, the National Pension Scheme (NPS) was introduced during the Atal Ji government,” he said.
“Our Prime Minister listens to and understands the needs and is sensitive to them. When the Confederation of Central Government Employees submitted their demands last year, a committee was formed. The report of the committee was accepted by the Cabinet yesterday,” he added.
“Ten percent of the worker’s salary was paid and 14 percent by the government,” the former union minister explained. “But, according to yesterday’s decision, now 10 percent of the worker’s salary is paid and 18 percent by the government,” he added.
In a significant move affecting lakhs of employees, the BJP-led central government on Saturday approved the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS), which provides for Assured Pension and Assured Family Pension. Addressing the media after a Union Cabinet meeting, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that around 230,000 central government employees would benefit from the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS).
The Cabinet meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Employees will have the option to continue with the National Pension Scheme or opt for UPS.
(With contributions from ANI)
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