As the Central Government in a significant policy decision left it for the states and union territory Governments to take a call on the restoration of the old pension scheme for Government employees last year, some of the states are restoring it but most of the states and union territories tend to continue with the National Pension Scheme (NPS) enforced few years back by the Central Government. Some states and union territories restoring the old pension scheme and some continuing with the national pension is a practice unfortunately generates feeling of discrimination amongst the employees in many states and union territories of the country. Unfortunately political parties have started painting a political colour to the rising demand for restoration of old pension scheme as Congress party in the recently held state assembly elections in Hamachal Pradesh promised restoration of old pension scheme and implemented the decision on restoration of old pension scheme immediately after taking over the reigns of power in the state. Political parties tending to exploit the employees in states and union territories over the issue of restoration of old pension scheme just for winning assembly elections is not a good precedence and as such administrative wisdom demands that the practice of exploitation of employees over the issue of restoration of old pension scheme for political purposes started by the Congress party in Himachal Pradesh is immediately stopped by pursuing the policy of consensus over the issue. So instead of leaving it for the states and union territories it would be better for the Central Government to start a process of wider consultations with both the states and as well as the union territories over the rising demand of restoration of old pension scheme for the purposes of broader countrywide consensus over the issue.
“Since one nation, one pension scheme would by all standards of understandabilities go well against the bad precedence of the political exploitation of employees over the rising demands for restoration of old pension scheme started in Himachal Pradesh, it would be better for the Central Government to try to evolve a consensus over the issue of one nation, one pension scheme through a time bound broader process of consultations with all the states and union territories of the country”.
Though it took no time for the states and union territories to shift to National Pension Scheme (NPS) after the announcement of the decision by the Central Government to adopt National Pension Scheme (NPS) years back but with Central Government leaving it to the states and union territories to restore the old pension scheme or continue with the National Pension Scheme (NPS) the Governments in states and union territories have unfortunately started restoring old pension scheme just for winning assembly elections. Since one nation, one pension scheme would by all standards of understandabilities go well against the bad precedence of the political exploitation of employees over the rising demands for restoration of old pension scheme started in Himachal Pradesh, it would be better for the Central Government to try to evolve a consensus over the issue of one nation, one pension scheme through a time bound broader process of consultations with all the states and union territories of the country.
