Shimla, Nov 5 (PTI) Senior Congress leader and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Saturday accused the Centre of hindering the process of reverting to the old pension scheme and not allowing return of Rs 17,000 crore deposits of three lakh employees of his state.
Baghel, who was in Himachal Pradesh for election campaign, said his government was seeking legal advice on the matter and would find a way out if the Centre kept resisting return of the money.
The Congress has promised restoration of the old pension scheme for all government employees in Himachal Pradesh, saying it has already made such announcement in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh where the party is in power.
The issue of old pension scheme is a major poll issue in Himachal Pradesh.
“We recently wrote to the Government of India to return Rs 17,000 crore worth of deposits of three lakh government employees in the state. The Government of India wrote back saying they cannot return the money. They, however, did not give any reason,” Baghel said when asked about the implementation of the old pension scheme in the Congress-ruled states.
The Centre has to give reasons for the refusal as the money was deposited under an agreement between the employees and the government, he said.
“We will again write to the central government seeking answers as to why it has refused to return the money, since we have already announced the restoration of the old pension scheme and plan to also give family pension to government employees upon demise,” Baghel said.
The chief minister said the employees can withdraw their money when they want. “No one can stop it. The Government of India cannot stop it for long, nor can the state government,” “We are seeking legal advice on this issue,” he added.
The Congress is seeking to regain power in the Himachal Pradesh by urging voters to follow the trend of not re-electing a government and has made a host of promises to people in its poll manifesto released on Saturday.
Reviving the old pension scheme, 300 units of free power, a Rs 680-crore Startup fund, one lakh jobs and Rs 1,500 per month for women between 18 and 60 years of age are among the promises the Congress made in its manifesto for the Himachal Pradesh assembly polls.
The manifesto was released in the presence of Baghel.
Polling in Himachal Pradesh will be held on November 12 and the counting of votes will be taken up on December 8. PTI SKC SMN SMN
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