Congress will implement old pension scheme: Priyanka Gandhi

Lalit Mohan

Nagrota Bagwan, November 4

The Congress will implement the old pension scheme (OPS) if it forms government in the state, said Priyanka Gandhi, AICC general secretary at the Gandhi ground at Nagrota Bagwan in Kangra district today.

Priyanka addressed an election rally in favour of RS Bali, Congress candidate from the Nagrota Bagwan constituency.

She said, “We have implemented the old pension scheme in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan and will do it in Himachal as well. The BJP has money to waive loans of rich people but not for giving the old pension scheme to government employees.”

She said that the Agnipath scheme for recruitment in defence forces was an insult to martyrs of Himachal. She alleged, “The Army jobs are being given on contract. The Agnipath scheme has hit the career prospects of Kangra youth. Every year, around 4,000 youth from Himachal were recruited in the Army. However, now only about 400 youth will be recruited every year and 75 per cent of them will lose their jobs after four years of service. Whenever the Congress forms government at the centre, the Agnipath scheme will be scrapped and the old model of recruitment in the Army will be restored.”

She said that it was the Congress that had created Himachal. She remembered former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and former minister GS Bali.

She said, “On forming government in the state, the Congress will fulfil its guarantees.” The Congress has promised to create one lakh jobs; there are 63,000 vacancies in government departments in Himachal.

Bhupesh Baghel, Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, said that the OPS had been implemented in his state and Rajasthan.

HPCC president Pratibha Singh praised Priyanka Gandhi for showing respect to her. Priyanka had urged Pratibha to address the rally after she was finished with her speech.

Bali said that a large number of people of Nagrota Bagwan attending the rally was a tribute to his father GS Bali and works done by him. His father had represented the seat for about 20 years.