On new pension scheme, Khattar turns tables on Hooda: You implemented it

Khattar said that the Indian government increased its share from 10 per cent to 14 per cent under the New Pension Scheme, following which Haryana also increased its share from 10 per cent to 14 per cent with effect from January 2022. The share of employees remains 10 per cent.

While referring to the government’s contribution for the new pension scheme, Khattar said that they are taking the burden of future too as the government employees will get benefit of the contributory pension after their retirement only.

The new pension scheme will continue, he asserted.

The old pension scheme for government employees was discontinued in the country with effect from April 1, 2004, and was replaced by the National Pension Scheme (NPS).

Hooda admitted that the new pension scheme was implemented during his government but insisted that the decisions can be changed too especially when the stakeholders don’t get benefit of the same. Hooda said the BJP government led by Vashundhara Raje too had opted for the new pension scheme, but the current Congress government led by Ashok Gehlot has reversed that decision.

Khattar, who also holds the finance portfolio, said the 2022-23 Budget aims to uplift every needy person. “This budget is one which will take the state forward. You may criticise, but what is in people’s interest, we will do that,” Khattar said amid chants of dissensions from the opposition bench.
Sharp comments were exchanged between the opposition and treasury benches when Congress member Geeta Bhukkal said that not a word has been said about Scheduled Caste and BC component in the budget, a charge Khattar dismissed.

Khattar said that in the last two years due to Covid-19, the pace of development slowed down, but government made every effort to keep up the pace. Khattar said the debt should not exceed 25 per cent of the GSDP.

“Despite the pandemic, the state’s ratio is 24.98 per cent, whereas in neighbouring Punjab the same is 48 per cent,” he said.

The Chief Minister said that the revenue deficit of Haryana is also less than 3 per cent.

“If we are doing capital expenditure by taking loans and promoting infrastructure, then it is a good thing because infrastructure is considered an investment. In this Budget, we have made a provision of capital expenditure of Rs 61,057.36 crore,” he said.

Khattar said that in the Budget, the government has highlighted that loans of Rs 55,000 crore have to be taken. The amount includes Rs 14,800 crore for procurement and storage of the agricultural crops. Hence, “the loan amount comes to around Rs 40,000 crore, out of which about Rs 20,000 crore will be used for repayment of the loans”.

In a separate reply, Khattar said that registration of marriage is mandatory and cannot be exempted. “Now the state government is going to make such arrangements under which it would be ensured that registration is done on the same day of marriage,” he added.

The CM said that the tender for the purchase of 5 lakh tablets for the government school students was allotted on November 23, 2021. He had earlier announced that tablets with internet connectivity will be given to all students of class 10 to 12 studying in government schools from the coming academic session.

Khattar said that a separate cadre has been created for teachers in Mewat region, and the government has ramped up recruitment to fill up teacher vacancies in the region. He informed the house that a demand letter for filling up the posts has been sent to the Haryana Staff Selection Commission.

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