Bihar mulls old pension scheme for staff family

PATNA:  Joining other non-BJP ruled states, Bihar is considering extending the benefits of the old family pension scheme to the kin of deceased government employees. The state government has constituted a committee under the chairmanship of the finance secretary to frame rules in this regard. The committee has been asked to submit its report by the end of this month. With new changes, kin of the deceased government employees would be paid 50 per cent of the last salary withdrawn as a pension. 

Non-BJP ruled states like Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh have already restored the old pension scheme. In Uttar Pradesh, the Samajwadi Party chief and former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav had made a promise to restore the old pension scheme during the last Assembly election.

Similarly, in BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh, employees are demanding the restoration of the old pension scheme. The demand for restoration of old pension scheme was raised during the budget session of the Bihar Legislature by opposition parties. The old pension scheme was replaced with the National Pension System in 2004.

Caste census will include migrant workers: Nitish 
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday said the state will set an example on the caste-based census. “This caste-based count will be different in the sense that it will provide all relevant details about the people,” he said adding migrant workers will also be included.