Rift between BJP, allies widens in Maha over old pension scheme

MUMBAI:  Differences surfaced between BJP and it’s alliance partners in Maharashtra over old pensions scheme issue.  Maharashtra chief minister, Eknath Shinde on Sunday said that his government is positive about the old pension scheme while BJP’s senior leader and deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis earlier refused to implement the old pension scheme in Maharashtra. 

Shinde said that he has asked the concerned department officers to study the old pensions scheme and the burden over the state exchequer it causes. He said that they will take a decision on the scheme once they get the report. 

The state education department and other department’s employees threatened to go on a strike earlier and demanded to implement the old pensions scheme.  Earlier Fadnavis in his reply in recently concluded state assembly winter session in Nagpur refused to implement the old pensions scheme.

He explained that the old pensions scheme is not financially feasible. “The old pension scheme will put additional Rs 1.10 lakh crore burden annually over the state exchequer. This will impact the state budget poorly and may push the state towards bankruptcy. Therefore, we flatly refuse to implement old pensions scheme for the larger interest of the state,” he said. .  

Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole said that his party is positive to bring the old pensions scheme, adding that Congress is pro-people party. “We have seen that after coming to power in Himachal Pradesh, Congress implemented the old pensions scheme. There are videos of employees celebrating it,” he said.