Chandigarh, Oct 21 (IANS) In a major decision, the Punjab Cabinet led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday approved restoration of the old pension scheme for the government employees.
A spokesperson for the Chief Minister's Office said a decision to this effect was taken in meeting of Cabinet, with Mann in the chair, here.
The spokesperson said the employees will be given option for adopting the old pension scheme or the new pension scheme. The old pension scheme was discontinued in 2004 and ever since then the employees are being given the new pension scheme.
However, the employees have been since long demanding the restoration of the old pension scheme.
Keeping in view the well-being of the lakhs of employees, the Cabinet has decided to restore the old pension scheme, a major relief to the employees.
Realising that the employees are the backbone of the government, the state has taken this historic decision which is likely to benefit all category of the employees, the spokesperson said.
Also, the Cabinet decided to give six per cent dearness allowance (DA) to government employees and pensioners with effect from October 1.
The Council of Ministers opined that the employees were a critical segment of the state administration and safeguarding their interests was the government's top priority, the spokesperson said.
Addressing a press conference, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said that the Gujarat government affidavit "proves beyond a shadow of doubt that the release was a political decision made with not just the knowledge but the concurrence of those in the highest echelons of power in the Modi government".
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said that the national capital would get 100 electric vehicle charging stations in two months. The Chief Minister inaugurated 11 high-tech low-cost electric charging stations to promote the adoption of Electric Vehicles (EVs) in the state.
Since Saturday, the Assam Rifles and Mizoram Police personnel have seized foreign cigarettes valued at Rs 2.72 crore, drugs valued at Rs 34.18 crore and rescued 140 exotic animals and arrested four persons in this connection.
The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Delhi Police has arrested a swindler who cheated people to the tune of Rs 8 crore in lieu of making business associates in an 'air cargo company'. The accused has been identified as Balakrishnan Shivram Iyer, a resident of Puri Emerald Apartment, a luxury residential society in Gurugram.
Television actress Vaishali Takkar, who died by suicide at her residence in Indore on Sunday, was about to marry a US-based software engineering in December. She had also made elaborate plans for the wedding shopping and hosting a party after the Diwali. However, Vaishali took the extreme step on Sunday after she was reportedly harassed by her neighbour, who is currently on the loose.
Addressing the media at his residence on Monday evening after nine hours of interrogation by the CBI at its headquarters here in connection with the case, Sisodia said, "During questioning, I understood that this is not a case about excise policy or corruption. The case is only aimed at making 'Operation Lotus' a success in Delhi."
