Chhattisgarh Budget reintroduces Old Pension Scheme

Raipur, Mar 9 : The Bhupesh Baghel government on Wednesday presented in the Chhattisgarh Assembly a Rs 1.04 lakh-crore Budget containing provisions including reinstatement of the Old Pension Scheme, waiver of fees vis-a-vis candidates appearing for state-level competitive examinations and doubling of the MLA Fund to Rs 4 crore each. Chief Minister Baghel himself handles the Finance portfolio. Annual assistance under the Rajiv Gandhi Bhumiheen Krishi Mazdoor Nyay Yojana was raised from Rs 6,000 to Rs 7,000 each. Government employees were long protesting against the New Pension Scheme. Chhattisgarh became the second state after Rajasthan to reintroduce the OPS. A Rs 600-cr provision has been made for improving infrastructure at gothans that are to be developed as Mahatma Gandhi Rural Industrial Parks. More AS-AC