Rajasthan: Gehlot government's old pension scheme may get a blow! Know what Nirmala Sitharaman said?

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**Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that if a state takes a decision for any reason that NPS funds should be collected, then it will not be available.**

Jaipur. The old pension scheme of the Ashok Gehlot government of Rajasthan may face a big setback. The old pension scheme made by the Gehlot government in the last budget remains a topic of discussion across the country. But the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has flatly refused to release Rs 45,000 crore deposited with the Center under the New Pension Scheme. The Union Finance Minister has said during his stay in Jaipur that the money of the employees will not be returned as per the pension terms and conditions. After this statement of the Union Finance Minister, the Rajasthan government will not get Rs 45,000 crore deposited in the central trust for new pension schemes.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has categorically refused to give NPS money to the state governments. Nirmala Sitharaman said that if a state takes a decision for any reason that the funds for NPS should be collected, then it will not be available. There is no for this. It is employee’s money. The employee is earning interest on the deposited money. That money will come in the hands of the employee only at the time of retirement. The collected money will not come into the hands of the state government. this is impossible. This money will be given to the employee when the right time comes. The Union Finance Minister said this while replying to the question of implementation of the old pension scheme to the employees by the State Governments.

NPS money is an agreement between the employee and the trust
Union Economic Affairs Secretary Vivek Joshi said that OPS is an unfunded scheme. The government is postponing the burden of its liabilities for further. This is the process of avoiding the burden on other governments. He said that the burden of pension of the employees who are working today will fall on the next generation. This load is being shifted for the future. Union Finance Secretary TV Somnath said that after implementing OPS, the states are demanding refund of NPS item. That money cannot be given back to the state governments. Governments will not get that money back. NPS money is an agreement between the employee and the trust.

The state government itself should raise money for free schemes
On schemes like free electricity and free water offered by the government in the states, Nirmala Sitharaman said that such schemes should be run only when the financial condition of the government is good. Make provision for free schemes in the budget only when the governments have their own money. The Finance Minister has clearly said that if the financial condition of the state is not good, then there should be no provision for free schemes in the budget as well. Loans are being taken by the states to fulfill the offer of free schemes. This is not right. Sitharaman said that the states should raise money from their own resources to bring such schemes. Earn from tax. For free schemes, the states are putting their burden on someone else, it is wrong.