Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday promised to provide fixed jobs to contractual labourers and bring back the old pension scheme if voted to power. Gandhi is leading Bharat Jodo Yatra–it entered Telangana on October 23 from Karnataka.
In a tweet in Hindi, Gandhi said the Congress’ firm promise ‘fixed jobs for contractual workers, bringing back the old pension scheme and timely promotions. Implemented it in Rajasthan, now employees will get their due as soon as Congress government is formed in Gujarat,’ Gandhi said using the hashtag ‘Congress degi pakki naukri’.
The old pension scheme was discontinued on April 1, 2004 and replaced by the National Pension Scheme (NPS). Under the old scheme, the employee used to get the Dearness Allowance-linked pension. In this scheme, the pensioners used to get the benefit of enhanced pension every six months due to the periodic hike in dearness relief.
However, this DA pension was discontinued for all government employees who joined service on or after April 1, 2004, effectively reducing the burden of the pension bill on the state exchequer. These employees were covered under the NPS.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who announced the revival of the OPS in the budget speech in February, said that the scheme will be implemented in both Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh if the Congress forms government there.
Congress announced that regular government jobs will be provided to nearly 15 lakh youths working on contract or as outsourced staff in different state-run entities and departments if it comes to power in Gujarat. The announcement was made by the state unit working president and MLA Himmatsinh Patel.
Earlier, addressing a gathering in Mahabubnagar District as part of his Bharat Jodo Yatra, he alleged that the existing faulty GST regime and Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government’s demonetisation in 2016 ruined small and medium businesses. He said, “When our government assumes power in Delhi, we will revisit GST and there will be only one tax (slab) not five (slabs),” he said.
“You can win elections with hatred, violence and anger, but you cannot do anything for the country with that. That is what BJP has proven. But you will not solve the problem of unemployment or that of high prices with anger.” adds Gandhi.
In Bharat Jodo Yatra Rahul Gandhi will walk 20-25 kms every day covering 375 kms in 19 Assembly and 7 Parliamentary constituencies in Telangana.
