The Himachal Pradesh Government has issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to implement the old pension scheme for government employees. The scheme, also known as the Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules 1972, allows employees to choose between the old pension scheme and the National Pension System (NPS).
According to the SOP, employees who wish to remain under the NPS will have to submit their options to the concerned head of office within 60 days from the date of issue of these instructions. Such employees will continue to be covered by the NPS, and the contribution under the NPS will be credited until the employee’s retirement as per the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Regulations.
Employees who wish to join the old pension scheme will also have to give their option within 60 days in the prescribed format, along with an undertaking in the prescribed format. The option and undertaking shall be given to the Head of the Office. The government has clarified that the option given by the employee for the new and old pension schemes will be considered final and irrevocable.
The contribution of employees opting for NPS will continue to accumulate. The contribution of State Government employees opting for the NPS will continue to be credited under the NPS. In cases where an employee has opted for NPS, he/she can be free to deposit his/her share, and the government share will also be deposited.
Government employees opting for the old pension scheme will be paid pensionary benefits as per the rules. The Government contribution and the dividend earned thereon shall be credited to the State Government. NPS employees who have already retired or died between the period 15.05.2003 to 31.03.2023, fulfilling the eligibility criteria under the Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1972, will be eligible for pension w.e.f. 1st April 2023, on exercising the option on the prescribed format.
The procedure for regulating benefits under the CCS (Pension) Rules 1972 and General Provident Fund (Central Services) Rules 1960 will be the same as applicable to employees appointed on or before May 14, 2003. For employees appointed on or after May 15, 2003, opting for OPS, these rules will be followed mutatis mutandis.
