Himachal: Over 1.17 Lakh Employees Switch to Old Pension Scheme, More Than 12,000 Retire

Shimla, March 11, 2025 – Over 1.17 lakh government employees in Himachal Pradesh have opted for the Old Pension Scheme (OPS). Currently, 1,17,521 out of total 1,86,436 government officers and employees have opted for the OPS instead of the New Pension Scheme (NPS), reflecting strong support for the former. The information was provided to the MLAs, by Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, in reply to a question posed by MLA Bikram Thakur in a written statement in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly on Tuesday.

A majority of employees from various departments were keen to return on the Old Pension Scheme following a decision taken by the state government to restore it, Chief Minister Sukhu said. All state departments have now implemented the OPS, allowing employees to reap of the government pension scheme which was in place for long. However, OPS has not been automatically applied to employees in certain state public sector undertakings and institutions due to the autonomous nature of these organizations.

Since the reimplementation of the Old Pension Scheme, more than 12,800 employees have already retired, the Chief Minister further told the Assembly. This also shows the continuing transition to OPS, where many choose the more stable, secure retirement benefits it provides.

Answering a question in response to the discussion in the Assembly, Sukhu said while OPS has been restored to employees, no liability has been left by the state government. He said the matter has been handled smoothly, employees pensions have been processed without any problem. The Chief Minister also pointed out that all state corporations are independent bodies, and the government’s pension rules do not automatically apply to employees of the corporations that have not implemented the OPS.

Employees responded positively to the decision which has been one of the much-awaited decisions in Himachal Pradesh to restore OPS. The fund, unlike those contributed to under NPS and linked to members’ contributions and market performance, offers members sweet financial reward through pension disbursed based on the last drawn salary, hence assuring financial security post retirement. Many workers who believe that OPS offers a better, more stable and reliable system of retirement benefits, have praised the decision.