In the Himachal Pradesh Assembly on Tuesday, State Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan announced that government employees in Himachal Pradesh would need to complete a minimum of ten years of service to be eligible for pension benefits. Responding to a query from Lokender Kumar of the BJP, the minister clarified that service rendered as a contractual employee would not count towards pension entitlements under the Central Civil Services (CCS) Pension Rules 1972. He emphasized the requirement for a minimum ten-year service tenure to qualify for pension benefits.
Chauhan also disclosed that the Office of the Accountant General had disbursed pension payments under the Old Pension Rules to 3,899 employees thus far. Addressing another inquiry from Hans Raj of the BJP, the minister revealed that the Himachal Pradesh Staff Selection Commission (HPSSC) was dissolved on February 21, 2023, due to allegations of paper leaks. It was subsequently replaced by the Himachal Pradesh State Chayan Aayog on September 30, 2023, to enhance transparency in the selection process. Chauhan mentioned the formation of a Cabinet sub-committee tasked with addressing pending test results and asserted that there were no plans to revive the defunct HPSSC.
Further responding to a query from Daleep Thakur of the BJP, the minister assured that detailed project reports (DPRs) for MLA priority schemes, which had not yet been prepared, would be prioritized. He indicated that out of 1,150 schemes received over the past three years, DPRs for 305 schemes had been formulated, while 782 schemes remained pending with various departments, and 62 schemes were deemed impractical.
