Maharashtra govt adopts Unified Pension Scheme for state employees

The Maharashtra cabinet on Sunday, 25 August, decided to implement the unified pension scheme (UPS) for state government employees that was announced by the union government a day earlier.

On Saturday, the Narendra Modi-led Centre approved the UPS for central government employees who had joined service after 1 January 2004. Employees covered under the National Pension Scheme who opt for the UPS will be eligible for an assured pension of 50 per cent of the average basic pay drawn over the last 12 months before their superannuation. The minimum qualifying term of service has been kept at 25 years.

The Maharashtra cabinet's version of the UPS will be effective from March and will benefit all state government employees, an official said.

The tenure of the Maharashtra assembly ends in November this year, with polls likely to be held in October–November.

"The cabinet also cleared the proposal to expand the uninterrupted power supply scheme to more farmers in the state. They would get supply during the day.

"It cleared the Rs 7,000 crore Nar-Par-Girna river linking scheme that would primarily benefit north Maharashtra districts like Nashik and Jalgaon," the official added.

The project involves lifting 9.19 TMC of water from the Nar, Par, and Auranga rivers, carrying it through a 14.56 km tunnel, and releasing it in the Girna river basin near the Chankapur dam.

The cabinet statement said it would benefit around 50,000 hectares of agricultural land under irrigation.

"The state government will raise Rs 5,000 crore through equity and bonds under Mahatma Phule Renewable Energy and Infrastructure Technology Ltd for an ambitious project in Thane district. The total cost is expected to be Rs 6,049 crore. It includes cluster housing projects at Tekdi Bungalow, Hajuri and Kisan Nagar. Similar projects would come up at Chavindre and Pogaon in Bhiwandi, and Kosara under Chandrapur Municipal Corporation," the official said.

Projects like a medicity, a mangrove park, a chemical hub and a digital university that have been approved will require a cumulative expenditure of Rs 10,000 crore, the official added.

The revenue relief in force for land owned by BJP Lok Sabha member and royal scion Udayanraje Bhosale will continue for his successors as well, as per a decision cleared by the cabinet, the official added.

The cabinet also cleared the proposal to issue government guarantee for payment of Rs 29,000 crore to the state-run Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) to clear its dues, he said.

"The state will borrow from financial institutions like RECL and PFC. Of the total dues, Rs 20,388 crore is the loan amount, while Rs 9,670 crore is the interest on outstanding loan," he added.

"The proposal to increase the wages of ASHA facilitators by Rs 4,000, which will come into effect from April this year, has also been approved. The state government would need Rs 17.59 crore additional outlay for its implementation," the official said.

A proposal which puts the onus of loan repayment by a cooperative sugar mill on the entire board of directors individually as well as collectively has also been cleared, he said.

The board of directors of such sugar mills have been asked to submit bond letters to the cooperation department within 30 days of the elected members accepting the post.

"The cabinet cleared the proposal to give 100 per cent scholarship to 763 eligible students of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Research and Training Institute. The proposal also includes payment of Rs 37 crore for its implementation," he said.

The plan to expedite 228 slum rehabilitation projects in Mumbai, which will result in the construction of 2,18,931 houses, was also approved, the official said, adding various corporations apart from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation can jointly undertake rehabilitation projects in the metropolis.