OPS Will Remain Unchanged, Government Firm on Its Stand: Mukesh Agnihotri

Palampur, August 10: Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri said that the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh would not make any changes to the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) at any level. He said the government had restored the old pension system in the interest of employees and remained firmly committed to the decision.

Agnihotri said the state government was moving ahead with its development agenda with full determination and was focused on ensuring better public services and equitable development across all regions of the state.

In a significant step towards greener public transport, the Deputy Chief Minister flagged off 10 electric buses in Palampur and also travelled in one of the buses. He said the state was promoting electric buses on a large scale to modernise public transport and make it more environment-friendly.

He said 297 electric buses had already been inducted into the HRTC fleet and would be operated on designated routes. Buses were being deployed in areas where charging stations had been established. The government plans to add another 1,000 electric buses to the HRTC fleet in the coming period.

He said the purchase of diesel buses would now largely be limited to 47-seater buses for long-distance routes. Around 300 old buses would also be phased out from the HRTC fleet. Buses completing 15 years of service or covering nine lakh kilometres would be replaced with new vehicles in a phased manner.

Agnihotri said a statewide charging network was being developed to support the expansion of electric bus services. In Kangra district, charging stations have already been established at Dharamshala, Nagrota, Jasur, Dehra, Palampur and Pathankot, while a station is also planned at Jaisinghpur. Electric buses have already been provided to Dharamshala, Dehra and Nagrota.

He further said new electric bus services would be introduced for major medical institutions, including PGI, AIIMS Bilaspur and IGMC Shimla, as well as important religious destinations. The services would facilitate travel for patients and attendants while also strengthening connectivity to religious destinations and promoting religious tourism.

During his visit to Palampur, the Deputy Chief Minister also met local residents and heard their grievances. He directed the concerned officials to address the issues raised by the people on priority and ensure timely resolution.