Jairam Thakur Accuses Congress Govt of Betraying OPS Promise, Exploring UPS Instead

Mandi, May 19, 2025 – Former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition, Jairam Thakur, has accused the Himachal Pradesh government of backtracking on its promise to implement the Old Pension Scheme (OPS). He claimed that the Sukhu-led Congress government, which came to power on the strength of several guarantees including OPS, is now instructing officials to explore the central government’s Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) as an alternative.

Thakur said that despite announcing OPS implementation in its first Cabinet meeting, the scheme was never fully executed. Key departments and board employees were excluded from the start, and even where announced, the implementation lacked clarity, leading to confusion among state employees. He termed the move to explore UPS as a betrayal of employees and voters alike.

Highlighting the government’s poor handling of employee benefits, Thakur pointed out the pending Dearness Allowance (DA), delayed medical bill reimbursements, and restricted GPF withdrawals, all of which have made life difficult for state employees and pensioners. He accused the government of trying to shift pension liabilities onto the Centre.

Thakur also slammed the Congress government for failing on other election guarantees — including 1 lakh jobs in the first Cabinet, ₹1500 monthly aid to women, 300 units of free electricity, and promised rates for milk. Instead, he said, the government increased power tariffs and shut down over 2,000 educational institutions. He concluded that by reneging on its promises, the Sukhu government has lost its moral right to remain in power.