In a big announcement ahead of assembly elections in one state and a Union Territory this year, the government has launched the Union Pension Scheme (UPS) amid protests by several non-BJP-ruled states over the New Pension Scheme (NPS). “This scheme will benefit 23 lakh central government employees (under the National Pension Scheme),” announced Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. The new scheme will be implemented from April 1, 2025 and employees will have the option to choose between the NPS or UPS.

The UPS, approved by the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, aims to give assured pension, family pension and assured minimum pension to government employees:

1. Assured Pension: The scheme assures 50 percent of the average basic salary for the last 12 months before retirement as the pension for government employees who complete a minimum of 25 years in service. It will be proportionate for a shorter service period up to a minimum of 10 years of service.

2. Assured Family Pension: In case of death, the family will get 60 percent of the last-drawn amount by the pensioner.

3. Assured Minimum Pension: The scheme also assures Rs 10,000 per month after retirement for government employees after minimum 10 years of service.

As per the current pension scheme, employees contribute 10 per cent while the central government contributes 14 percent, which would be increased to 18 percent with the UPS.

“Some central employees met with the Prime Minister today. They were with the UPS in the meeting,” said Mr Vaishnaw.

Last year, a committee under Finance Secretary TV Somanathan was set up to review the pension scheme for government employees and suggest changes in the light of the existing framework and structure of the National Pension System.

The finance ministry formed the committee after several non-BJP-ruled states decided to revert to the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) and calls by employee organisation for the same.

Under the OPS, retired government employees received 50 per cent of their last-drawn salary as monthly pensions. The amount keeps increasing with the hike in the Dearness Allowance (DA) rates.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has set March 2026 as the target to finish Maoist activities in India and said “A strong and ruthless strategy is required for launching the last assault against such groups.”

The Home Minister is in Chhattisgarh and addressed a press briefing in Raipur. Mr Shah said he reviewed the situation of Left Wing Extremism in the state along with Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai and senior central and state police officers. He urged the Maoists to surrender and announced that the Centre would start a “new look” surrender policy in the next two months.

“A strong and ruthless strategy is required for launching the last assault against Maoists,” he said. The home minister said Maoist violence is a challenge to democracy and the menace has claimed about 17,000 lives in the country.

In December last year, the Home Minister asserted that we are almost on the verge of wiping out Maoist extremism from the country. At the 59th Raising Day of Border Security Force, Mr Shah said, “In the last 10 years, incidents of Maoist violence have gone down by 52 per cent, deaths in these incidents declined by 70 per cent and the number of affected districts have come down from 96 to 45.” The number of “LWE-hit police stations has come down from 495 to 176”, he added.

In the press briefing today, the Home Minister reiterated the facts and said, there was a 53 per cent drop in Naxal incidents during 2014-24 as compared to 2004-14. It is time to deal the final blow to the problem of Left Wing Extremism with a strong strategy. “We believe we will be able to free the country from Left Wing Extremism by March 2026,” Mr Shah said.

The minister added that the government has been working to fill the security vacuum in LWE-hit areas and the security personnel have undertaken operations along with development works.

Mr Shah said apart from state and Central Armed Police Forces, the National Investigation Agency, the country’s premier anti-terror probe agency and the Enforcement Directorate have been working together to wipe out Maoist extremism.

The Home Ministry’s Left Wing Extremism (LWE) Division, which was established in 2006, addresses the issue holistically. It monitors the LWE situation and countermeasures being taken by the affected states. 

The Division is responsible for capacity building of states to combat LWE through schemes of the Home Ministry like the Security Related Expenditure (SRE) scheme, Special Infrastructure Scheme, and Special Central Assistance. Deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) in the affected States, assisting State Governments with initiatives to combat extremism, etc.

– With Inputs from PTI

The three state-aided schools — Baluhati High School, Baluhati Girls’ High School and Bantra Rajlakshmi Girls School — all in Howrah district were served the show cause notice on Friday and are required to give an explanation within 24 hours