Reinstatement of Old Pension scheme
In a significant development, the Karnataka government has declared the reinstatement of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for approximately 13,000 state government employees recruited after 2006. This decision fulfills Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s commitment to address the concerns of government employees who had staged a protest against the New Pension Scheme (NPS).
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- The OPS, a defined benefit pension plan guaranteeing a specific retirement benefit amount, stands in contrast to the NPS, which operates as a defined contribution plan dependent on investment performance. The long-standing demand for the reinstatement of OPS has garnered a positive response from various quarters.
- Eligible employees now have a one-time opportunity to opt for the OPS before June 30, 2024. Recommendations for eligible employees must be forwarded to the heads of departments by July 31, 2024, and subsequently sent for approval to the Finance Department by August 31, 2024.
- This announcement aligns with similar actions taken by some other states in India, following the central government order to revert to the OPS. C S Shadakshari, the president of the Karnataka State Government Employees’ Association, has confirmed receiving a “definite assurance” from the state government regarding the implementation of the OPS.
- The decision to reintroduce the OPS is anticipated to have a considerable financial impact on the state’s exchequer, particularly in light of the additional burden from the 7th Pay Commission, which is expected to significantly raise annual expenditure for the salaries of the state’s six lakh employees.
- Also government to implement the Karnataka Arogya Sanjeevani Scheme, a health insurance initiative for government employees and their families, further emphasizes the government’s dedication to the well-being of its workforce.
Features | Old Pension Scheme (OPS) | New Pension Scheme or National Pension System (NPS) |
Defined benefits | • The government disburses the full pension amount to government employees upon their retirement. • As an illustration, under OPS, if a government employee’s monthly basic salary at the time of retirement was Rs 10,000, she would receive a guaranteed pension of Rs 5,000. | Employees fund their pension corpus through deductions from their salary, while the government matches their contributions. • Staff members contribute 10% of their salary (comprising basic and dearness allowance), and the government contributes 14% towards the employees’ NPS accounts. |
Pension Amount | It guarantees government employees 50% of their final drawn pay plus Dearness Allowance (DA) as a post-retirement income for life. | The pension amount is not fixed. |
Eligibility | Applies exclusively to government employees. |
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General Provident Fund (GPF) | It includes a GPF to which every government employee contributes a portion of their salary. | There is no General Provident Fund (GPF) benefit. |
Implementation | _ | Implemented and regulated by PFRDA (Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority) |
Top of Form
Concerns related to the New Pension Scheme (NPS) include:
- Pension Unpredictability: The pension payout is contingent on market returns, primarily invested in federal debt, leading to uncertainty. This, coupled with mandatory contributions, may reduce employees’ disposable income and potentially discourage skilled individuals from choosing government employment.
- Fund Management Apprehensions: There is a public perception that the fund may not be secure in the hands of managers, raising concerns about potential reductions in pension amounts.
- Lack of Contribution Flexibility: Unlike private sector counterparts who can adjust NPS contributions, government employees are obligated to contribute a fixed 10% of their monthly pay.
Investment in Annuity Plans: The NPS mandates a mandatory 40% allocation of maturity proceeds to purchase an approved annuity plan, involving substantial premiums with modest returns of 5-5.5%, subject to taxation.
Caste Census is not State`s mandate
Under the pretext of a social and educational survey, the H. Kantaraja Commission allegedly conducted a caste census in an unscientific manner. The Okkaligara Kriya Samiti has cautioned the state government, warning that accepting this incomplete caste census report could lead to conflicts across the state.
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- Addressing a press conference on Thursday, history researcher Talakadu Chikrankegowda stated that the state government lacks the authority to conduct a caste census. As a result, no official order has been issued by the state government regarding the execution of a caste census.
- Chikrankegowda highlighted that during specific social and educational surveys, caste information was gathered and is now being labeled as a caste census. He contends that for an accurate caste census, a comprehensive survey covering all castes in the entire population should be conducted, and this task should be the responsibility of the central government.
- Before also various Opposition leaders contended that Caste Census is not in State`s mandate.
Caste Census
A caste census is a population survey aimed at collecting information on the caste composition of a specific region or country. Caste, in this context, refers to a social stratification system where society is divided into distinct social groups or castes, each often associated with specific occupations, social status, and privileges.
Objectives:
The purpose of a caste census is to gather data on the distribution of various castes within the population. The goal is to understand the demographic composition of different caste groups, including their socio-economic status, educational levels, and other relevant parameters. This collected information can be instrumental in policy planning, resource allocation, and evaluating the effectiveness of affirmative action or reservation programs designed to address historical social inequalities.
Concerns over the Survey:
Despite these objectives, there are concerns and issues raised against conducting a caste-based census. One major contention is that the data collected through such surveys may violate the Right to Privacy enshrined under Article 21 of the Constitution of India, 1950. Additionally, it is argued that the state government lacks the authority to conduct a caste-based survey, as the Constitution exclusively empowers the Central government with law-making power regarding the census.
Constitutional mandate:
In the constitutional context, the term “census” is not explicitly defined in the Constitution or the Census Act, 1948. Instead, it is considered a count of residents in the country, focusing on their social and economic upliftment. Entries in the Concurrent List empower both the Central and State Governments to engage in Economic and Social Planning (Entry 20), social security, social insurance, employment, and unemployment (Entry 23), and vital statistics, including the registration of births and deaths (Entry 30). All these entries could be viewed as serving the purpose and outcomes of a caste-based census.
Padma Awards 2024
On Thursday, the Union government unveiled the recipients of the Padma Awards 2024, the country’s second-highest civilian honors. These prestigious accolades, bestowed by the Government of India, acknowledge outstanding contributions across different domains.
- On Thursday, the Union government unveiled the recipients of the Padma Awards 2024, marking the nation’s second-highest civilian honor. Bestowed by the Government of India, these prestigious awards acknowledge outstanding contributions across various fields.
- The awards are categorized into Padma Vibhushan (for exceptional and distinguished service), Padma Bhushan (distinguished service of higher order), and Padma Shri (distinguished service). They aim to recognize achievements in all realms of activities or disciplines with a public service element. Recommendations for these awards are made by the annually constituted Padma Awards Committee under the Prime Minister’s purview.
Padma Vibhushan Awardees:
- Vyjayantimala Bali: Art | Tamil Nadu
- Shri Konidela Chiranjeevi: Art | Andhra Pradesh
- Shri M Venkaiah Naidu: Public Affairs | Andhra Pradesh
- Shri Bindeshwar Pathak (Posthumous): Social Work | Bihar
- Padma Subrahmanyam: Art | Tamil Nadu
Padma Bhushan Awardees from karnataka
- Shri Sitaram Jindal: Trade & Industry | Karnataka
Padma Shri Awardees:
- Shri Rohan Machanda Bopanna Sports
- Prema Dhanraj Medicine
- Anupama Hoskere Art
- Shri Sridhar Makam Krishnamurthy Literature & Education
- Shri K S Rajanna Social Work
- Shri Chandrashekar Channapatna Rajannachar Medicine
- Shashi Soni Trade & Industry
Kirthi Chakra Awards
Kirti Chakra is the second-highest peacetime gallantry award in India, following the Ashok Chakra, while the Shaurya Chakra holds the distinction of being the third-highest peacetime award.
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- On Thursday, six Kirti Chakra awards were announced, with three posthumously conferred. Simultaneously, among the 16 Shaurya Chakra awards, two were awarded posthumously.
- Captain MV Pranjal from Karnataka of 63rd battalion of Rashtriya Rifles has been awarded Shaurya Chakra Award.
India International Science Festival 2023
The 9th edition of the India International Science Festival (IISF 2023) took place from January 17 to 20, 2024, in Faridabad, Haryana, with the objective of commemorating India’s advancements in science and technology.
Details about IISF 2023:
- Venue: The festival was hosted at the Campus of Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI) and Regional Centre for Biotechnology (RCB) of the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology (MOST), in Faridabad.
- Organizer: The Department of Science and Technology (DST), MOST, orchestrated IISF 2023.
Inaugural & Closing Ceremony:
- The inaugural ceremony on January 17, 2024, was graced by Union Minister of State (MoS) (Independent Charge) Dr Jitendra Singh, MOST.
The closing ceremony of IISF 2023 had Manohar Lal Khattar, Chief Minister of Haryana, as the Chief Guest.
Asian Shotgun Championships 2024
India clinched a total of 8 medals, including 1 gold, 3 silvers, and 4 bronzes, at the Asian Shotgun Championships 2024 held in Kuwait City at the Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Olympic Shooting Complex from January 12-22, 2024.
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In the medal tally, India secured the fifth position with 8 medals, while China claimed the top spot with 13 medals, including 5 golds, 6 silvers, and 2 bronzes.
- The Asian Shotgun Championships 2024 offered eight quotas for the 2024 Paris Olympics, and two Indian shooters, Anantjeet Singh Naruka and Raiza Dhillon, qualified for the Paris Olympics from this tournament. These were India’s first quotas in the men’s and women’s skeet events for the Paris Olympics. As of January 2024, Indian shooters have secured a total of 19 Olympic quotas in shooting.
- The women’s skeet team, comprising Ganemat Sekhon, Maheshwari Chauhan, and Raiza Dhillon, secured India’s only gold medal at the Asian Shotgun Championships 2024.
Additional Information:
- The Asian Championships for rifle and pistol shooters in 2024 took place in Jakarta, Indonesia, from January 5 to 18, 2024.
During the event, Indian shooters garnered a total of 26 medals, including 14 golds, 7 silvers, and 5 bronzes, and earned four Olympic quotas.
