"We have given 10 guarantees and we will implement them. We will give transparent and honest government. We will implement OPS (Old Pension Scheme) in the first cabinet meeting," Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu told ANI.
Congress had pledged to reinstate the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) in Himachal. There are about 2.5 lakh government workers, and of those, 1.5 lakh are protected by the New Pension Scheme. Beginning on 1 April, 2004, the nation stopped offering the previous pension plan, under which the government provided the full pension amount.
The Old Pension Scheme, according to Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, was crucial to the party's success in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections. OPS was described by Gehlot as a "important issue for society" during a press conference.
"Every person has the right to live. OPS helps people in drawing sufficient pensions in old age. I also urge the Centre to implement such beneficial schemes throughout the country," he had said.
At a ceremony in Shimla, Sukhu, the 15th Chief Minister of the hill state, took the oath. Sukhu rose up the political ladder in Himachal Pradesh from the grassroots level. As Deputy Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Mukesh Agnihotri, a former opposition leader, also took the oath of office. On Sunday, at a formal event planned at Ridge Maidan in Shimla, Governor RV Arlekar gave them the oath of office.
Top Congress officials, including President Mallikarjun Kharge, party leader Rahul Gandhi, and All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Priyanka Gandhi, were present for the swearing-in of the new Himachal Pradesh government.
About the new CM of Himachal Pradesh
Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu (58), a steadfast supporter of the Gandhis, is a four-term MLA and the former leader of the state's Congress.
Due to his extensive network in the hill state and his many years of service to the organisation, Sukhu is regarded as a friendly and approachable leader. He also has extensive organisational experience in the state as a result of his long-standing affiliation with the grand old party.
From 2013 to 2019, he served as the party's state unit president. He was known for speaking his mind, even when it didn't sit well with the party's tallest leader and six-time chief minister, Virbhadra Singh.
Sukhu has supported developing and elevating young Congress leaders in Himachal Pradesh. Since Rampur Bushahr has produced four of the party's chief ministers over the past four decades, Congress central leadership appeared eager to increase its options.
Sukhu belongs to a middle-class family. As an NSUI candidate, he ran for office while still a student and was involved in politics from that point on. He presided over both the state's NSUI and Indian Youth Congress. In elections for the Shimla Municipal Corporation, he ran and prevailed. For the first time, Sukhu defeated Nadaun in the 2003 assembly elections.
Sukhu served as the chairman of the Congress Campaign Committee for the assembly elections, during which time the party concentrated on local issues and made lucrative promises, such as an old-age pension plan.
(With inputs from ANI)