Lok Sabha Question No. 1159 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-11
Subject: Restoration of Old Pension
Ministry: FINANCE
Asked by: Naba (Hira) Kumar Sarania, Deepak Baij, Krupal Balaji Tumane

## Ministry of Finance Department of Expenditure LOK SABHA

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 11 th  DECEMBER, 2023/

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1159 AGRAHAYANA 20, 1945 (SAKA) RESTORATION OF OLD PENSION

## QUESTION

## † 1159. SHRI NABA KUMAR SARANIA:

SHRI DEEPAK BAIJ:

SHRI KRUPAL BALAJI TUMANE:

## Will the Minister of FINANCE be pleased to state:

- (a) the number of pensioners in the country, State-wise;
- (b) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  restore  Old  Pension  Scheme  (OPS),  if  so,  the details thereof and the reasons for delay in the implementation of OPS;
- (c) the number of States that have restarted the OPS for their employees;
- (d) whether many States have demanded return of contribution of National Pension Scheme (NPS) to restart OPS;
- (e) the details of amount deposited along with interest thereon demanded  by the Government of Chhattisgarh along with the action taken by the Government thereon; and
- (f) the decision taken/being taken by the Government to return the fund of NPS to States that have restarted OPS?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR FINANCE

## (SHRI PANKAJ CHAUDHARY)

(a) As  per  the  data  compiled  and  furnished  by  Department  of  Pension  and  Pensioners' Welfare on the basis of database maintained by Central Pension Accounting Office, Controller General of Defence Accounts, Ministry of Railways, Department of Telecommunication and Department of Posts, the total number of Central Government pensioners as on 31.03.2023 is as follows:-

| S.No   | Department         | No. of Pensioners and family Pensioners                      |
|--------|--------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|
| 1.     | Civil Pensioner    | 11,41,985                                                    |
| 2.     | Defence Pensioner  | 33,87,173 (Defence pensioners including civilian pensioners) |
| 3.     | Telecom Pensioner  | 4,38,758                                                     |
| 4.     | Railways Pensioner | 15,25,768                                                    |
| 5.     | Postal Pensioner   | 3,01,765                                                     |
| Total  | Total              | 67,95,449                                                    |

Central  Government  does  not  maintain  database  in  respect  of  pensioners  of  State Government.

- (b) No such proposal is under consideration of Government for restoration of OPS in respect of Central Government employees. A Committee has been set up under the chairmanship of Finance Secretary to look into the issue of Pensions under National Pension System (NPS) in respect  of  Government  employees  and  to,  inter  alia,  examine  whether  in  the  light  of  the existing framework and structure of the National Pension System, as applicable to Government employees, any changes therein are warranted.
- (c) & (d) The State Governments of Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Punjab, and Himachal Pradesh have informed the Central Government/ Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) about their decision to revert to Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for their State Government  employees.  These  State  Governments  have  requested  for  withdrawal/refund  of contribution along with return thereon. However, the Government of Punjab has also informed the  Government  of  India  that  it  continues  to  pay  staff  and  Government  contributions  to  the NPS.
- (e) & (f) The State Government of Chhattisgarh vide letter dated 02.06.2022 has informed that an amount of Rs. 11,850 Crores has been transferred to Protean (erstwhile NSDL) having an Assests  Under  Management  (AUM)  of  Rs.  17,240  Crores  as  on  31.03.2022 in  respect  of subscriber  under  NPS.  There  is  no  provision  under  PFRDA  Act,  2013  read  along  with PFRDA (Exits and Withdrawals under the National Pension System) Regulations, 2015, and other  relevant  Regulations,  vide  which  the  accumulated  corpus  of  the  subscribers  viz. Government contribution, Employees' contribution towards NPS along with accruals, can be refunded and deposited back to the State Governments.

*****