Sukhu: INDIA bloc will restore Old Pension Scheme if it wins Bihar

In a spirited attack on the ruling NDA and an impassioned pitch for change in Bihar, Himachal Pradesh chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday said that if the INDIA bloc comes to power in the state, it will restore the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) on the lines of his government in Himachal Pradesh.

Speaking to reporters, Sukhu painted a vivid contrast between the “progressive governance model” of his hill state and what he described as two decades of stagnation under the NDA’s rule in Bihar.

“There has been no sign of development in the 20 years of NDA rule in Bihar,” Sukhu said, adding that the stark reality is reflected in the fact that 64 per cent of people in Bihar live on just Rs 66 a day.

Lamenting what he called a “wasted potential”, Sukhu said Bihar could have blossomed into a vibrant tourism hub, yet stands “dismally neglected by the NDA government.”

Recalling one of his key decisions after assuming office, Sukhu said the Old Pension Scheme was reinstated in Himachal Pradesh in the very first Cabinet meeting, fulfilling a major electoral promise. The move, he said, brought tangible relief to 1.36 lakh government employees, whose pension amounts rose tenfold.

“This was not a populist measure,” he clarified, “but a commitment inspired by Rahul Gandhi’s vision to honour the Congress’ word and restore dignity to government employees.”

बिहार में NDA की सरकार में शिक्षा, स्वास्थ्य और बुनियादी सुविधाओं की स्थिति अत्यंत चिंताजनक है। विकास की राह पर चलने के बजाय, बिहार आज बेरोज़गारी, पलायन और निराशा के भंवर में फँसता जा रहा है।

हमने हिमाचल प्रदेश में OPS को बहाल किया है, जिससे लाखों कर्मचारियों और अधिकारियों को… pic.twitter.com/2ZIRqy7kOn

— Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu (@SukhuSukhvinder) October 30, 2025

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The chief minister accused the NDA government in Bihar of “doling out Rs 10,000 to women merely to secure votes” before the upcoming elections — a move he dismissed as “political tokenism”.

Sukhu went on to highlight Himachal Pradesh’s welfare-driven model, which, he claimed, has revolutionised rural livelihoods. The state, he said, has implemented an unprecedented Minimum Support Price (MSP) on milk, promoted organic farming with assured prices for select crops, and is spearheading a shift to electric public transport, setting a template for sustainable growth.

Citing data to underline the disparity between the two states, he noted that Himachal’s per capita income stands at Rs 2.57 lakh, compared to Bihar’s Rs 87,000, and claimed that under Congress rule, Himachal’s education ranking improved from 21st to fifth in the ASER survey.

“The Congress ideology, thinking and action,” Sukhu said, “are all directed towards improving people’s lives — not merely winning elections.”

He further promised that under an INDIA bloc government in Bihar, the alliance would promote self-employment, ensure free health treatment worth Rs 25 lakh, and provide a monthly assistance of Rs 2,500 to women, widows, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities.

On being asked about the absence of a Muslim face in the bloc’s leadership lineup, Sukhu replied with rhetorical flourish:

“The entire nation is Congress’ vote bank. It was the Indian National Congress that fought for India’s freedom, and every Indian carries a Congress voter within.”

With his confident tone and sweeping comparisons, Sukhu sought to position the INDIA bloc as a force of renewal for Bihar — a state he suggested has waited too long for the promise of progress to arrive.

With PTI inputs