Himachal CM urges Centre to issue directions to PFRDA to return Rs 9,242.60cr

New Delhi, May 27 (IANS) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, during the eighth Governing Council meeting of the Niti Aayog on Saturday, urged the Centre to issue directions to the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) to return the amount of Rs 9,242.60 crore deposited under the New Pension Scheme (NPS) by the state government.

Sukhu attended the meeting of the eighth governing council which was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

During the meeting, discussions were held on infrastructure and investments, Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), minimising compliance, women empowerment, health and nutrition, skill development, Gati Shakti for area development and social infrastructure, Viksitbharat@2047.

While raising the issues of the state, the Chief Minister urged the Centre to issue directions to PFRDA to return the amount of Rs 9,242.60 crore deposited under NPS by the state government.

Sukhu also urged not to reduce the previous year's deposit of Rs 1,779 crore under NPS than the borrowing ceiling of the current financial year i.e. 2023-24 and also to review the decision taken on March 27, 2023.

The Chief Minister also urged for removing the limit of receiving external aid for next three years on the state and sought the intervention of Central government for speedy approval of proposals submitted to the Department of Economic Affairs.

He also urged for 100 per cent central funding for the strategic Bhanupali-Bilaspur-Leh railway line and considering the land acquisition cost as state's contribution.

The Chief Minister also requested for including ropeway projects under 'Pradhan Mantri Grameen Sadak Yojna' besides demanding special financial assistance for completing the construction of medical colleges in the hill state.

Sukhu also made the request for providing the option of CAPEX model (Capital expenditure) along-with OPEX model (Operational expenditure) under the financial assistance provided by the Centre for purchasing e-buses.

Apprising about the vision and initiatives of the state government, he informed that state government was keen on developing Himachal Pradesh as the 'Green Energy State' and added that tourism development was being undertaken under the concept of Green Himachal in order to protect and preserve the environment.

"Efforts are afoot for reducing carbon footprints and most of the diesel buses of HRTC will be replaced with e-buses in coming years," he said, adding that an elaborate plan is being made for promoting Green Hydrogen.

He also said that a Rs 2,000 crore World Bank aided project 'Himachal Pradesh Power Sector Development Programme' will be launched soon after holding the final round of discussions with the World Bank.

He further said that an endeavour to create 40,000 direct and 50,000 indirect employment opportunities would be made besides making efforts to attract an investment of about Rs 20,000 crore during the current financial year in various sectors.

The Chief Minister said that Mukhyamantri Sukh-Ashray Yojna has been started in the state for destitute and orphan children and the state government will undertake their welfare and has adopted them as the 'Children of the State'.

Sukhu pointed out that Rs 101 crore Mukhyamantri Sukh Ashray Kosh has been set up for the same.

A total of eight chief ministers, namely Arvind Kejriwal (Delhi), Mamata Banerjee (West Bengal), Bhagwant Mann (Punjab), Nitish Kumar (Bihar), K. Chandrashekar Rao (Telangana), M.K. Stalin (Tamil Nadu), Ashok Gehlot (Rajasthan), and Pinarayi Vijayan (Kerala), have chosen not to participate in the Niti Aayog meeting.

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