New Delhi Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh has announced that all central government employees under the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) will now be eligible for retirement benefits and death gratuity, similar to those under the Old Pension Scheme (OPS). The gratuity benefits from the OPS have been incorporated into the UPS.
This change comes after long-standing demands by employees for inclusion of such benefits. Minister Singh stated that this move reflects the government’s commitment to ensuring social security for all segments of employees.
Manjeet Singh Patel, President of the All India NPS Employees Federation, welcomed the government’s decision and said the inclusion of gratuity in the UPS has cleared all doubts employees previously had. He expressed optimism that this development will encourage more employees to opt for the Unified Pension Scheme in the future.