Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Saturday urged the Centre for issuing directions to 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.

He raised the issues during the 8^th Governing Council meeting of NITI Aayog in New Delhi on Saturday. He also urged not to reduce the previous year’s deposit of Rs 1,779 crore under NPS, other than the borrowing ceiling of the current financial year (2023-24) and also to review the decision taken on March 27, 2023.

The meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Discussions were held on infrastructure and investments, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), minimizing compliances, women empowerment, health and nutrition, skill development, Gati Shakti for area development and social infrastructure.

The Chief Minister also urged for removing the limit of receiving external aid for the next three years to the state and sought the intervention of the Centre 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. Sukhu also requested for including a ropeway project under ‘Pradhan Mantri Grameen Sadak Yojna’ besides demanding special financial assistance for completing the construction of medical colleges in the State.

He also requested for providing the option of CAPEX model (capital expenditure) along with OPEX model (operational expenditure) under the financial assistance provided by the Government of India for purchasing e-buses.

Apprising about the vision and initiatives of the state government, he informed that his government was keen to develop Himachal Pradesh as a ‘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. An elaborate plan is being made for promoting Green Hydrogen, he said, adding that the Rs 2000 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 twenty thousand crore during the current financial year in various sectors.

Mukhyamantri Sukh Ashray Yojana 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,’ he said. He sought the support of the Centre Government and NITI Aayog for fulfilling the dream of the present government for making Himachal Pradesh the most developed and prosperous state in the country.