Overview
- The finance department has published G.O.Ms. No.158 to operationalize a one-time option for a limited group of state workers to convert from the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) to the Old Pension Scheme (OPS).
- Eligibility is limited to those whose recruitment notification or advertisement was issued before September 1, 2004 while their appointment took place on or after that date, and the option covers serving employees, retirees and family pension beneficiaries.
- All applications must be submitted through the state NIDHI portal using current credentials and must include certified appointment documents obtained from the initial appointing authority.
- Appointing authorities, drawing and disbursing officers, heads of offices and the Director of Treasuries & Accounts are directed to process proposals quickly, maintain records and issue final orders so benefits are settled in a time‑bound manner.
- The state order follows central government precedents from 2020 and 2023 and spells out practical steps such as GPF admission, transfer of CPS corpus for in-service and retired staff, handling of death or invalidation cases, and an online dashboard to monitor implementation.