AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami refused to commit to restoring the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for Tamil Nadu government employees and teachers. Speaking to journalists in Salem on January 15, Pongal day, Palaniswami said the party’s decision would depend on the situation. He added, "we will make only those promises that are feasible." He also criticized Chief Minister M.K. Stalin’s DMK government for not fulfilling its 2021 promise on OPS. Recently, Tamil Nadu introduced the Tamil Nadu Assured Pension Scheme (TAPS). This new plan combines elements of the Old Pension Scheme, the Union government’s Unified Pension Scheme, and Andhra Pradesh’s Guaranteed Pension Scheme. TAPS includes contributions like the Contributory Pension Scheme or National Pension System. About 10 days ago, the Tamil Nadu government made TAPS effective from January 1. In recent years, states such as Rajasthan, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh have returned to the Old Pension Scheme. However, the Reserve Bank of India and economists warn this could create huge unfunded liabilities in the future. A 2021 White Paper by Tamil Nadu showed the government had previously borrowed money even to pay pensions, a key fixed expense. Currently, about seven lakh pensioners and family pensioners live in Tamil Nadu. Data shows that pensioners aged 80 and above rose 1.7 times from 41,489 in 2017 to 1,13,380 in 2025. Pension costs have been growing in double digits year after year, making sustainability a concern.