Himachal CM Sukhvinder Sukhu About 1.15 lakh employees have opted for the old pension scheme while 1,364 have opted for the new pension scheme. (Representative image)
The Government of Himachal will pay the employees their Dearness Allowance pending from January 1, 2023 and also clear their medical reimbursement accounts.
The Himachal Pradesh government will release the salaries and pensions of government employees and the expected DA, calculated at 4 percent, on October 28, Chief Minister Sukhwinder Sukhu said on Friday.
The government will pay the employees their dearness allowances pending from January 1, 2023 and also clear their medical reimbursement accounts, he said.
“October salaries and pensions will be given on October 28 because of Diwali,” Sukhu said.
He said salaries were delayed earlier to introduce some financial discipline.
The revenue deficit grant and tax share from the Center are received on September 6 and 10 and payment of salary on the first day of each month requires borrowing from the market at 7.5 percent interest, Sukhu said earlier.
The state’s decision to defer salaries helps it save about Rs 3 crore every month and Rs 36 crore annually in interest payments, he said.
He said around 1.15 lakh employees have opted for the old pension scheme while 1,364 have opted for the new pension scheme. It has been decided that DA will also be given to those employees who have opted for NPS, he said.
Sukhu alleged that free gifts to the tune of Rs 5,000 crore given by the previous BJP government had ruined the state’s financial health.
He listed free electricity to 125 units, free water in rural areas, reduction of VAT on diesel and petrol and the opening of around 900 health education and other government institutions before the last state elections as some of the dispensation’s previous decisions that turned out badly for the state .
Sukhu said the free electricity scheme has not been withdrawn and water charges in rural areas are levied by large hotels, lodges and other commercial establishments.
“We are here to change the system and will make Himachal Pradesh self-reliant by 2027,” he said.
(This story was not edited by News18 staff and was published by a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)
