Himachal CM Announces 4% DA Hike for 3.50 Lakh Employees and Pensioners, Clears Pending Arrears for Seniors

Himachal CM Announces 4% DA Hike for 3.50 Lakh Employees and Pensioners, Clears Pending Arrears for Seniors

Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has announced a 4% Dearness Allowance (DA) hike for 1.80 lakh state employees and 1.70 lakh pensioners, effective from January 1, 2023. This move will put an additional annual burden of ₹600 crore on the state exchequer. The announcement, made during a media briefing, also included a special provision for pensioners above 75 years, who will receive their entire pending arrears.

The Chief Minister further announced that November salaries and pensions will be disbursed early, on October 28, ahead of the Deepawali festival, benefiting the state’s employees and pensioners.

In a relief for retirees and current employees, CM Sukhu stated that all pending medical bills would be cleared this month, with ₹10 crore already allocated for the purpose. He assured that departments would be provided with additional budgetary allocations if required.

For Class-IV employees, an additional installment of ₹20,000 as arrears will be released during this fiscal year. The total expenditure on salary and pension arrears for the current fiscal year is expected to be ₹202 crore.

Addressing concerns raised by opposition leaders about the state’s financial health, CM Sukhu dismissed claims of a financial crunch, emphasizing that the state is on the path to self-reliance by 2027. He accused the BJP of spreading misinformation about Himachal’s fiscal condition and misleading national leaders, including the Prime Minister and BJP National President. He pointed out that the state government’s ability to honor employee dues, such as DA and arrears, was a clear indication that the state’s finances remain stable.

Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, Health Minister Dr. (Col) Dhani Ram Shandil, MLA Harish Janartha, Media Advisor to the Chief Minister Naresh Chauhan, Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena, Principal Secretary Finance Devesh Kumar, Secretary to the Chief Minister Rakesh Kanwar, and Director of Information and Public Relations Rajiv Kumar were also present at the announcement.

#HimachalPradesh #DAHike #EmployeeBenefits #PensionArrears #CMThakurSukhvinderSinghSukhu #StateFinances #DiwaliBonanza #PublicWelfare