In Cash-strapped Himachal, Govt hikes ministers’ travel allowance ahead of Winter session
Shimla, Nov 19,
he Himachal Pradesh government has quietly notified a hike in Ministers’ travelling allowances—raising mileage from Rs 18 to Rs 25 per kilometre and daily allowance from Rs 1,800 to Rs 2,500—even as it warns citizens, employees and the legislature almost daily about the state’s precarious finances. The move, cleared in 2024 but withheld due to the financial crunch, has been implemented now, just days before the winter session.
Notified under the Salaries and Allowances of Ministers Act, 2000, the updated entitlements will be known as the Himachal Pradesh Ministers’ Travelling Allowance (Amendment) Rules, 2025. Though modest in quantum, the timing and optics of the decision have raised eyebrows across government circles. This administration has now made two back-to-back enhancements to the pay and perks of elected representatives within months—the earlier being a 24 per cent hike in the salaries of MLAs, Ministers and presiding officers, estimated to cost the state over Rs 25 crore annually.
All of this comes when Himachal Pradesh stands knee-deep in fiscal stress: depleted borrowing space, soaring debt, delayed payments in multiple departments, and repeated claims of strained liquidity. Departments have been asked to tighten belts, employees have faced delayed dues, and the government itself has invoked “financial emergency-like conditions” to justify austerity. Against that background, the latest hike risks being perceived as tone-deaf, especially when the same administration continues to urge the public to understand the severity of the crisis.
Officials admit that any additional allowance—however routine—adds pressure to an already strained balance sheet. Yet they also argue that Ministers’ travel allowances had not been revised for years and merely required updating. Politically, however, the decision lands at an awkward moment. With the winter session approaching, questions are likely to surface on whether the government could have deferred the move further, particularly when it is simultaneously asking various sectors to “cooperate in difficult times.”
Still, as political observers often note, salary and allowance hikes for legislators rarely meet real resistance across party lines. Despite the likely criticism, few expect any formal opposition to the increase—public posturing aside. But outside the Assembly, the optics are hard to ignore: a cash-strapped state, a government preaching restraint, and yet another rise in perks for those in power.
The winter session will reveal whether the government can defend the decision as a routine administrative update—or whether the perception of prioritising its own comfort in a time of financial distress becomes yet another unwelcome burden on its credibility.
About the Author
The HimachalScape Bureau comprises seasoned journalists from Himachal Pradesh with over 25 years of experience in leading media conglomerates such as The Times of India and United News of India. Known for their in-depth regional insights, the team brings credible, research-driven, and balanced reportage on Himachal’s socio-political and developmental landscape.