Thakur declares Rs 8,500 cr benefits to employees with new scales from Jan 2016

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur while addressing the Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) of the Himachal Pradesh Non-Gazetted Employees Federation here today announced new pay scales for the employees of the State Government with effect from 1 January, 2016. The pay of January, 2022 would be payable in February, 2022 as per revised pay scales.

Chief Minister said that all the pensioners and family pensioners would also be given revised pension and other pensionary benefits from 1 January, 2016. The Dearness Allowance and Dearness Relief would be given on revised pay scales and revised pension/family pension.  He said that these new pay scales and revised pension would put additional burden of Rs. 6,000 crore annually on the State exchequer. Other benefits announced by him to its employees and pensioners will put burden of 2,500 annually. This will enhance the budget spending from 43 to 50 percent.

Thakur also announced implementation of New Pension System  (Invalid Pension and Family Pension)  from 15th May, 2003 according to Office Memorandum dated 5 May, 2009 of Central Government  to the employees of the State Government. He said that this would put additional burden of about Rs. 250 crore on the State exchequer.

He announced reduction in the period of contractual employees of the State Government for their regularization from three years to two years.  He said that one-one year would also be reduced for regularization/daily wages conversion in respect of daily wage employees, part time workers, water guards and water carriers etc.

He announced release of additional Rs. 10 crore for clearance of pending medical reimbursement bills.

Chief Minister said that a Committee would be constituted for appointment on compassionate grounds under chairmanship of Chief Secretary. The Committee would give its presentation in next Cabinet Meeting.  He said that the Government would also consider to providing tribal allowance to daily wage and contract employees serving in the tribal areas of the State.

Thakur said that NPS employees would now have freedom to choose any Pension Fund for investment for ensuring better returns. He said that till now these employees have to invest in only those Pension Fund selected by the Government. He said that all the NPS employees were being provided Death-cum-Retirement Gratuity benefits and now the Government has decided to provide Gratuity to NPS employees deprived from this benefit from 15th May, 2003 to 22nd September, 2017.

Chief Minister said that the employees have been playing a major role in the development of the State as it was due to the hard work, dedication and commitment of the employees that the State today has emerged as a role model for other states of the country. He said that our State was also the first State in the country of population: employee ratio. He said that the covid-19 pandemic adversely affected the economy of the country and Himachal Pradesh was also not an exception. He said that the employees of the State played a major role in fighting this pandemic and the State successfully managed to come out from this crisis.

Chief Minister said that the State Government was spending about 43 per cent of its total budget on employees and pensioners which would increase upto 50 per cent after the implementation of the 6th pay Commission. He said that during the last about four years the State Government  had enhanced the DA of employees and pensioner of the State by 22 per cent and financial benefits of Rs 1,320 crore were provided to them. He said that two installments of IR of 12 percent were also provided to them, thereby providing them benefits of Rs 740 crore.

President State NGO Federation Ashwani Thakur said that the present State Government under the able leadership of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur has ensured welfare of the employees of the State and got their due without and agitation well in time. He said that even during the pandemic, the State Government unlike several other states ensured that the employees get their salary and dues well in time.

General Secretary State NGO Federation Rajesh Sharma thanked the Chief Minister for being considerate towards various demands of the employees. He said that being himself from a humble background, the Chief Minister well under stands the hardships and difficulties of the common man. He said that the employees would act as ambassadors of the State Government to ensure effective implementation of the policies and programs of the State Government.