The State Government has provided financial benefits of about Rs. 2402 crore to the employees and pensioners of the state during the last about three years. Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur stated this while addressing the Abhinandan Samaroh organised by the Himachal Pradesh Non-Gazetted Employees Federation at Lal Bahadur Shashtri Government Medical College and Hospital, Ner Chowk in Mandi district today.
The Chief Minister said that the BJP government has always maintained cordial relations with its employees and pensioners. The state government has always accorded high priority to the interests of the employees and was committed to ensure their welfare. He said that the government had provided financial assistance of Rs. 1140 crore as dearness allowance to the employees during the last about three years. The daily wages of daily workers had been increased to Rs. 300 per day, thereby providing them additional benefits worth Rs 32.40 crore.
Jai Ram Thakur said that the State Government has increased retirement gratuity and death gratuity been given to the employees of New Pension Scheme, who retired or have died during the years 2003 to 2017, thereby providing them benefits of about Rs 110 crore. Despite the financial constraints and lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the state government has provided all the financial benefits to the employees from time to time.
The Chief Minister said that the state government has decided to increase the State contribution under the new pension scheme from 10 percent of the basic salary, dearness and NPA to 14 percent. This would provide an additional benefit of Rs. 250 crores to about 80,000 employees of the state government. He expressed hope that the employees would maintain cordial relations with the government and continue to give their valuable contribution in the development of the State so that Himachal Pradesh could emerge as a role model for the other States.
Jai Ram Thakur said that he recently presented state budget of Rs. 50192 crore for the financial year 2021-22, out of which about Rs. 20,000 crore would be spent on salary and pension to the employees and pensioners.
He thanked the employees for playing an important role during the Corona pandemic. He said that the state government also ensured the there was no cut on salary and pension of the employees and pensioners.
The Chief Minister said that since Himachal Pradesh follows Punjab in pay matters which has decided to implement the new pay commission, thus the State Government was also committed to implement the Pay Commission. He assured the employee that all their genuine demands would be fulfilled at the earliest. He assured the employees that the JCC meeting would be convened at the earliest so that the demands of the employees could be redressed.
Employee’s leader Rajesh Sharma welcomed the Chief Minister and detailed various demands of the employees. He also urged for convening the meeting of JCC in near future.
Employee’s leaders Roop Lal, Ashwani Kumar and N.R. Thakur also shared their views on the occasion.
MLA Rakesh Jamwal, Chairman, MILKFED Nihal Chand Sharma and other employee leaders were present on the occasion.
