New pay scales for Himachal employees, burden of Rs 6000 crore

Shimla: Himachal Pradesh government employees will get new pay scales from January next year . This will further burden the state exchequer by Rs 6000 crore per annum.All pensioners and family pensioners would also be given revised pension and other pensionary benefits from 1 January, 2016.

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur announced this today while addressing the Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) of the State Non-Gazetted Employees Federation here.
The Dearness Allowance and Dearness Relief would be given on revised pay scales and revised pension,family pension. 

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.

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

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. Government would also consider providing tribal allowance to daily wage and contract employees serving in the tribal areas.

Jai Ram Thakur said NPS employees would now have freedom to choose any Pension Fund for investment for ensuring better returns. Until now these employees have to invest in only those Pension Fund selected by the Government.

NPS employees were being provided Death-cum-Retirement Gratuity benefits and now it has been decided to provide Gratuity to NPS employees deprived from this benefit from 15th May, 2003 to 22nd September, 2017.

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.

During the last about four years the State Government  has enhanced the DA of employees and pensioner of the State by 22 per cent and financial benefits of Rs 1320 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.