Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Tuesday said since the state follows Punjab in policy matters, which has decided to implement 6th Pay Commission’s recommendations, thus the HP government will also implement it soon.

Addressing a function of HP Non-Gazetted Employees Federation at Ner Chowk in Mandi district last evening, Thakur said the state government had provided financial benefits of about Rs 2,402 crore to the employees and pensioners in the last 3 years. “The BJP government has always maintained cordial relations with its employees and pensioners.

Besides, the state government has always accorded high priority to the interests of the employees and was committed to ensure their welfare,” he added.

Thakur said the state government had provided financial assistance of Rs 1,140 crore as dearness allowance to the employees in the last 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.

He further stated that the state government had increased retirement gratuity and death gratuity 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. Besides, 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 said.

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 could emerge as a role model for the other states.

He added he recently presented the state budget of Rs 50,192 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 that there was no cut on salary and pension of the employees and pensioners.

He assured the employee that all their genuine demands would be fulfilled at the earliest and said the JCC meeting would be convened at the earliest so that the demands of the employees could be redressed.