Himachal News: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu has given relief to the government employees and pensioners of the state before Diwali. The Chief Minister has announced a 5 percent increase in Dearness Allowance (DA). This decision is expected to benefit about 3.5 lakh employees and pensioners of the state. Along with this, an additional amount of Rs 10,000 has also been announced for Class-4 employees and pensioners. According to the government, the increased dearness allowance will be paid in November along with the October salary. This decision has come at a time when the state government is trying to provide relief to employees and pensioners amid financial challenges.
DA increased from 45% to 50%
According to the announcement of the Chief Minister, dearness allowance of eligible government employees will be increased from 45 percent to 50 percent. This includes the already pending installment of 1 percent along with the increase of 4 percent.
According to the order of the Finance Department, this increase will also be applicable to the employees covered under the Himachal Pradesh Civil Services (Revised Pay) Rules, 2022 along with the concerned eligible officers and state employees covered under the pay scale of the University Grants Commission (UGC).
The increased DA will be paid along with the salary of October 2026, which will be received in November. It has been said that separate instructions will be issued regarding payment of outstanding dues till September 30, 2026.
Class-4 employees will get ₹10,000
Apart from increasing DA, the Chief Minister has announced to give Rs 10,000 to Class-4 employees. This amount will be given under the outstanding payment related to salary revision.
This decision of the government will provide additional financial assistance to those employees who have been waiting for payment of their dues for a long time. The process of payment of the amount and related eligibility will be completed as per the rules.
Pensioners will also get financial relief
The government has also announced an amount of Rs 10,000 for pensioners. Apart from this, eligible pensioners will also get the benefit of increased dearness relief (DR).
Dearness Allowance is given to government employees, while pensioners get similar relief in the form of Dearness Relief. Its objective is to provide financial assistance in reducing the impact of inflation.
With this decision, employees and pensioners are expected to get additional financial assistance during the festival. However, payment in different categories will be made as per the respective government orders and eligibility conditions.
Chief Minister called the contribution of employees important
Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu said that government employees play an important role in the development of the state. He said that the government is making efforts to provide benefits to the employees while maintaining financial discipline.
Referring to the economic condition of the state, the Chief Minister said that the government is working towards making Himachal Pradesh self-reliant. According to him, steps like better utilization of financial resources and curbing corruption are necessary to improve the economic condition of the state.
About 3.5 lakh people are expected to get benefits
The 5 percent increase in DA and additional payment is expected to benefit about 3.5 lakh government employees and pensioners of the state. This can help families manage expenses before the festival.
Now employees and pensioners will keep an eye on the payment process. It is learned that the benefit of increased DA will be given along with the October salary received in November, while detailed instructions related to payment of the outstanding amount will be issued separately.