A major reshuffle has been done regarding the salary and pension of the employees of Himachal Pradesh. The reason is, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said in the assembly that the employees will be paid salary on 5 September and pensioners will be paid pension on 10 September. Until the economic condition of the state improves, the employees and pensioners will be paid salary and pension on 5 and 10 respectively.
The Chief Minister said that this decision has been taken to avoid the interest spent on the loan. This will save Rs 36 crore annually. This decision was taken to save the interest on the loan taken by the government. In the state, salary and pension are given on the 1st of the month, whereas we get the Revenue Deficit Grant from the Government of India on the 6th and the Share Incentive Tax from the Center on the 10th. Because of this, we have to take a loan for 5 days every month.
He said that if 7.50 percent interest is paid every month, then Rs 3 crore interest has to be paid. This will reduce the unnecessary burden of interest. Rs 1200 crore is spent on salary every month and Rs 800 crore on pension. Rs 2000 crore is given to employees and pensioners every month.
Himachal will be the most prosperous state in 2032: CM
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu said that Himachal will be self-reliant in the year 2027. It will be the most prosperous state in the country in the year 2032. When the Congress government was formed in the state on 11 December 2022, there was an economic crisis in the state at that time. Now there is no economic crisis. There are difficulties in fixing it, but we have to take a decision. Every section of the society will have to be taken along. Now we are moving towards financial discipline.
When the revenue was surplus, why was DA not given: CM
Attacking the opposition, the Chief Minister said that there was a revenue surplus in the years 2018-19 and 2019-20. Despite this, why did the previous government not give DA to the employees and pensioners. Then came the elections. Six months before the elections, you gave free water, free electricity. You gave free electricity and water to hotels paying taxes of Rs 10-10 crore. You opened 600 institutions. They distributed free sweets. Our government is carrying out economic reforms.
Jairam raised the issue of not getting salary and pension
In the end, Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania said that the economic situation will be discussed again in the House on Friday. Before this, Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur raised the issue of non-payment of salary and pension to employees and pensioners under Point of Order in the House. He said that the employees are going through a crisis and are scared. Has the economic crisis become so severe? It has brought tears to the eyes of the people. This should be discussed.
Himachal Pradesh has so much debt
Himachal Pradesh currently has a huge debt of about 94 thousand crores rupees. This financial burden has weakened the financial condition of the state, due to which the state government has to take new loans to repay the old debts. The state government has liabilities of about 10 thousand crores rupees outstanding for employees and pensioners. The government is facing heavy criticism in the event of not being able to pay this amount. There are chances that people may not get salary and pension even today.
Congress had made many big promises to return to power in the 2022 elections. After coming to power, lavish spending is being done on these promises. 40 percent of the Himachal government’s budget is spent on paying salaries and pensions. About 20 percent is spent on paying loans and interest.
Source (PTI) (NDTV) (HINDUSTANTIMES)