DW BUREAU / Shimla

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Saturday said the profit-making boards and corporations in Himachal Pradesh have been asked to release dearness allowances and other arrears of their employees. Sukhu's announcement came after his interaction with delegations of various associations of non-gazetted employees and teachers who called on the chief minister to apprise him of their demands, a statement issued here said.

He also told the unions' representatives that the state government will release dearness allowances (DA) and other employee benefits once the financial condition of the state improves, according to the release.

He assured them that he would review the financial position of the state within a month, following which a meeting would be held with them in September end, it added.

Representatives of three unions -- Himachal Pradesh Non-Gazetted Employees Association, Himachal Pradesh Non-Gazetted Employees Services Association, and Teachers' Association met the chief minister.

The chief minister said the previous BJP government in the state had freezed the DA installments for the employees, while the present government has released 7 per cent DA to the employees. Besides, entire arrears are being paid to the pensioners above the age of 75 years, he added.

He said Rs 9,200 crore of National Pension Scheme (NPS) funds are stuck with the Centre and the present state government has also inherited employees' liabilities to the tune of Rs 10,000 crore from the previous dispensation.

The chief minister also pointed out that the BJP-led Centre has imposed various restrictions on the Himachal Pradesh government for reinstatement of the Old Pension Scheme. The loan limit has been fixed at Rs 6,600 crore and revenue deficit grant of Rs 3,500 crore will be received for the next financial year, which is Rs 7,000 crore less than what the previous BJP government received during its regime, he added.
(editor@dailyworld.in)