Shimla, Oct 15 (PTI) The Federation of Secretarial Employees’ Unions on Tuesday welcomed the Himachal Pradesh government’s recent decision to release 4 per cent dearness allowance, clear pending medical bills and release salaries and pensions of employees and retirees.
Irked over delay in payment of arrears according to revised payscales and release of dearness allowance (DA) installments, the federation held two general house meetings within three days in August and had threatened to intensify the agitation if their demands were not fulfilled.
Sanjeev Sharma, chairman of the federation, while interacting with mediapersons after the general house meeting on Tuesday, said the union’s main demands have now been fulfilled and it will apprise Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu of the other demands in a meeting later.
On October 11, Sukhu had announced to clear the pending DA of government employees calculated at 4 per cent since January 1, 2023, benefitting around 3.5 lakhs employees and pensioners, and also clear their medical reimbursement bills.
He had also announced to release the state employees’ salaries and pension on October 28 in view of Diwali besides announcing to pay the entire full amount of pending arrears to all the pensioners aged above 75 and Rs 20,000 as installment of arrears to fourth class employees.
According to Sukhu, the payment of DA would put an additional burden of Rs 600 crore per year on the state exchequer.
Sharma said, “The employees understand the financial position of the state and making a provision of Rs 600 crore for the employees is a welcome step.” He said the members of the federation would meet the chief minister and the chief secretary and apprise them of their remaining demands, including payment of DA from July 1, 2022 and clearance of arrears of the 2016 payscale in a phased manner.
“I have been told that someone has filed an application for registration of FIR against the union leaders citing that the speech given by us during the general house on August 23 could have vitiated the atmosphere of the state,” said Sharma, who along with others was issued a memo and privilege motion was initiated against them.
Such actions against employees for raising their concerns were never heard of in the past, he said and added, “I am happy that we have succeeded with the support of the employees and pensioners and our demands have been accepted.” During the general house meeting in August, Sharma had launched a blistering attack on the government for withholding the benefits of the employees and pensioners and indulging in wasteful expenditure.
He had alleged that the government has no paucity of funds for the furnishing and construction of new offices but it has no money to pay to the employees. PTI BPL RPA
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