Uproar in Himachal Assembly Over Pending 11% DA; Opposition Stages Walkout
Opposition walks out of the House
Shimla, August 21
A heated debate broke out in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly on Friday over the issue of pending Dearness Allowance (DA) for government employees and officials. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu clarified that the delay was due to the state’s strained financial condition but assured that the pending DA would be released as soon as the situation improves. The Opposition, however, questioned his earlier announcement during the Budget Session in May and accused the government of going back on its promises to employees.
Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister Jairam Thakur, along with BJP MLAs Satpal Singh Satti and Vikram Thakur, strongly criticized the government. The session turned tense amid slogans and protests from Opposition members, eventually leading to a walkout.
During Question Hour, BJP MLA Satpal Singh Satti asked when the state planned to release the three pending DA installments, totaling 11%, due between July 2023 and January 2024 for employees across various departments.
Responding, CM Sukhu said that releasing DA was the government’s responsibility, but the current financial constraints made it difficult. He explained that the implementation of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) had reduced the central government’s grant to the state. While the previous government used to receive up to ₹10,000 crore as revenue deficit grant, this amount has now dropped to just ₹3,200 crore. Consequently, DA installments had to be withheld, though he assured that they would be released soon.
BJP MLA Vikram Thakur accused the Chief Minister of misleading employees by announcing in his Budget speech that DA would be released by May. Jairam Thakur added that Congress had come to power largely due to employee discontent with the previous government, and it was now their responsibility to fulfill those expectations. He further questioned the government’s commitment to its workforce and demanded clarity on when the pending DA would be paid.
In reply, CM Sukhu asserted that it was with the support of employees that his government came to power, and that it had already cleared several DA installments left pending by the previous administration. He reiterated that due to OPS, the state had been deprived of nearly ₹4,800 crore in central grants, worsening the financial crunch. Despite this, the government was releasing DA installments in a phased manner and would ensure full payment soon.
The Opposition, however, continued their slogan-shouting, and despite repeated requests from the Speaker, staged a walkout. Proceedings continued after their departure, and Question Hour concluded as scheduled.
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