Himachal CM Sukhu Announces 3% Dearness Allowance for Employees and Pensioners

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Wednesday announced a 3% Dearness Allowance (DA) for state government employees and pensioners. The revised DA will be credited along with the October salary and pension, payable in November.

He further said that arrears for the period from April to September 2025 will also be deposited in employees’ bank accounts in October, while separate orders will be issued for the pending payments from July 2023 to March 2025.

According to an official statement issued here, the announcement was made during the inaugural session of the biennial general convention of the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Employees’ (HPSEB) Union held in Shimla.

The Chief Minister said the government would consider providing One Pension Scheme (OPS) benefits to employees after consultation with union leaders. He also underlined the need for reforms in the Electricity Board, emphasizing that its success depends largely on the cooperation of its workforce.

The government, Sukhu said, has released ₹2,200 crore to ensure financial benefits for HPSEBL employees. Between 2023 and September 2025, pensioners have received ₹662.81 crore towards gratuity, medical reimbursement, leave encashment, and pension arrears, with an additional ₹70 crore to be disbursed by the end of this year. He added that medical reimbursements have now been centralized and are released weekly without any backlog.

The Chief Minister also directed the Board to formulate a compensation policy for outsourced employees in case of accidents and to expedite pending promotions.

Sukhu alleged that despite the state introducing OPS for employees, the central government—under pressure from BJP leaders—had blocked additional borrowing, urging it to reconsider its stance. He acknowledged the financial challenges expected over the next few months but expressed confidence that the state’s economy would recover swiftly.

Criticizing the previous BJP government for fiscal mismanagement, Sukhu said the present administration had inherited a debt burden of ₹75,000 crore and employee liabilities amounting to ₹10,000 crore. “If employees are not receiving their benefits on time today,” he said, “the current government is not to blame. No one in the past made a genuine effort to make Himachal self-reliant.”

During the event, the Chief Minister also released the union’s souvenir publication.