Himachal Government Holds Pay Grade Change Amidst Protests

The Himachal Pradesh government has paused its decision to withdraw higher pay grades following opposition from employee unions and the BJP. The move impacts approximately 14,000 employees. Chief Minister Sukhu emphasized humane considerations, while BJP criticized the government for cutting salaries. A new announcement freezes the pay revision.

In response to mounting opposition from employee unions and the BJP, the Himachal Pradesh government has announced a pause on its earlier decision to withdraw higher pay grades for employees.

The controversial notification, which affected about 14,000 employees across 89 categories, was originally set to lead to pay losses ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 15,000 per month.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced that the notification to remove Rule 7A from the Himachal Pradesh Civil Services (Revised Pay) Rules, 2022, will be held in abeyance. He highlighted the importance of considering humanitarian factors when amending rules. Meanwhile, the BJP accused the government of deceiving citizens as Himachal became the first state to face salary cuts under a Congress administration. An updated notification now suspends the proposed pay revisions.

(With inputs from agencies.)