CM Sukhu announces 5 pc DA hike for staff, pensioners

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Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday announced a 5 percent dearness allowance (DA) hike for state government employees and pensioners ahead of Diwali. The announcement says the increased allowance will be paid with the salary due on the first of the month.

The Chief Minister also announced an additional Rs 10,000 instalment from pending arrears for Class-IV employees, providing further financial relief to the category.

Addressing a press conference at the Secretariat in Shimla, CM Sukhu outlined his government’s healthcare plans, defended its handling of state finances and responded to allegations raised by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Healthcare development

CM Sukhu said his government aimed to make Himachal Pradesh the country’s leading state in healthcare by 2030. He said that when the government took office, it needed 100 doctors, but only 35 were working.

He added that the state replaced several-year-old MRI and X-ray machines. Robotic surgery had also been introduced at Rs 30,000, while the state planned an automation laboratory costing Rs 28 crore to Rs 30 crore.

The Chief Minister described these measures as administrative changes that, he claimed, the previous BJP government had failed to implement.

State finances and debt

On the state’s economic position, CM Sukhu said the discontinuation of GST compensation and Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG) support by the Centre had reduced the state’s budget by 40 percent, bringing it down to Rs 54,000 crore.

He said the government was moving towards self-reliance through difficult decisions. He added that revenue from winning the Wildflower Hall case and auctioning liquor vends had generated Rs 400 crore.

CM Sukhu said the BJP government had left a debt of Rs 76,633 crore in 2023. His government had borrowed Rs 37,718 crore so far, taking the total debt to Rs 99,564 crore, he said.

He accused former chief minister Jai Ram Thakur of presenting incorrect figures, claiming the debt stood at Rs 1.2 lakh crore.

Political response

Responding to the BJP’s claim that it would return to power with a two-thirds majority in the 2027 elections, CM Sukhu said voters would decide the outcome. He also alleged that the BJP was divided into five factions and that its Delhi leadership was unhappy with the situation.