Himachal Government backtracks, revokes order on withdrawal of higher grade pay

The state government today put on hold its order regarding the withdrawal of the higher grade pay, as the decision had caused widespread resentment among employees.

“The order issued in this regard on September 6 will be held in abeyance on administrative grounds till further directives,” a notification issued by Principal Secretary (Finance) Devesh Kumar today stated. However, the notification was not withdrawn as it could be done after the Cabinet approval.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that a clarification would be made as a wrong rider was mentioned so that there was no cut in the salary of any employee. “What has been given to the employees will not be taken back and an amendment will be made to the order issued earlier,” he added while talking to mediapersons here. Several employee associations met him today and urged him to withdraw the order.

Sukhu, however, clarified that the enhanced grade pay in the form of additional increment would not be given to those who would be recruited in future. Sukhu sensed anger among the employees over the withdrawal of the higher grade pay that the previous BJP government had given and assured various unions that its notification would also be withdrawn.

He said that the welfare of employees was the top priority of the government and such an order was not justified. He added that while amending rules, humanitarian concerns must always be kept in mind.

On September 6, the Finance Department had issued a notification regarding the withdrawal of the higher grade pay that the previous BJP had given to the employees on January 3, 2022, in the run up to the Assembly elections. BJP leaders had also hit out at the government for withdrawing benefits given to the employees by their government.

The earlier notification regarding the higher grade pay was to become effective from January 3, 2022, but protection was granted to employees, who had already got the benefit in the past two and a half years, against recovery for overpayment after the fixation of new salaries.