For the First Time, 2 Lakh Himachal Pradesh Employees and 1.5 Lakh Pensioners Miss Salary and Pension on the 1st Day of the Month

Economic Crisis in the State Leads to Unpaid Wages, Mounting Debt, and Government Struggles

By :  Anirban
Update: 2024-09-03 05:41 GMT

For the first time in the history of Himachal Pradesh, 2 lakh employees and 1.5 lakh pensioners of the state could not get salary and pension on the 1st. This situation has arisen due to the current economic crisis in the state, which is adversely affecting the lives of employees and pensioners.

Himachal Pradesh currently has a huge debt of about Rs 94 thousand crore. This financial burden has weakened the financial condition of the state, due to which the state government has to take new loans to repay old debts. The state government has liabilities of about Rs 10 thousand crore outstanding for employees and pensioners. The government is facing heavy criticism in the event of not being able to pay this amount. People are likely to not get salary-pension even today.

The Congress had made many big promises to return to power in the 2022 elections. After coming to power, reckless expenditure is being made on these promises. 40 percent of the budget of the Himachal government goes to pay salaries and pensions. About 20 percent is spent on paying off loans and interest.

Because of the poor economic condition of Himachal Pradesh, the government has taken a big decision recently. Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu had announced on Thursday that the Chief Minister, Ministers, Chief Parliamentary Secretary and Chairmans of Board Corporations will not take salary and allowances for two months. The Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh had also demanded that all the MLAs to give up salary and allowances for two months.

CM Sukhu says that since the financial condition of the state is not good, he is giving up his and his ministers' salaries and allowances for two months. Chief Minister Sukhu told the MLAs that if possible, adjust for two months. Do not take salary and allowance now.

CM Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu had said recently, 'We have inherited the debt left by the previous BJP government, which is responsible for pushing the state into financial emergency. We have improved revenue receipts. The previous government collected excise revenue of Rs 665 crore in five years and we earned Rs 485 crore in just one year. We are working on it and are committed to improving the financial health of the state.'

- The state has over 1,89,466 pensioners, which is expected to increase to 2,38,827 by 2030-31.

- The central government has reduced the borrowing limit from 5 percent to 3.5 percent, which means the state government will be able to raise only 3.5 percent of the GDP as debt.

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