CM announces enhancement in tribal, winter allowances

Shimla, May 16 (UNI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today announced enhancement in the tribal and winter allowances from Rs 100 to Rs 200 per month, besides enhancement of upper loan limit.

Addressing the Joint Consultative Committee meeting of the HP Non-Gazetted Services Federation here, he also announced enhancement of upper house loan limit on the basis of the basic pay and dearness pay of an employee.

Mr Singh said his government had been considerate towards the genuine demands of its employees and had been adopting liberal attitude in providing financial benefits due to them.

Himachal was the first state in the country among Special Category States that had announced the 50 per cent merger of DA with basic pay, which had provided them financial benefits of about Rs.

300 crore, he said.

He said dearness allowance had also been increased to 21 per cent and all installments due up to December 2005 had been released, while the arrears have been paid in cash. Financial benefits of Rs 540 crore had been provided to the employees of the state during last three years, he added.

The Chief Minister said his government had also implemented the recommendations of the Fifth Pay Commission, which had provided financial benefits of about Rs 840 crore to the employees.

The state government had regularized the services of 42,527 daily workers, work charged and contractual employees who had completed eight years of service in different departments.

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