10 Himachal employee leaders slapped show-cause notices for challenging Sukhu govt over pending DA, arrears
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The tension between the Himachal Pradesh government and its employees has escalated as the government has issued show-cause notices to 10 prominent employee leaders for challenging the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu regime over pending dearness allowance (DA) and arrears.
The notices were served after leaders of the Himachal Pradesh Secretariat Service Federation, representing five employee organisations, staged a protest against the government’s failure to address their demands.
The unrest began on Independence Day when Chief Minister Sukhu, during the state-level celebration in Dehra, did not make any announcements regarding the payment of the long-pending DA or the revised arrears under the Sixth Pay Commission. This sparked anger among government employees, who had anticipated some relief.
In response, five employee organisations under the Secretariat Service Federation convened a general house meeting at the Secretariat premises, where they expressed their frustration and demanded immediate payment of the pending dues. The employees even issued a one-day ultimatum on the government to initiate talks.
Also Read: https://thenewzradar.com/himachal-govt-to-provide-jobs-on-compassionate-grounds-within-9-months-new-policy-to-be-formed/
However, instead of engaging in dialogue, Cabinet Minister Rajesh Dharmani issued a statement criticising the employees, which further inflamed the situation. On August 23, the employee leaders reconvened, venting their anger at Dharmani.
The government’s decision to issue show cause notices to 10 leaders, including the presidents and general secretaries of the five employee organisations, has only deepened the rift. The notices accuse the leaders of delivering inflammatory speeches during their protest.
Source of discontent
Government employees had hoped for an announcement regarding a 4% DA hike and payment of overdue arrears. Instead, the Chief Minister only addressed the issue of arrears for pensioners over 75, promising to pay DA and arrears to other employees gradually from next year.
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This has left thousands of government employees feeling betrayed, particularly as they are still awaiting three instalments of DA — dating back to January 1, 2023, July 1, 2023, and January 1, 2024. The fourth instalment is now due from July 1, 2024. While the Central government has already released these instalments to its employees, the Himachal government is yet to follow suit.
Adding to the frustration, the government’s earlier notification to pay revised pay scale arrears at a meagre rate of 0.025% was widely rejected by employees, forcing the government to withdraw the notification.
Employees to continue protest
In response to the government’s actions, employees have vowed to continue their protest. Beginning Wednesday, they will wear black badges while at work as a symbol of their dissatisfaction. Sanjeev Sharma, chairman of the Secretariat Service Federation, stated, “The government has issued show-cause notices to 10 employee leaders. We will now strategise our next steps. Our protest will continue until our demands are met.”
