Senior Himachal Pradesh bureaucrats to lose portion of their salaries from April

Senior Himachal Pradesh bureaucrats are going to get less salary from the month of April, as, in a desperate bid to stem a looming financial crisis, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has taken a major decision to make a 30 percent salary cut for top-ranking bureaucrats in the state, including the Chief Secretary and the DGP. There will be a 20 percent cut for the middle-rung officials as well, apart from others.

The state government issued a notification to temporarily suspend a portion of their salaries for the next six months on Saturday.

According to the notification, issued by Finance Secretary Ashish Singhmar, a monthly amount of Rs 1.10 lakh of the Chief Secretary’s salary, Rs 1.05 lakh of the Additional Chief Secretary’s salary, Rs 97,500 of the Principal Secretary’s, and Rs 60,000 of the Secretary’s salary will be suspended for six months.

This arrangement will be effective from the April salary, which will be received in May.

The 30% deferment will apply to the Chief Secretary, Additional Chief Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, DGP, ADG, Principal Chief Conservator of forests, and Additional Principal Chief Conservator of forests.

Similarly, there will be a 20% cut in the salaries of Secretaries, Heads of Departments (HoD), IGs, DIGs, SSPs, and police officers up to the level of SP, Chief Conservator of forests, Conservator of forests, and other forest officials up to the DFO level.

Just a few days ago, a cut in the salaries of lawmakers had been announced.

Apart from bureaucrats, the state govt has also directed boards, corporations, PSUs, universities, and grant-receiving institutions to implement this decision.

Around 60 department heads and over 200 officers will be affected by the temporary salary freeze.

For employees who are repaying loans, the deferment will be calculated on the pay remaining after the deduction of the loan installment amount, and they will have to submit an undertaking to their drawing and disbursing officers (DDOs).

The state govt is expected to save nearly Rs 1 crore per month through this move.