Himachal Govt should make lump sum payment of financial benefits to pensioners : Ravidatt Bhardwaj

Thousands of pensioners, who are in the fourth and final stages of their lives, have been subjected to a grave injustice by the Sukhu government of the state, and countless pensioners have died while waiting for the arrears of the Sixth Pay Commission and other benefits including revised gratuity and commutation.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Himachal Pradesh Pensioners’ United Front spokesperson Ravi Dutt Bhardwaj said that the injustice being done to pensioners will not be tolerated under any circumstances, and a public movement will be launched against the state government. He said that on October 14th, the Pensioners’ United Front will submit a memorandum to the Chief Minister through the Deputy Commissioners at all district headquarters across the state. They will request a one-time payment of the Sixth Pay Commission’s pending arrears, revised gratuity, commutation, and other benefits to employees who retired between January 1, 2016, and January 31, 2022. Additionally, they will demand the release of 16 percent of the dearness allowance, along with arrears, and the payment of pending medical bills. Furthermore, they will demand a reduction in the commutation period from 15 years to 13 years and a timely resolution of pending pension cases in the Accountant General’s office.
Ravi Dutt Bhardwaj said that in his budget speech, the Chief Minister had promised to release the 3% DA installment after May 15, 2025. However, to date, the government has not provided even a single penny to employees and pensioners. Thus, the DA amount has increased to 16%, but the government is remaining a mute spectator to the pending financial matters of pensioners. He said that Electricity Board and HRTC pensioners are facing financial hardship due to the lack of timely pension payments.
Spokesperson Ravi Dutt Bhardwaj, while reminding the present government, said that on assuming power, CM Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu had said that the employees and pensioners would have to wait for two years for the arrears of their benefits, after which all the pending financial matters of the pensioners would be cleared, but three years of the present government are about to complete but the government has shown a toy to the pensioners in the name of arrears.