Sanjay Awasthy Welcomes 5% DA Ahead of Diwali

MLA Sanjay Awasthy expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and the state government for releasing 5 per cent Dearness Allowance (DA) to government employees ahead of Diwali. He said the decision reflected the government’s commitment to employee welfare and financial security.

Awasthy said the Congress government had demonstrated this commitment soon after assuming office by restoring the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) in its first Cabinet meeting. He maintained that despite reduced financial assistance from the Centre and various restrictions, the state government continued to safeguard employees’ interests.

Criticising the previous BJP government, Awasthy said it had rejected employees’ demand for OPS restoration. He recalled that former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur had asked employees seeking OPS to contest elections and alleged that employees had faced humiliating situations during programmes such as Jan Manch.

Awasthy said restoring the OPS was not about political gains but about providing employees with financial security and dignity after retirement. Employees devote a significant part of their lives to serving the state, he said, adding that protecting their future was the government’s responsibility.

He further claimed that following the restoration of OPS, Himachal Pradesh had lost around ₹1,600 crore in financial assistance from the Centre and was also facing pressure to implement the Unified Pension Scheme.

“The Chief Minister will continue to uphold his commitment to the OPS, keeping employees’ interests and their dignified future a priority,” Awasthy said.

He reiterated that the government remained committed to protecting the social and economic interests of its employees, describing the release of DA ahead of Diwali as another step in that direction.

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