Shimla: Around two lakh employees and one and a half lakh pensioners in Himachal Pradesh can now rejoice as the State Government has issued office orders to release a three percent dearness allowance hike. This increase in allowance will raise the current 31 percent to 34 percent and will be payable from January 1, 2022, as per the Himachal Pradesh Civil Services Revised Pay Scale Rules-2022.

The office order, issued by Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena, will be applicable to All India Services, Himachal Pradesh Judicial Services and State Government employees covered under the UGC pay scales of the State Government. This additional dearness allowance will be given in cash along with the salary to be received in May of April 2023.

Moreover, the arrears between January 1, 2022, and March 31, 2023, will be deposited in the GPF account, and interest will be credited to this account from June 1, 2023. Employees who have retired during this time or whose GPF accounts have been closed in the meantime will receive the arrear cash.

Pensioners will also be given additional dearness allowance from January 1, 2022, and will receive it in the salary of April payable in May. In addition, pensioners and family pensioners will receive arrears from January 1, 2022, to March 31, 2023, in a single instalment along with their salary.

This move by the State Government is sure to bring relief to employees and pensioners and help ease their financial burden.