Himachal Pradesh government employees finally received their salaries on Thursday after a five-day delay, a situation Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu attributed to the state’s financial difficulties. Sukhu explained on Wednesday that the delay was a result of “financial prudence, a financial discipline,” emphasizing that early salary disbursement costs the state Rs 3 crores monthly due to a 7.5% interest loan. “Our government is working towards financial reforms with the intent to streamline this process,” Sukhu stated.
The Chief Minister further elaborated that the government is focusing on reforms to establish financial discipline and make Himachal a self-reliant state. “We have crossed the stage of economic crisis and are now working on reforms to ensure financial discipline,” he said in response to complaints from government employees who were struggling with delayed salaries.
Employees, who usually receive their pay on the first of every month, expressed their frustration with the unprecedented situation. Himachal Pradesh Secretariat Employees Association chairman Sanjeev Sharma mentioned, “We are writing a letter to the chief secretary and principal secretary of finance, requesting them to instruct the concerned banks not to impose any penalties for delayed payments on employee loans this time.”
Meanwhile, Jai Ram Thakur, the Leader of the Opposition in the assembly, criticized the delay, claiming it might be the first time in the state’s history that such an issue has occurred. He suggested this reflects a severe financial crisis in the state, noting that Sukhu’s statements have been inconsistent—sometimes acknowledging a financial crisis and other times denying it.
