The pension allowance, which is presently being provided to the pensioners at the ages of 65, 70, and 75, would now be given on the revised pension. This would provide financial benefits worth Rs. 130 crore annually to the pensioners. This was stated by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur while presiding over the Joint Consultative Committee for Pensioners of the State held here on Wednesday.
Jai Ram Thakur announced that the revision of pension and family pension of pre-2016 pensioners and family pension at the rates of 50 percent and 30 percent of the notionally revised pay in levels of the Pay Matrix with effect from 01.01.2016 and the Finance Department would soon issue orders in this respect.
He announced that pensioners would be issued identity cards at the earliest and announced Rs. 25 crores for the payment of medical reimbursement bills. The Chief Minister said that there were 2,40,640 employees and 1,90,000 pensioners in the government and PSUs in the state and they were being provided all their dues well in time.
He said that the pension and family pensions and other retirement benefits of the pensioners were revised with effect from 1 January 2016. He said that the minimum pension and family pension were revised from Rs. 3500 to Rs. 9000 per month w.e.f. 1 January 2016. He stated that the maximum gratuity limit was increased from Rs. 10 lakh to Rs. 20 lakh, and interim relief at the rates of 8% and 4% was granted with effect from January 1, 2016 to July 1, 2018.He said that the daily allowance of the employees and pensioners was enhanced from time to time. He stated that after the pay scale was revised on January 1, 2016, Dearness Relief for pensioners was increased from 17 percent to 31 percent effective July 1, 2021.
Ghanshyam Sharma, Vice Chairman, H.P. Employees and Pensioners Welfare Board, welcomed the Chief Minister and thanked him for holding the JCC meeting to ponder over various issues affecting the pensioners of the State. He also thanked the Chief Minister that, despite the pandemic, the employees and pensioners got their dues well on time. He said that credit for this goes to the effective management by the Chief Minister and his team of officers.