Jairam Thakur, the chief minister of Himachal Pradesh, claimed on Sunday that the government has “cordial connections” with its workers and that most of their concerns have been addressed despite the pandemic, including receiving full pay during COVID.
Thakur referred to the staff as the “backbone” of the state government and claimed that they were crucial in ensuring the “effective” implementation of the state’s policies and programmes as well as that the benefits of development reached the lowest levels of society.
He said that the period for contract employees’ regularisation was shortened from three years to two years, with a one-year relaxation for daily wagers.
According to Thakur, the opposition leaders were deceiving the state’s workforce about the Old Pension Scheme (OPS). He questioned the Congress leaders about the Chief Ministers’ failure to implement OPS in their respective states despite their announcements being made 10 months prior.
When the OPS was finally put into place, he assured them that it would unquestionably happen under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Chief Minister stated that concerns over computer teaching, labour outsourcing, etc. will be taken “sympathetically.”
“The recent formation of the “Himachal Pradesh Kaushal Vikas and Rozgar Nigam Company” by the state government would assure the deployment of skilled, semi-skilled, and other workers in government boards, businesses, universities, and other institutions. The workers will receive much-needed reprieve as a result of this “said he.
“This year’s Independence Day was auspicious since the state administration stated that the first instalment of the revised pay scale’s arrears would be released to employees and pensioners with effect from January 1, 2016. In September of this year, thousands of Himachal Pradesh employees would receive arrears of the amended pay scale, benefiting the state’s 2.25 lakh employees and 1.90 lakh retirees “Takur continued.
He said that a 140 rupee increase was made to the daily labourers’ wages.
“In 2017, the daily wagers received Rs 210, which the current state government increased to Rs 350,” he claimed.
On this occasion, the Chief Minister also performed and released a folk song written by Ramesh Bhardwaj, a local performer.
