Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Wednesday, October 15, announced a 3 per cent Dearness Allowance (DA) increase for government employees and pensioners, offering festive relief ahead of Diwali. The announcement was made during the Biennial General Convention of the Himachal Pradesh Electricity Board Employees Union in Shimla and confirmed through Sukhu’s official X (formerly Twitter) account.
कर्मचारियों, अधिकारियों एवं पेंशनर्स को 3% महंगाई भत्ते की अधिसूचना जारी कर दी गई है।
आप सभी कर्मयोगी मेरे लिए केवल व्यवस्था का हिस्सा नहीं हैं, आप हमारा परिवार हैं। आपके परिश्रम और सेवा-भाव ने व्यवस्था को मजबूत आधार दिया है और आपकी ख़ुशहाली हमारी प्राथमिकता है। pic.twitter.com/5XNxXL6Q3x
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— Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu (@SukhuSukhvinder) October 15, 2025
CM says employees are part of ‘one family’
In a post on X, Sukhu wrote in Hindi that the notification for the 3 per cent DA has been issued for employees, officers and pensioners. “You are not merely a part of the system but part of our family,” he said, adding that their hard work and dedication had strengthened the administration, and their welfare remained a government priority.
The DA hike will be credited along with October salaries and pensions, payable in November, according to information shared by the Chief Minister’s Office. Arrears for the period April to September 2025 will also be deposited in employees’ accounts this month, while separate orders will be issued for pending arrears between July 2023 and March 2025.
Addressing the union gathering, Sukhu said the government would examine the possibility of implementing the One Pension Scheme (OPS) after discussions with employee representatives. He acknowledged the significant contribution of workers to the functioning of the state’s electricity sector and called for internal reforms within the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited (HPSEBL). Highlighting the financial strain on the board, the Chief Minister said electricity generation at the Uhl project currently costs Rs 27 per unit, attributing the higher expenses to an imbalance between officers and ground-level employees. He stressed that the government’s priority was to ensure fair treatment and financial security for staff.
The Chief Minister said the state government had released Rs 2,200 crore to ensure that employees of the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited receive their due financial benefits. He added that between 2023 and September 2025, pensioners were paid around Rs 662.81 crore towards gratuity, medical reimbursements, leave encashment and arrears, while another Rs 70 crore would be cleared by the end of this year.
Medical reimbursements have been centralised and are now processed weekly, eliminating backlogs, Sukhu said. He also directed the board to frame a compensation policy for outsourced workers in case of accidents and to clear pending promotions immediately.
The Chief Minister also highlighted improvements in the health sector, including the replacement of 20-year-old medical machinery and the introduction of PET scans, 3-Tesla MRI machines and robotic surgeries at Chamiana Hospital and Tanda Medical College. Around Rs 3,000 crore has been earmarked for modernising medical infrastructure.
