Himachal Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on Sunday announced to constitute Joint Consultative Committee of the pensioners within 10 days.
Expressing concern over the demands pertaining to financial benefits to be extended on Punjab pattern as is desired by maximum employees associations in the State, the Chief Minister said that the State just only follows Punjab pattern for extending financial benefits as per the recommendations of Punjab Pay Commission for its employees and not merely on the decisions of any boards, corporations or administrative units.
While presiding over the Silver Jubilee Convention of the State level Pensioners’ Welfare Association at Hamirpur on Sunday, he said that the State Government follows its own policies and schemes and it was not necessary that on demand of few employees associations and bodies, it follows the Punjab pattern.
He said that the State Government had extended much more benefits to its employees than to those working in boards and corporation in Punjab. The Chief Minister said that whatever is given by Punjab Pay commission is followed by the State and it was not binding on part of the State to follow all other benefits being announced by other administrative set-ups in Punjab.
“Our State employees or few bodies and associations so formed should understand that we are a separate State and abstain from quoting Punjab pattern in every communiqué to the State Government”, he said. He added that whatever financial benefits the committees or few sub committees constituted in Punjab government announces, Himachal is not bound to extend those benefits.
The Chief Minister exhorted to place forth clear and genuine demands when it comes for financial matters. One should never quote the example of Punjab which is also not in good financial health. The State Government was capable enough of adhering to the genuine demands of various associations and employees bodies, he said.
He said that time has come when we should talk of the benefits the Himachal was giving to its employees. Taking a jibe, he said that if Punjab Government makes compulsory to wear a particular dress for its employees, will the employees of the State adhere to this too.
He said that the Government was considerate to all the genuine demands of the pensioners and added that as per the budget assurances the State Government released 5%, 10% and 15% pension allowance to the pensioners aged between 65 to 70 years, 70 to 75 years and 75 years to 80 years respectively from April 1, 2014 which was a long pending demand of the associations.