Himachal Pradesh Secretariat Employees Protest Over Salary Delays

Employees in Himachal Pradesh face financial strain as salary delays extend past three days. Urgent appeals have been made to the Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary of Finance, seeking immediate relief. Frustration mounts as assurances are not met and further actions are considered.

Employees in Himachal Pradesh are increasingly anxious as three days have passed without their scheduled salaries being disbursed. The delay has prompted workers from the Himachal Pradesh Secretariat to draft a letter to the Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary of Finance, demanding the immediate release of their pay. The affected employees argue that the delay is causing significant financial strain and preventing them from meeting their monthly obligations.

Sanjeev Sharma, President of the Himachal Pradesh Secretariat Employees Association, expressed deep concern over the unprecedented delay. 'This situation is unprecedented. It has never happened before that employees have received their salaries late,' stated Sharma. 'We are writing a letter to the Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary of Finance, requesting them to direct the concerned banks not to impose penalties for delayed payments on employee loans this time.'

While it has been suggested that salaries may be released on September 5, there has been no official confirmation from the government. 'If salaries are not disbursed even on the 5th, the employee union will consider further action,' Sharma added. He noted that this marks the first instance of government employees in the state not receiving their salaries on time, exacerbating their financial hardships.

Tek Ram, a leader among class IV employees at the HP Secretariat, shared the severe impacts on lower-level staff. 'We are completely dependent on our salaries, and I only have 50 rupees left. My pocket and account are both empty. The cheques we issued to pay our EMI for a 35 lakh loan are now bouncing,' Ram reported. 'Usually, we receive our salary on the first of the month. However, since September 1 was a Sunday, we didn't get paid.'

The situation is critical, with employees now facing penalties for overdue EMIs. Purna Ram, another employee, has been checking the ATM repeatedly to no avail, jeopardizing the payment of his 34 lakh rupees loan. Women employees are equally distressed about managing household expenses, with Geeta Sharma pointing out that advance notice could have allowed them to make preparations.

Drivers for the state government have also not been paid and have warned of serious consequences if the issue is not resolved soon. Amar Singh Verma, President of the HP Secretariat Drivers Association, highlighted the gravity: 'We were unprepared for this. We have bank loans and other dues that need to be paid. This is the first time in the history of Himachal that employees have not received their salaries on time.'

As the September 5 deadline approaches, employees are increasingly frustrated and anxious, awaiting the release of their salaries. If the salaries are not disbursed by then, the situation may further escalate.

(With inputs from agencies.)