It’s raining appraisals! Government employees, pensioners in These states to get a massive hike

Amid a crisis, government employees of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh have a reason to cheer up, as they are all set to get a bumper amount of money in the month of May. Punjab and Himachal Pradesh state governments are distributing the 6th Pay Commission gift to their employees. 

Overall, seven lakh employees in these two states will benefit from the rollout. The Punjab government is implementing the new pay scale from May 1 for all its employees. The neighbouring state of Himachal Pradesh has also selected the same date to give a raise to its lakhs of employees. 

The state governments are increasing the state's share of basic salary, dearness allowance and NPA from 10% to 14% under the new pension scheme. More than 3.25 lakh government employees and over 3 lakh pensioners in Punjab will now get more money in hand. Meanwhile, 2.5 lakh state government employees in Himachal Pradesh will also get an increased salary or pension from May 2021. 

Punjab had constituted a panel for the 6th Pay Commission in the state in 2016. The committee’s report, which hasn’t released yet, will decide the hike in the salaries of the employees in Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. 

Punjab has anyway decided to implement the 6th pay commission. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur said that since Punjab is implementing the new pay commission, the Himachal Pradesh government will also implement it in the state. It is important to note that the Himachal Pradesh government follows the policies of Punjab, most likely because the hilly state was once a part of Punjab. 

Besides increasing employee’s salary, the governments have hiked the retirement and gratuity for the employees who retired between 2003-2007 under the new pension scheme. Overall, benefits worth Rs 100 crore will be granted to employees.