Government employees in Himachal Pradesh face salary delay; concerns rise over future

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], September 3 (ANI): Three days have passed, and employees in Himachal Pradesh are still waiting for their salaries, which were due on the scheduled pay date. The delay has left the employees of the Himachal Pradesh Secretariat anxious and has prompted them to draft a letter to the Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary of Finance, demanding the immediate release of their salaries.

The employees argue that the delay is causing financial strain, preventing them from meeting their monthly obligations.

Sanjeev Sharma, President of the Himachal Pradesh Secretariat Employees Association, expressed concern over the unprecedented delay.

“This situation is unprecedented. It has never happened before that employees have received their salaries late. We are writing a letter to the Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary of Finance, requesting them to instruct the concerned banks not to impose any penalties for delayed payments on employee loans this time,” said Sharma.

As of now, it is said that salaries will be released on September 5, but there has been no official communication from the government. “If salaries are not disbursed even on the 5th, the employee union will consider further action,” Sharma added.

He pointed out that the employees have dues to clear, marking this as the first time government employees in the state have not received their salaries on time.

“I was talking to one of the employees–he didn’t have money, neither in the bank nor in cash. This is unfortunate. We are going to write a letter to the Chief Secretary and the Finance Secretary to release our salaries and provide us with an explanation,” Sharma said.

The delay has also severely impacted class IV employees. Tek Ram, leader of the class IV employees at the HP Secretariat, shared the struggles of many who are now facing bounced cheques and penalties.

“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. It is already the 3rd of the month, but despite daily assurances, the money has not yet reached our accounts,” said Tek Ram.

“Usually, we receive our salary on the first of the month. However, since September 1 was a Sunday, we didn’t get paid. We waited on September 2, but even after repeatedly checking ATMs, no salary was credited.

“The situation has deteriorated to the point that the EMIs for those who have taken loans are due, but there is no money in their accounts. Employees might have to pay penalties. Today, the situation is so bad that there is no money left even to buy milk. One of our colleagues, Purna Ram, keeps checking the ATM repeatedly, but there’s still no deposit. He has a loan of 34 lakh rupees, with EMI deducted on the first of every month, but now, because of an empty account, he will also face a penalty,” he added.

Women employees are also anxious about their financial stability and how they will manage household expenses.

Geeta Sharma, a leader among the women employees, voiced these concerns: “If the state government had informed us about this delay in advance, we could have prepared for this situation. Now, with EMIs, children’s school fees, and house rent all due, if salaries are not released even by September 5, the situation will worsen,” said Geeta Sharma.

The drivers of the state government have not received their salaries either and have issued a warning to the government about the serious consequences if the situation isn’t resolved soon.

Amar Singh Verma, President of the HP Secretariat Drivers Association, highlighted this: “We did not receive our salaries on our salary day, and 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 the first date.”

The employees’ frustration is growing as they await the release of their salaries. If the salaries are not disbursed by September 5, the situation could escalate.