Himachal creates record by retiring over 6,000 government employees in one go today

Dharamsala, March 31, 2015: In the small state of Himachal Pradesh it has become a record when over 6,000 government employees are being retired together on a single day today. This history was created in Himachal Pradesh,  after the state government refused to give service extension to employees from March 31 onwards, which was earlier given to all employees  in May last year, to avail one year extension in service after reaching the superannuation age of 58 years. Now after deciding to retire all pending cases, the state government would have to spend around Rs 700 crore to pay arrears and other retirement benefits of these employees.

In one information about these employees CM Vir Bhadra Singh told reporters other day, "The government paid Rs. 6.93 crore in monthly salaries and allowances. Rs. 3,46,37,418 was paid as salaries while Rs. 3,47,15,779 was paid as allowances. In 254 cases a house or apartment was allotted to employees whose services were extended, while no such benefit was provided in the rest 1,362 cases." The government also informed that the maximum extensions were given to employees of the Elementary Education Department (274) followed by the Public Works Department (237) and the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board (209).

Sources say that major portion (around 2500), of this retiring   batch of the employees is from the State Education Department, which also includes two directors of this large department of the state. Around 41 employees and officers of the state secretariat too are retiring today. Sources said that PWD, Irrigation and Public Health Department and Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited too would witness around 3,500 of its employees retiring while Himachal Pradesh University will also say goodbye to a large number of its employees on Tuesday.

Sources that there are already 8757 various posts lying vacant in education department in the state, followed by 8000 in electricity board, 3947 in health, 2640 in police, 1141 in IPH, 1040 in technical education , 846 in forest department and so on. After this big bunch of the retired employees most of the departments shall face problems due to more vacant seats in the working areas as the government shall take lot of time to fill these vacancies due to number of official formalities.

SK Sharma a senior officer of the state  administration said that due to the service extension policy of the state government,  350 employees who were deprived of promotional benefits would not retire on 31st March, instead shall retire  on April 16 after getting due promotions.

The decision of the government not to extend the services of retired employees from March 31 onwards has left many stunned as majority of employees had not prepared their retirement documents as they were expecting extension in their service.

In Himachal Pradesh retirement age of government employees is 58 years but last year the state government had mooted a policy of voluntary extension of one year in service. Sources said that implementation of recommendations made by the 14th Finance Commission has boosted the financial condition of the state and around Rs 8,000 crore financial assistance is expected from the Centre in one go, after which government has taken the decision of not to extend services of retiring employees.