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Himachal Pensioners Meet CM Sukhu; Congress Trains Workers

A delegation of the Himachal Pradesh Pensioners Joint Front met CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to press their demands. CM Sukhu assured them of welfare measures, highlighting OPS reinstatement despite central fund cuts. He noted full arrears for pensioners above 70 and cleared gratuity dues for Class-IV employees. Separately, HPCC President Vinay Kumar announced training programmes for party workers to strengthen grassroots organization.

Key Points: Himachal Pensioners Demand OPS; CM Sukhu Assures Action

  • Pensioners delegation meets CM Sukhu with demand charter
  • CM highlights OPS reinstatement for 1.36 lakh employees
  • Arrears released for pensioners above 70; gratuity dues cleared
  • HPCC chief announces training programmes for party workers
2 min read

Himachal Pradesh Pensioners Joint Front call on CM Sukhu to press their demands

Himachal Pensioners Joint Front meets CM Sukhu with demand charter. CM highlights OPS reinstatement, arrears for pensioners above 70, and cleared gratuity dues.

"The state government has taken numerous welfare measures for employees and pensioners over the past three and a half years, despite financial constraints. - CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu"

Shimla, May 4

A delegation of the Himachal Pradesh Pensioners Joint Front, led by its president Atma Ram, on Monday, met Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to apprise him of their various demands. The delegation also submitted a formal demand charter to the Chief Minister during the meeting.

Assuring the delegations, Chief Minister Sukhu highlighted that the state government has taken numerous welfare measures for employees and pensioners over the past three and a half years, despite financial constraints and the discontinuation of RDG.

The Chief Minister noted that while the state government reinstated the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for 1.36 lakh employees in its first Cabinet meeting, the Union Government has stopped financial assistance of Rs 1,600 crore intended for its implementation.

Sukhu further stated that the state government has released the full arrears arising from the revision of pay scales for pensioners above 70 years of age. He added that the government has also cleared all gratuity and leave encashment dues for Class-IV employees who retired between January 1, 2016, and January 31, 2022.

Panchayati Raj Minister Anirudh Singh, Principal Advisor (Media) to the Chief Minister Naresh Chauhan, and office bearers of the Front were also present on the occasion.

Earlier, the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) President Vinay Kumar on May 1 said the party will organise training programmes for office-bearers at all levels across the state to strengthen organisational capacity and deepen workers' understanding of its ideology and policies.

He said the initiative would also focus on equipping party workers with modern communication strategies, including the effective use of social media and public outreach methods to connect with people. Vinay Kumar said the state unit would fully implement the directions and ideas shared by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi during the recent training programme for district presidents.

Describing the initiative as a "historic step," he said the programme was not merely a formal exercise but a significant effort to strengthen the party at the grassroots level, infusing fresh energy, enthusiasm and a renewed sense of commitment among workers.

The HPCC chief also thanked party office-bearers, organisers and workers for successfully conducting the large-scale training programme involving district presidents from Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir, calling it a reflection of the party's discipline and commitment.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Finally some attention to pensioners! My father is a retired govt employee from Himachal and he has been waiting for his arrears. The CM's assurance is good but the actual implementation needs to speed up. Also, training programs for party workers? That's a different issue altogether.
V
Vikram M
OPS is a good election promise but the financial reality is tough. Centre cutting support for it is typical politics. But the pensioners have genuine issues - they served the state for decades. Hope the government clears all pending dues soon. The training programme for party workers seems like a separate agenda though.
S
Sarah B
Interesting mix of news - pensioners meeting and party training. The pensioners deserve their due, but the state is in a financial mess. Rs 1,600 crore is no small amount. Maybe the CM should push Centre harder rather than just complaining.
R
Rohit P
Pensioners' issues are real but the article also talks about HPCC training programmes. The party is trying to strengthen grassroots but what about the pensioners? Hope the CM delivers on his promises. 👴

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