Sukhu announced the increase while speaking to the media. He said the 5 per cent increase comprises 4 per cent DA for the current year and 1 per cent outstanding DA from the previous year. The government will issue an official notification regarding the decision on Friday.
The Chief Minister also announced additional financial assistance for Class IV employees. Along with the DA increase, these employees will receive ₹10,000 as revision arrears. The amount will be credited directly to their bank accounts on November 1.
Sukhu said the government was implementing expenditure-cutting measures to maintain financial discipline. He acknowledged that such steps could affect certain sections of society but stressed that collective efforts could bring about change. In a lighter remark, he also said that journalists remained unhappy with him. His comment was viewed in the context of cuts in government advertisements to media organisations.
The Chief Minister appealed to legislators, government officials, doctors, engineers and teachers to contribute towards improving the administrative system and the state's financial position.
Responding to opposition allegations that Himachal Pradesh's debt had exceeded ₹1.20 lakh crore, Sukhu disagreed with the claim. He maintained that the state's total debt was currently around ₹99,000 crore.
The Chief Minister also acknowledged the financial pressure caused by the discontinuation of the Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG). He said the government was taking interest-free loans to meet its financial requirements.
Sukhu expressed hope that Himachal Pradesh would become self-reliant in the health and education sectors by 2030. The DA increase, along with the additional payment for Class IV employees, comes as the state government seeks to balance employee benefits with measures aimed at maintaining financial discipline.
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