Himachal Pradesh faces financial crisis; ministers to forgo salaries for two months

PTC News Desk: On Thursday, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu addressed the state Assembly, announcing that all state ministers, Chief Parliamentary Secretaries (CPS), and Cabinet-rank officials will forgo their salaries for the next two months due to the ongoing financial crisis in the state.

“After a thorough discussion within the Cabinet, we have decided that until the state’s financial situation improves, all Cabinet members, including myself, will not draw any salary, travel allowance (TA), or daily allowance (DA) for two months,” Chief Minister Sukhu stated. He emphasised that while this measure represents only a small fraction of the state’s financial needs, it is intended as a symbolic gesture of solidarity and commitment to addressing the fiscal challenges.

प्रदेश के आर्थिक हितों के लिए हमने एक निर्णायक कदम उठाया है। हमें हमेशा प्रदेश के उज्ज्वल भविष्य को अपने व्यक्तिगत लाभों से पहले रखना होगा।

मुझे पूरा विश्वास है कि आप सभी माननीय जनप्रतिनिधि भी इस पुनीत कार्य में हमारे साथ कदम से कदम मिलाएंगे और स्वेच्छा से अपने वेतन और भत्तों को… pic.twitter.com/C4vwqcLgK2

— Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu (@SukhuSukhvinder) August 29, 2024

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Sukhu also urged all Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) to contribute similarly, suggesting that their collective sacrifice could further demonstrate their commitment to resolving the financial difficulties faced by the state.

In response, the opposition BJP, led by former Chief Minister Jairam Thakur, staged a walkout from the Assembly in protest of Sukhu’s announcement. Thakur criticised the move as insufficient and questioned the effectiveness of the gesture. 

“According to the information I have received, the ministers will merely defer their salaries for two months. This is not a comprehensive solution to the state’s financial crisis. Moreover, the creation of Chief Parliamentary Secretaries (CPS) and the allocation of Cabinet-level positions and benefits to several individuals are not constitutionally mandated, which complicates the matter further,” Thakur remarked.

He added, “I will need to investigate the details of this situation further and discuss it with my fellow MLAs before forming a definitive response.”

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