The Himachal Pradesh government has withdrawn a 2022 notification that provided higher pay grades to thousands of employees, leading to fresh salary determinations that could reduce monthly wages by ₹10,000-15,000 for affected staff across 89 categories.
Principal Secretary Finance Devesh Kumar has issued the Himachal Pradesh Civil Services Revised Pay Second Amendment Rules 2025, effectively removing Rule 7(A) from the 2022 amendment that allowed higher pay grades after two years of service. The withdrawal is deemed effective from January 3, 2022, meaning salaries will be recalculated as if the enhanced provision never existed.
The 2022 notification had increased salaries for several employee categories by ₹10,000-15,000 per month, but the latest amendment reverses these gains. However, the government has clarified that no recovery will be made from employees for amounts already paid under the previous notification.
Affected employee categories
The salary revision impacts a wide range of government positions including clerks, junior office assistants (IT), junior technicians, drivers across various departments, draftsmen, chargemen, foremen, Class IV employees, stenographers, accountants, agriculture extension officers, teachers (JBT, PGT, lecturers), nurses, pharmacists, forest guards, excise inspectors, and various technical staff.
Employee unions plan protest
Following the notification, the Himachal Pradesh Secretariat Services Employees Organization held an emergency meeting under President Sanjeev Sharma. The organization, representing secretariat employees, decided to meet with the Chief Minister, Chief Secretary, and Principal Secretary Finance on September 8.
“Departments have been instructed to redetermine salaries of these employees, resulting in a financial loss of ₹10,000 to ₹15,000 per month for each affected employee,” Sharma stated. The organization will request immediate withdrawal of the notification to prevent financial hardship for employees.
Reemployment restrictions introduced
In a separate development, the state government has imposed new restrictions on reemployment of retired government employees, limiting such appointments to a maximum of one year. The policy will apply only to specialized services and consultancy positions.
Under the new guidelines:
- Reemployed personnel will not receive medical facilities (as retired employees already have such benefits)
- They cannot retain government accommodation unless specifically provided in housing allocation rules
- Several reemployed employees will see their services terminated once their one-year tenure expires
Financial implications
The withdrawal of enhanced pay provisions reflects the state government’s efforts to manage fiscal pressures amid ongoing economic challenges. The move affects thousands of employees across multiple departments and could significantly impact household budgets of government staff who had been receiving higher salaries since 2022.
The employee organizations’ meeting with senior government officials on September 8 will be crucial in determining whether the government reconsiders this decision or provides alternative compensation mechanisms for affected staff.
