SHIMLA: The Himachal Pradesh government has announced the deferment of a portion of salaries for its top officials and employees for a period of six months to effectively manage the state’s financial resources. The temporary measure, outlined in a notification issued by the Finance Department, aims to bolster fiscal management during the current financial period.
Information was available with The Chenab Times indicating that the deferment will come into effect from May 2026. This move targets senior officials across various departments, including the bureaucracy and the police force. The notification specifies that the deferred salary components will be clearly reflected in the e-salary system and individual pay slips to ensure complete transparency. Importantly, the deferred amounts will continue to be reckoned for all purposes related to pension benefits, leave encashment, and other entitlements as per existing rules.
Under the new directive, 30 percent of the salary for constitutional office holders such as the chief secretary, additional chief secretaries, principal secretaries, director general of police, additional director general of police, principal chief conservator of forests, and additional principal chief conservator of forests will be deferred. This measure signifies a significant financial adjustment for the highest echelons of the state administration.
Further down the hierarchy, 20 percent of the salary for secretaries, heads of departments, inspector general of police, deputy inspector general of police, superintendents of police, and other police officers up to the SP level will also be deferred. Similarly, forest department officials, including chief conservators, conservators, and officers up to the district forest officer level, will experience a similar salary deferment.
The notification also clarified that statutory deductions, including income tax, contributions towards the National Pension System (NPS), Unified Pension Scheme (UPS), General Provident Fund (GPF), and other fixed deductions, will continue to be regulated based on the full salary amount. This approach is intended to prevent future accounting complications. The calculation for the deferment amount will be based on the net salary after accounting for these mandatory deductions, including loan installments if applicable.
Employees who are actively servicing loan installments can submit an undertaking to their Drawing and Disbursing Officer (DDO). In such cases, the deferment will be calculated on the salary remaining after the deduction of the loan installment amount. This provision aims to offer some relief to employees with financial obligations.
The government’s decision extends to autonomous bodies and state-funded entities as well. Boards, corporations, public sector undertakings (PSUs), autonomous bodies, universities, and other major societies that receive grant-in-aid or any form of budgetary support from the state government are expected to adopt this salary deferment policy in line with the government’s directive. This widespread application underscores the government’s intent to collectively manage its financial resources.
The notification emphasized that this measure is temporary in nature and is being implemented as a collective effort to ensure efficient financial resource management. The deferred portion of the salaries will not be treated as a deduction from the employee’s overall earnings and is slated for release at a later date, contingent upon the state government’s financial position. This provides assurance that the deferred amounts are not permanently withheld.
The announcement follows Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s budget presentation for the financial year 2026-27, during which he had declared plans to defer salaries for the chief minister, ministers, and Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs). The state government had previously announced the deferment of 50 percent of the Chief Minister’s salary, 30 percent of cabinet ministers’ salaries, and 20 percent of MLAs’ salaries for a period of six months.
The Chenab Times News Desk