Himachal sets up panel for pensioners’ demands

Shimla, Dec 21 (IANS) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on Sunday announced a joint consultative committee of the pensioners would be set up within 10 days to look into their financial demands.

He said the state followed the Punjab pattern for extending financial benefits to its employees but it was not binding on Himachal to follow that.

"The state follows its own policies and schemes and it is not necessary that on demand of a few employees associations and bodies it should follow the Punjab pattern," the chief minister said at a silver jubilee convention of the state-level Pensioners Welfare Association in Hamirpur town.

He said the state has extended much more benefits to its employees than to those working in boards and corporation in Punjab.

"Whatever is given by Punjab Pay Commission is followed by the state and it’s not binding on part of the state to follow all other benefits being announced by other administrative setups in Punjab."

But Virbhadra Singh assured the pensioners that the state would look into their demands sympathetically.

Association president Jiwanand Jiwan said the main demands included 25 percent additional pension to those who have completed 80 years of age.