Shimla, Apr 9 (PTI) Irked over the delay in payment of arrears of revised pension, the pensioners of the Himachal Pradesh Government on Wednesday threatened to hold protests across the state.

There are about 1.95 lakh pensioners, and state chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has repeatedly said that the previous BJP government left liabilities amounting to Rs 11,000 crore on account of arrears of revised pay of employees and pension, said Atma Ram Sharma, president, Himachal Pensioners Welfare Association.

Out of this, the liability of about Rs 3000 to 4000 crore pertains to pensioners who retired between 2016 and 2022, which is still pending, Sharma said while addressing the reporters here.

The Sixth Punjab Pay Commission (applicable to Himachal), though implemented in the latter half of 2022, came into effect on January 1, 2016.

Under this commission, arrears of pensioners over 75 years have been paid. Additionally, the government has announced that it will pay the arrears to pensioners aged 70-75 years and some other categories, Sharma explained. However, those who retired between 2016 and 2022 are yet to be given the arrears. PTI BPL AMJ AMJ AMJ