Shimla, Nov 27 (IANS): Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Saturday announced a new pay scale for government employees with effect from January 2016.

Addressing the Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) of the Himachal Pradesh Non-Gazetted Employees Federation here, the Chief Minister said that all pensioners and family pensioners would also be given the revised pension and other pensionary benefits with effect from January 2016.

The dearness allowance and dearness relief would be given on the revised pay scales.

He said the revised pay scales and pension would put an additional burden of Rs 6,000 crore annually on the state's exchequer.

Thakur also announced the implementation of the new pension system from May 15, 2003, according to the office memorandum of May 5, 2009, of the Central government to the employees of the state. This would put an additional burden of about Rs 250 crore on the state.

The Chief Minister also announced reduction in the period of contractual employees of the government for their regularisation of services from three years to two years.

He then announced the release of additional Rs 10 crore for the clearance of pending medical reimbursement bills.

Thakur said the state government is spending about 43 per cent of its total budget on employees and pensioners, which would increase up to 50 per cent after the implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission.

In the last four years, the state has enhanced the DA for its employees and pensioners by 22 per cent, besides providing financial benefits of Rs 1,320 crore to them.