Shimla, Oct. 23 -- Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday announced a 5 per cent Dearness Allowance (DA) instalment for state government employees ahead of Diwali, along with an additional payment of Rs 10,000 for Class-IV employees.

Addressing the state's financial situation, CM Sukhu said the discontinuation of the Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG) had raised concerns over the payment of salaries and pensions. However, he maintained that the government was moving towards self-reliance through fiscal discipline and financial prudence.

"When the Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG) was discontinued, many feared that salaries and pensions would also stop. Had our RDG not been cut by 10,000 crore rupees, we would have already a...