SHIMLA, March 17: The Himachal Pradesh government has withdrawn the cabinet-rank status of all advisors to the Chief Minister and heads of state boards and corporations to curb non-essential expenditure. The General Administration Department issued the directive on Tuesday, which also includes an immediate 20 percent reduction in salaries and emoluments for these officials, effective through September 30, 2026.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu stated that the move is a necessary response to the discontinuation of the annual Revenue Deficit Grant, which has left the state facing a potential ₹10,000 crore revenue gap. The decision affects more than a dozen high-profile political appointees who previously enjoyed benefits such as official vehicles, security protocols, and staff entitlements.
“We want to make Himachal self-reliant,” Sukhu asserted while addressing the media in Shimla. He maintained that given the current financial constraints, the state must push through structural reforms to ensure fiscal sustainability.
The Chief Minister noted that the upcoming 2026-27 budget will reflect this shift toward austerity. He affirmed that while political appointees are seeing a reduction in privileges, the government remains committed to protecting funding for essential sectors like education and health. Sukhu also declared that this measure is merely the beginning of a broader strategy to rationalize state spending.
