In a bonanza for Himachal Pradesh government employees, the arrears of their revised pay scales would be paid immediately.

Chief Minister P K Dhumal said today that fifty percent of total arrears amounting Rs 825 crore would be paid in cash while the remaining fifty per cent (Rs 412.50 crore) credited to the GPF.

Presiding over the Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) meeting here, Dhumal said the house rent paid to the employees on slab basis would be doubled while the capital allowance for employees posted in Shimla would be increased from Rs 175 to Rs 275 per month.

He said increment paid to employees for adopting family planning after the birth of two girl children would also be doubled and Employees Welfare Board constituted on priority basis.