Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri on Monday said employees and pensioners of state road transport corporation will get an additional three per cent dearness allowance (DA) after a decision to that effect was passed by the board of directors.

All liabilities of the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) would be settled in a time-bound manner, Agnihotri, who holds the portfolio of the transport department, said in a statement. A notification on the employee's DA was issued on Monday, the statement said.

Agnihotri said about 15,000 employees and pensioners of the corporation will benefit from the decision on DA. With this decision, the employees of the corporation will now get 34 per cent dearness allowance instead of 31 per cent. The allowance will be applicable from April 1, 2023, it said.

An order has also been issued to increase the ex-gratia benefit for HRTC employees who die on duty.?As per the new order, the minimum benefit has been increased from Rs 35,000 to Rs 55,000 and the maximum from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1.5 lakh for regular employees.

Similarly, orders have also been issued to increase this benefit for contract employees i.e minimum benefit has been increased from Rs 20,000 to Rs 35,000 and maximum benefit from Rs 75,000 to Rs one lakh, the statement said.