A day after assuming charge, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Thursday announced three per cent dearness allowance for the state government employees.The new dearness allowance rates will be implemented with retrospective effect from July 1.He said similar percentage of dearness relief would also be paid to the state pensioners.The total financial implication for the state exchequer will be around Rs 180 crore per annum.Addressing a function organised here by five secretariat employees' union to honour him, Thakur said the government was committed to the welfare of the employees as they played a pivotal role in implementing government policies and programmes."We have always maintained cordial relations with the employees and I wish the tradition will continue in the future as well," he said.