The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : State Government staff on the centre stage

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Feb 10, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

State Government staff on the centre stage

V. Jayanth

Time running out for announcements

Residents beyond Uthandi on the East Coast Road are planning to seek a reduction in the toll for the ECR because it is "demands season" and the Chief Minister "is in a mood to grant these favours."

VOICE OF DISSENT: Anganwadi workers expressing their dissatisfaction to employees union president K. Suryamurthy at Wednesday's conference. — Photo: V. Ganesan

CHENNAI: As expected, there has been another instalment of announcements in favour of the State Government employees. Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has come out with another package of concessions to the tune of Rs. 1,000 crore to benefit some sections of Government employees. Though the conference was dubbed as one organised by a pro-Government union, the benefits granted apply to all of them.

Wednesday's announcement come on top of a slew of concessions that Ms. Jayalalithaa gave them on January 20 and an earlier but smaller package in the Governor's address to the Assembly on January 13. In just these three packages, the outgo, according to the Government, will be almost Rs. 2,500 crore in a full year.

Spokespersons of Government employees' associations/ unions argue that a majority of the announcements were only "restoration" of benefits and privileges enjoyed by them before 2001. "Using the fiscal crisis, this Government withdrew most of the benefits we enjoyed and banned further recruitment into service," a senior functionary of an employees union explains.

One of the major concessions that the Chief Minister offered was the merger of 50 per cent of the Dearness Allowance with the basic pay. The Government noted that 12.38 lakh of its employees and another 4.37 lakh pensioners would benefit from this move and the individual employee could get anything from a mere Rs. 300 to Rs. 2,000 a month from this merger. Simultaneously, the ban on fresh recruitment was lifted, though the process of recruitment has not been set in motion even to fill up existing vacancies.

In the Governor's address, a four per cent rise in DA was granted, taking the allowance to an all time high of 71 per cent. Even this four per cent revision meant a commitment of Rs. 282 crore to the Government.

But some of these announcements may not meet the demands of all sections of Government employees and this too has caused some disaffection, according to the unions. The Anganwadi workers for instance were so upset that their demands have not been conceded. It is election time and employees, like any other section of the voting population, think it is the right time to voice demands and seek redressal. For instance, residents beyond Uthandi on the East Coast Road are planning to seek a reduction in the toll for the ECR because it is "demands season" and the Chief Minister "is in a mood to grant these favours."

Government employees assume importance for many reasons. They are described "as a functional, influential and useful section." Aside from the fact that many of them will be deployed for election work, the others have the tendency to "spread the message." Comments and views from them could influence voters in their areas. If over 15 lakh employees and teachers are either positively inclined to the Government, or have no ill feelings against it, it could have a positive spin-off on the people, it is felt.

If the ruling party in the State bestows such concessions and benefits, what can the Opposition do? As the Opposition front is part of the ruling coalition at the Centre, the Union Ministers from Tamil Nadu are busy launching new projects and laying foundation stones to many more — at a hectic pace this month. The Prime Minister himself flew down to officiate in a few of these functions.

How long can these announcements continue? The Election Commission has set a window of end-April to early May for the conduct of elections in Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Pondicherry.

Working backwards, the notification can be expected in early April and three weeks before that the Commission may announce the timetable for the whole process.

Till the dates are announced and the model code of conduct comes into force, the announcements and functions can go on, official sources say.

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