Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Chandy flays Opposition stand on pay revision

Special Correspondent

Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has come down heavily on the Opposition LDF for its non-cooperation in getting the full pay revision package implemented.

Addressing a press conference here on Friday, Mr. Chandy said the Opposition LDF had thrown road blocks even when the subject came up in the Assembly in the form of a resolution. The Opposition rejected certain provisions relating to additional benefits for the employees under the pay panel recommendations. Following this, the Government agreed to delete the contentious portions in the interest of getting the resolution passed unanimously.

Mr. Chandy said the Opposition had constantly blocked the Government's efforts to clear the road blocks in implementing the package. Leader of the Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan did not accompany Finance Minister Vakkom Purushothaman when the latter presented the State's case before the Election Commission. In reply to a question, the Chief Minister said he was given to understand that the Opposition Leader was bound by his party's stand on the whole issue.

The Chief Minister said that the pay revision package had certain landmarks, including the decision on `one rank one pension', an issue that had been hanging fire for quite a long time. Pensioners stand to gain a lot from the recommendation with the minimum pension going up by Rs.429, up from the current Rs. 2091 to Rs. 2520.

KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala said that the High Court verdict on the pay revision package was yet another of the success story of the Chandy Government.

He accused the CPI M) and its service organisations of betraying Government employees and teachers.

Kerala Congress (M) leader K.M. Mani said that the verdict on the pay revision was the reward for the UDF Government's firm commitment to implementing its promise.

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