The Hindu : Front Page : Pay increase for State employees announced

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Saturday, Aug 16, 2008
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Pay increase for State employees announced

Special Correspondent

It is on the lines of Sixth Pay Commission recommendations

— Photo: V. Ganesan

BRAVERY AWARD: Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi presenting the Kalpana Chawla Award to Kanyakumari District Collector Jothi Nirmala at the Independence Day celebrations in Chennai on Friday. Chief Secretary L.K. Tripathy is standing behind.

CHENNAI: State government employees will get a pay hike on the lines of the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations for the Central government employees, Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi said in his Independence Day speech here on Friday.

He also announced a special timescale pay for 1.3 lakh anganwadi workers, noon-meal cooks and assistants.

“The government will issue necessary orders at the earliest to implement the decision of the Union government regarding the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission for Union government employees to the satisfaction of more than 10 lakh employees of the Government of Tamil Nadu,” the Chief Minister said.

Later, talking to reporters, Chief Secretary L.K. Tripathy said the State government would work out the pay scale after getting the details of the package of the Centre.

Recalling the view of the 1990s that the government staff strength should be cut, Mr. Tripathy said the scope for work in the government sector was increasing. “The expectations of the people are also going up. Earlier, 40,000 deliveries were done in primary health centres. But last year the figure went up to 1.83 lakh,” he said.

The Chief Minister said among the 2.2 lakh noon-meal workers, 1.3 lakh anganwadi workers, noon-meal cooks and cooks’ assistants were working on consolidated pay. “For many years they have been demanding timescale of pay. This government has decided to grant them a separate special timescale of pay,” he said.

Mr. Karunanidhi also announced a pay scale to remove the anomaly in the pay structure of the 90,000 noon-meal workers.

“Among them, a situation exists wherein employees working for more than 25 years are getting the same salary as the new recruits. This government has decided to provide an increment for every 10 years of service and increase the pay based on seniority,” he said.

In addition, he announced a special pension scheme for noon-meal employees. “Due to these decisions, benefiting 2.2 lakh employees, the government will incur an additional recurring expenditure of Rs. 200 crore per year,” he said.

These announcements would come into effect from September 15.

He presented the Kalpana Chawla award to Kanyakumari Collector B. Jothi Nirmala for exhibiting exemplary courage in carrying out her duties.

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