Kerala Pay Revision by next year, says Chief Minister.

Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan has said that the proposed revision of pay scales of government employees and teachers will be implemented next year.

The Chief Minister was talking to the media after discussions on pay revision with the organisations of employees and teachers here on Friday.

Mr. Achuthanandan said the government stood by the principle of pay revision every five years. That would mean that the revision would have effect from July 7, 2009.

He said the organisations which had participated in the discussions had expressed divergent views on pay revision and appointment of commission to recommend the pay scales. The Cabinet would decide on the constitution and terms of reference of the commission after considering all the views.

Asked about the demand of employees for interim relief, Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac said the question did not arise now as the arrears in dearness allowance had been cleared. The union affiliated to the State Employees and Teachers Organisation and other pro-United Democratic Front unions boycotted the fag end of the discussion protesting against the refusal of the government to grant interim relief and promise parity with Central scales.

While they called for a protest march to the Secretariat on December 17, the pro-Left Democratic Front Joint Council withdrew the march planned by it, welcoming the decision to appoint pay revision commission.

The unions briefly staged demonstrations at the venue of the discussions in favour and against the stand taken by the government.

Source : The Hindu.