Karnataka set up panel to revise pay of State government staff

Five-member committee given nine months to submit report 

The pay revision exercise will cover about 11 lakh employees
Salaries of State government staff were last revised in 2006
There is some good news for State Government employees as the government has constituted a five-member Official Pay Committee on Wednesday for revising their pay scales.

The committee headed by senior bureaucrat and Bangalore Metropolitan Regional Development Authority Chairman Subir Hari Singh has been given nine months time for submitting its report to the government.

According to a notification issued on June 15, the committee comprises Principal Secretary to Finance L.V. Nagarajan, Principal Secretary to Public Works Department Subhash Chandra Kuntia and Secretary to Finance Department Anil Kumar Jha as members, while retired bureaucrat H. Shashidhar has been appointed its secretary.

Announcing the formation of such a committee at a press conference in Bangalore on Thursday, Karnataka State Government Employees' Association president L. Bhyrappa and general secretary Range Gowda thanked the government for heeding their demand for constitution of such a panel. But they wanted the committee to complete its task within three to four months itself.

The association had been demanding a revision in pay scales of State government employees in the wake of the Centre revising the salaries of its staff by implementing the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission.

Following this, Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa had announced in this year's State budget that an officials' committee would be formed to look into the demand for pay revision.

Local bodies staff also

According to Mr. Bhyrappa, the pay revision exercise would cover about 11 lakh employees including 5.25 lakh employees of the State government and those from the local bodies as well as aided educational institutions. Besides, the pensioners would also be benefitted.

Mr. Bhyrappa pointed out that the salaries of the State government employees were last revised in 2006. The Official Pay Committee will recommend new pay structure for the employees of the State government, aided educational institutions, local bodies and non-teaching staff of the universities (excluding those who are getting the UGC/AICTE/ICAR scales).

It will also determine new Dearness Allowance formula and suggest changes regarding the quantum of various allowances, including the House Rent Allowance, City Compensatory Allowance, Leave Travel Concession and Medical Attendance Facilities.

The committee will also examine the present pattern of pension benefits and suggest changes.

Medical insurance

Mr. Bhyrappa said a meeting of the state joint consultation committee held here on June 14 under the chairmanship of Additional Chief Secretary K. Jairaj had discussed the proposal to implement cashless medical insurance scheme to government employees on the lines of the Arogya Bhagya scheme which is being implemented for the Police Department staff.

He said the meeting had resolved to ask the Departments of Health, Finance and Personnel & Administrative Reforms to prepare the outlines of the proposed scheme.

Transfers

Expressing concern over the government extending the deadline for completing the transfers of its employees in this year from May to June, Mr. Bhyrappa said continuation of transfers even after the commencement of academic year would affect the family members of employees as their wards would have already been admitted to schools.

Mr. Bhyrappa demanded that the government not take up any transfers barring those related to requests from the employees themselves to posts, which are lying vacant, and the process of filling up of vacancies through promotions.

Mr. Bhyrappa said the state-level sports meet of the State government employees' would be held in Chitradurga from July 6 to 8.

Source : The Hindu.