Christmas bonza for government employees

From A Correspondent

Shillong, Nov 17: In a development that is set to cheer up the Yuletide spirit, the Meghalaya government on Friday approved the Fifth Pay Commission recommendations.

Informing media persons after a Cabinet meeting here, Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma, who also holds the Fince portfolio, said the State government employees will get their new pay hike from December and the new pay scale will be effective with retrospective effect from 1st January 2017.

“Resource constraint notwithstanding, the government has been able to work out to fulfill our commitment towards our employees who will benefit out of the new pay structure,” Sangma said.

According to the Chief Minister, the minimum salary of a grade IV employee of the State government, which earlier stood at Rs 6,500, has been hiked to Rs 17,400 by using the multiplier factor of 2.68.

Sangma also informed the reporters that the career progressive scheme has been increased to three times from the earlier two.

According to him, the State government employees will now get the benefit of this scheme in the 10th year, the 20th year and the 30th year of their career.

Sangma also said that the State Cabinet has increased every allowance. He informed the media that the medical allowance for the employees and pensioners has been increased from Rs 700 to Rs 1,000; house rent allowance has been hiked from Rs 4,000 to Rs 8,000 in the urban agglomerate, from Rs 3,000 to Rs 6,000 in district headquarters and from Rs 2,500 to Rs 5,000 in other areas. He also said that the winter allowance has been increased from Rs 400 to Rs 600. Sangma said that the advance for children’s education had been increased from Rs 5,000 to Rs 11,000 and festival advance from Rs 5,000 to Rs 7,000.

The Chief Minister stated that for the current fincial year the additiol burden due to the hike in the employees’ salary will be around Rs 929 crore, including 40% arrears.

Sangma also said that the balance 60% arrears will be staggered into the next two fincial years of 2018-19 and 2019-20.