Bonanza for staff and pensioners

Bhanu P Lohumi

Tribune News Service

Shimla, March 10

The election year Budget of the state government proved bonanza for employees and pensioners with several announcements of hike in various allowances, regularization of employees, grant of additional Dearness Allowance (DA) and interim relief and other reliefs besides filling of 19,000 functional posts in various departments.

Emoluments of contract employees have been enhanced from 50 to 75 percent of grade pay, contractual employees completing five years on March 31 and September 30 would be regularized, daily wage increase by Rs 10 from Rs 200 to Rs 210, policy of computer teachers and outsourced employees within a month, three per cent DA to regular employees and pensioners from July 2016.

The state government announced additional interim relief of 4 per cent of the basic pay to regular employees and pensioners from August 2017, increase in the capital allowance from Rs 275 to Rs 400 per month and tribal allowance from Rs 300 to Rs 450 per month. Additional state honorarium of anganwari workers has been increased from Rs 450 to Rs 1,000 and anganwari helpers from Rs 300 to Rs 600 per month. Honorarium of water guards increased from Rs 2050 to Rs 2350 per month, ration allowance of police personnel increased from Rs 180 to Rs 210 per month.