BBMB to form panel for rationalisation of pay, allowances

The Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) has decided to constitute a committee to rationalise the pay and allowances given to its employees and those deputed by partner states.

It was decided in the last board meeting of the BBMB on July 4, according to sources, who said the decision would impact thousands of employees working with the body.

The panel will include officials from Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh — the partner states that share Beas and Sutlej waters.

The BBMB also maintains Bhakra, Nangal and Pong Dams, crucial to meet power, irrigation and drinking needs of the northern states.

As per the minutes of meeting available with The Tribune, the BBMB special secretary had placed the agenda before the board.

During the meeting, the Punjab representative stressed that the BBMB followed the state government in all service-related matters, hence, the pay structure should align with its norms.

He stressed that the option of choosing any alternate or more lucrative pay scale should not be extended to employees on transfer or deputation from the partner states.

The BBMB chairman acknowledged the intricacies involved in the matter and proposed the constitution of a committee comprising representatives from all partner states. The board unanimously agreed to this proposal. The committee will look into relevant rules and regulations of the BBMB and partner states, legal implications of the rationalisation, financial consequences rising out of the proposed changes and any associated administrative and service-related impacts.

Presently, employees are given an option to claim pay scales of any of the partner states.All employees serving in BBMB have opted for the pay scales of Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL) since they are highest among all partner states. A source said employees of Rajasthan were getting about 30 per cent higher salaries in the BBMB while those from Haryana got 20 higher salaries than their counterparts in their states.

The Punjab Government is now claiming that paying higher scales to employees from all partner states was taxing the state contributed about 52 per cent share to the budget of the board.

Besides, the BBMB has its own employees, who generally serve on Class III and IV positions. These employees are also getting pay scales of the PSPCL.