Punjab pay panel for 2-fold increase in staff salaries

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 4

Punjab’s 6th Pay Commission has recommended over two-fold increase in salaries of nearly 3.5 lakh state government employees, with an increase in the minimum pay from Rs 6,900 to Rs 18,000 per month retrospectively from January 1, 2016.

With effect from ’16

• Over two-fold hike in salaries, with increase in minimum pay from Rs6,950 to Rs18,000 per month with effect from January 1, 2016
• Hike in pensions and DA, fixed medical allowance doubled to Rs1,000 per month for staff and pensioners
• Maximum limit of death-cum-retirement gratuity enhanced from Rs10 lakh to Rs20 lakh

The report, submitted to CM Capt Amarinder Singh on April 30, is being examined by the Finance Department. The latter will present it to the Cabinet later this month, seeking its approval for implementation. “The commission has suggested major hike in salary and other benefits and allowances. The average increment in salaries and pensions is expected to be in the range of 20 per cent with salaries in for a 2.59 times increase over the 5th Pay Commission recommendations. All major allowances are proposed to be revised upward, translating into 1.5 times to 2 times increase with rationalisation in certain allowances,” said an official statement by the government.

While the report says that the annual burden on the state would be Rs 3,500 crore, since the pay scales are to be implemented from January 2016, the government needs Rs 17,500 crore for the payment of arrears. The allowances will be implemented from the date of notification.

Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal said he had set aside Rs 9,000 crore in the 2021-22 Budget for the purpose. “We will implement the report from July 1. The arrears for the previous years will be released each quarter, beginning October-December this year,” he said.

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