State drags feet on pay panel

TT, Calcutta, Oct. 28: The Mamata Banerjee government will give more time to its pay commission to submit its recommendations at a time discontent is simmering among the Bengal staff because of the widening gap between the salaries of state and central employees.

Amid demands for an immediate re-look at the salaries of the state government employees, the Trinamul government had set up a commission with economist Abhiroop Sarkar as its chairman in November last year. Although no deadline was set, it was expected that the commission would submit its recommendations in six months and a new salary structure would be introduced after the Assembly polls.

"But that did not happen. The tenure of the commission will be increased by another six months," a source in Nabanna said.

The Bengal staff's demand for a revised salary structure gathered momentum after the Centre declared another dearness allowance instalment of 2 per cent on the basic salary for its employees yesterday. The Centre implemented the recommendations of the 7th pay commission in August.

"After the 7th pay commission recommendations were implemented, the basic salaries of central government employees increased 2.57 times. Earlier, the central staff used to get 125 per cent of the basic salary as DA, while we get 75 per cent. The gap increased after yesterday's announcement," said a leader of the Trinamul-led government employees' union.

Trinamul union leaders said they were expecting speedy submission and implementation of state pay commission recommendations but the decision to give the panel more time had let them down.

"I have been informed that the commission will submit its recommendations by mid-2018.... If it is so, it would be tough to pacify the employees as the DA difference will increase," a leader said.

Sources in the pay commission said the panel had received more than 800 memorandums from various organisations and individuals. These memorandums will have to be heard before the commission draws up its recommendations and sends them to the government.

"The commission has gone through 100-odd memorandums. If the hearing process continues to be so slow, it would take another year and a half to complete the formalities and submit the recommendations," a source said.

According to finance department officials, the state is not ready to shoulder the burden of the recommendations of a new pay commission.

"If the state has to increase the DA by 25 per cent, at least Rs 25,000 crore will be required annually. Traditionally, the DA is merged with the basic pay when the allowance reaches the 100 per cent mark," a finance department official said, adding that the state would not be able to rustle up such a huge amount at the moment.

A section of officials said the huge debt burden of the state had tied the hands of the government. "This year, we have to spend Rs 40,000 crore to repay loans. The figure will cross Rs 50,000 crore next year. In such a situation, we have to delay the state pay commission," an official said.

Minister Partha Chatterjee today blamed the Centre and the past loans for the failure to increase the DA.

"The Centre has cut allotments on 39 projects. But we have to run them to keep the state running. We have sympathy for the employees, but the process could be delayed for some more time," he said.

The state government employees, however, are not ready to buy the arguments of the minister. "Most states, including debt-ridden ones like Punjab and Assam, have announced that they would follow the recommendations of the central pay commission. Why should the Bengal employees suffer?" a PWD employee said.