Assam government employees - unhappy over the delay in submission of the state pay panel report - today declared that they would resort to an intensified agitation if the report was not tabled by October 15 as assured by chief minister Tarun Gogoi.
The president of the influential Sadou Asom Karmachari Parishad, Pradip Bora, today told The Telegraph that in deference to Gogoi’s commitment, the apex employees’ union would wait till the expiry of the fresh deadline before announcing its future course of action.
“The chief minister has categorically stated that there will be no more extension after October 15 under any circumstances. He has also assured that the revised pay scales, on a par with central government employees will be paid by this fiscal as necessary budgetary provisions have been made. A total of Rs 3,382 crore has been set aside for revised pay. Respecting the assurance of chief minister, we have decided to wait till the expiry of the fresh deadline. This, however, does not mean that we will keep silent if the report is not submitted by then. We will discuss the delay and the chief minister’s commitment in our steering committee meeting on October 4 to chart out our future course of action. We can tell you it will be intense and protracted till our demands are met, whether it will be a dharna or rally remains to be decided,” Bora said.
The union was unhappy with the Bhaskar Barua-headed five-member state pay commission set up in 2008 May to recommend a revised pay scale for government employees that failed to submit its report on the expiry of its second extension on September 30.
The employees’ union described the delay as rank inefficiency of the commission.
Commission members, however, said they were ready with the report and that final touches were being given to it.
“Some comparisons are to be done,” one of them said.
Sources in the government said the delay was because of a member who was abroad.
The commission was appointed for a one-year term.
Sources said they were hopeful of an amicable resolution, as the government was committed to increasing the salary of all section of employees, including school and college teachers.
“With the elections scheduled for 2011, the government would not like to antagonise either its employees or its teachers as they can have a cascading impact on the overall mood of a poll-bound state,” an official said.
The union had threatened to observed a two-day ceasework in the first week of September if the commission did not submit its report by August 31, the last day of the first three-month deadline.
However, it was put off following the government declaration to hike the interim relief to 40 per cent and extending the term of the commission by another month.
The secretary general of the union, Basab Kalita, said Dispur had first announced 15 per cent interim relief with effect from April 2008, and added another 10 per cent more with effect from January 1 this year.
However, because of the delay on the part of the commission to submit its report, it announced another 15 per cent relief with effect from January 1 this year to take the total hike to 40 per cent, greatly reducing the gap between state and central government staff.
Source : The Telegraph.
Del.Icio.Us Tags: Assam unhappy
Technorati Tags: Assam unhappy
