Gujarat Cabinet gives nod to 7th pay panel recommendations

Ahmedabad, Aug 16 (PTI) The Gujarat government todayapproved the implementation of the recommendations of 7th PayCommission, raising salaries of over 8.5 lakh state employeesand pensioners, in a move that would cost Rs 8,513 croreannually to the exchequer. The Cabinet gave its approval to a proposal to implementthe recommendations at a meeting in Gandhinagar chaired byChief Minister Vijay Rupani. The pay scale would come into effect from January 1, 2016though the actual implementation would start from August 1,Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel told reporters after themeeting. "The Cabinet has accepted the recommendations of 7th PayCommission, which would be implemented from August 1 for theemployees of the state government, Panchayats as well aspensioners," Patel said. "Though the actual implementation for the employees wouldstart from August 1, it will come into effect from January 1.For pensioners, the actual implementation would commence fromOctober 1. The government will have to bear an extra burden ofRs 8,513 crore annually for implementing it," he said. Over 4.65 lakh Gujarat government employees and more than4.12 lakh pensioners would benefit from the new pay structure,stated an official press release. To address the issues related to disbursement of arrearsfrom January to August as well as fixation of new rates ofallowances, the government has constituted a committee ofsenior bureaucrats under the chairmanship of Chief SecretaryJ N Singh. "This committee would come up with suggestions and submitthem to a sub-committee of ministers headed by me. Then, ourcommittee will study those recommendations and submit them tothe Cabinet for a final decision," said Patel. The announcement to implement the new pay scales was madeby then Chief Minister Anandiben Patel on July 31, just a daybefore she expressed her desire to step down.PTI PJT PD RSYSRY