Gujarat government to implement 7th Pay Commission from August 1

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley with Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel in Ahmedabad on Sunday. (Express Photo: Javed Raja)

In a major bonanza for over 8.77 lakh Gujarat government employees and pensioners ahead of next year’s assembly polls, Chief Minister Anandiben Patel on Sunday announced the implementation of 7th Pay Commission from August 1.

Over 4.65 lakh Gujarat government employees and more than 4.12 lakh pensioners would benefit from this decision, a release from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said. However, the state government employees will not get pay hike benefits from January 1 this year as accepted by the Centre, instead it will be effective from August 1.

“Chief Minister Anandiben Patel has accepted the recommendations of 7th Pay Commission and announced to implement it in the state from August 1,” it said.

The Centre had on July 25 notified the implementation of 7th Pay Commission for Central Government employees from January 1. As per the release, the new hike will benefit employees and pensioners of state government, panchayats and granted institutions in Gujarat.

“Employees of class-4 to class-1 will now get a hike of 14.60 per cent to 25 per cent in their salaries,” it added.

As the Centre is now expected to start deliberations to decide the hike in allowances, the state government will take appropriate decision about allowances as per the announcement by the Centre, added the release.

Earlier, Gujarat government spokesperson and state Finance Minister Saurabh Patel had said that the government may have to bear an extra-burden of Rs 6,000 crore annually if it decides to implement the pay hike suggested by the 7th Pay Commission.

The elections in Gujarat are scheduled to be held in the later part of 2017.

Source : The Indian Express