The Hindu Business Line : Karnataka pay panel proposes rise in salaries

GOOD NEWS: The President of Fifth State Wage Commission, Mr M.B. Prakash (left), presenting the final report to the Karnataka Chief Minister, Mr H.D. Kumaraswamy, at Chief Minister's official residence `Krishna' on Tuesday. The Chief Secretary, Mr Prahalad Mahishi, is also seen. — V. Sreenivasa Murthy

Bangalore May 22 About six lakh Government employees in Karnataka hope to get some relief from the volatile trend in the inflation rate with the Fifth Pay Commission recommending an increase of Rs 400 to a maximum of Rs 700 per month to their salaries.

The Commission, headed by retired bureaucrat Mr M.B. Prakash, submitted its report to the Karnataka Chief Minister, Mr H.D. Kumaraswamy, here on Tuesday. The revision will place an additional burden of Rs 1,350 crore on the exchequer.

revised scales

The notification revising the pay has already been issued and the monetary benefits would be applicable from April 1, 2006. The revised scales will cover all full-time employees in Government, zilla panchayats, aided educational institutions and universities on regular time scale of pay. The Commission has recommended five new pay scales, which would also apply to judicial officers on the lines of the First National Judicial Pay Commission's scales.

The revised City Compensatory Allowance will be Rs 150, Rs 100 and Rs 80 for A, B1 and B2 cities respectively, for employees earning a basic pay of Rs 4,800 to Rs 7, 779. For those with a basic pay of over Rs 7, 800, the CCA would be Rs 300, Rs 200 and Rs 80 for A, B1 and B2 cities. The revision would be effective from April 2006.

Arrears

The arrears per employee per annum would work out from a minimum of Rs 8,400 to Rs 48,000. The arrears are likely to be during the financial year 2008-09.

Mr Prakash told mediapersons after submitting the report thatthe Pay Commission had dwelt on the importance of administrative reforms, transfer policy and transparency in administration as improving the quality of administration was equally important as revision of pay scales. "It is desirable, therefore, that whenever the Pay Commission is constituted, the administrative system should also be reviewed," he said.

To contain corruption, Mr Prakash said the report had recommended simplification of administrative procedures, transparency and ensuring punishment to guilty without any time lag.

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Karnataka pay panel proposes rise in salaries