The Demo Site

The State Government employees are in an upbeat mood as they would be getting 40 per cent interim relief with effect from January 1 this year. With the announcement of the new interim relief, the difference between the pay scales of the Central and State Government employees also came down considerably. Talking to The Assam Tribune, secretary general of the Sadau Asom Karmachari Parishad (SAKP), Bashab Kalita said that they were satisfied with the decision of the Government.

Kalita said that the State Government announced 15 percent interim relief with effect from April, 2008 and added 10 per cent more with effect from January 1 this year. However, because of the delay on the part of the State Pay Commission in submitting its report, the Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi announced the Government’s decision to add 15 per cent more to the interim relief with effect from January 1 this year and to pay the arrears before the ensuing Durga Puja festival.

The SAKP office bearer said that the differences between pay scales of the State and Central Governments would be reduced considerably after the state employees started receiving 40 per cent interim relief.

Kalita said that the State pay Commission was scheduled to submit its report by the end of May, but it was given three months’ extension despite strong opposition from the employees. He said that the Commission was given extension for another month up to the end of September, which forced the SAKP to announce an agitational programme. However, the agitational programme has been withdrawn following the decision of the State Government to increase the interim relief to 40 per cent. The Chief Minister also assured the SAKP that no further extension would be given to the Pay Commission to submit its report.

The SAKP has been demanding that the new pay scale should be given to the employees with effect from January, 2006 as was given to the Central Government employees. He also alleged that some of the teachers and other employees are yet to receive the arrears due to them for the period from January1, 1996 to July 31, 1998 and demanded that the Government should immediately look into the matter.