AGARTALA, April 7 (TIWN): When all the govt employees organizations including CPI-M’s most close Govt employees association TGTA are going to sit on mass protest against CPI-M Govt demanding 7th pay commission’s implementation, much worried Tripura Govt announced to sets up panel on Govt employees salaries. However, state govt’s this drama of panel would not be helpful much as all the Govt employees are going in protest in the month of April demanding 7th pay commission. BJP State President Biplab Deb, who already as a part of election promise told the govt employees that if BJP comes in power first it will implement 7th pay commission for the state govt employees, said that Tripura Govt should stop drama by showing lollypops of a Rs. 600 crores of budget for employees. “Getting full salary is the employees right, instead of drama state govt should release the unpaid salaries to its employees”, said BJP President.

However, although responding the demands of ruling and opposition party affiliated employees bodies, the Tripura government on Wednesday set up a high-powered committee on increasing salaries and pensions for its 209,000 employees and pensioners, but if the Govt wishes it can easily clear the pending DA of its employees. A three-member Pay and Pension Revision Committee has been constituted by the cabinet for giving recommendations for revision of existing pay structure and pension for the government employees and pension holders. Former Chief Secretary G. K. Rao would be the Chairman of the Pay and Pension Revision Committee and Principal Secretary Sushil Kumar and Additional Secretary Debashish Modak would be the member and secretary to the committee respectively.

But employees are unhappy with Govt’s delaying of Pay Commission’s implementation and more bad days are waiting for Manik Sarkar and his finance Minister Bhanulal Saha.

Demanding equal salaries with Central Govt employees Tripura teachers’ to go for en mass protest on April 23rd at Agartala, with their much awaiting demand for pay scale and DA hike. In a historical move, Tripura almost all the Teachers’ Associations including CPI-M backed TGTA, CPA, TOKS and other federations including private posted teachers will raise their voice under a joint forum demanding a standard pay commission in state. After a decade long protest the Joint Teachers’ Movement Committee are now getting other Teachers’ Association beside them who will jointly fight against the long deprivation of CPI-M Govt.  Talking to Ranajit De, Committee President on Monday evening, he mentioned that on April-23rd there will be a mass protest before Durga Bari demanding equal pay scale of the employees.

Reportedly,  in the Pay Commission announced by the Central Govt 125 % DA was added with the present basic salary, whereas more 30 % basic has been increased. Already the Central Govt employees are getting the amount from 2016-1st January. Already in other states the 7th pay commission has been implemented or paycommission has been implemented, but surprisingly, while presenting the budget the finance minister with the excuse of no fund denied to implement 7th pay commission, whereas as per the Assembly data from 2013 to 2016 under the sanctioned fund for Tripura Govt employees, there are atleast 932.55 crores have kept as unspent.

Reportedly, Tripura Govt gives 80 % DA, whereas the central govt employees get 125 to 127 DA. Moreover, a primary teacher is given the pay scale of an LD clerk whereas graduates are treated as UD. In other states post graduates are paid like College lecturers but for Tripura the standard of a Central D scale employee is equivalent with A class gazetted officer. With this pay scale when Tripura officers go to Delhi they are kept with D-scale employees, which is a huge insult to the officer ranks as a School HM.

Manik Sarkar had planned the poor scale of teachers equaled with an LD Clerk was in the name of ‘Historical Equalization’ policy.

In the name of employees welfare Tripura Govt announced a 600 crores of budget for the employees without mentioning anything about payhike or DA.

Already the Central Govt employees are getting the amount from 2016 since 1st January. In the Pay Commission announced by the Central Govt 125 % DA was added with the present basic salary, whereas more 30 % basic has been increased.