NEW DELHI / AGARTALA, August 22 (TIWN): Govt of Tripura is all set to declare Grade Pay to its employees and according to a top level CPI (M) state committee leader the decision is likely to be taken on 25th or 26th August in the Cabinet though the official announcement is yet to be made. In recent times even H B Road organization leaders under tremendous pressure from all Divisional Committees regarding deprivation on Grade Pay and Dearness Allowance compared to Central Govt employees (as per 6th Pay Commission).

Over the last 5 years CPI (M) and its sponsored H B Road organs have been campaigning truly lies in the name of' Deprivation of 13th Finance Commission' but now it has become really tough to manage even the hardcore employees. And the H B Road leaders have submitted secret reports to Melarmath that indicated serious landslides in its employees organs, especially after May when BJP has come to the power with clear mandate. The effect is also visible in Tripura too as more and more youths (even some of the Left wings) are now joining BJP and its wings Bhartiya Majdoor Sangha. This has given the Left party a serious causes for concern. And now state CPI(M) too has realized the actual truth.

   A top level CPI (M) State committee member told TIWN that in the recent state committee meeting a large number of leaders suggested to declare Grade Pay at par with 6th Pay Commission. But the influential lobby in the state committee did not agree with this proposal, said the leader. Rather the lobby told state leadership that instructions have already been given to state govt to initiate the process but not in the same pattern as 6th Pay Commission.

The two most influential leaders of Employees Coordination Committee, H B Road (TIWN sources confirmed them to be Ashim Pal and Asesh Deb Roy) are leant to have submitted an alternative proposal to Melarmath and highly party closed officials in the Finance Department. According to TIWN sources this alternative proposal is like as follows (in highlights):-

Pay Band         Proposed Grade Pay      Central Govt Grade Pay

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  PB-1                           1500                                1800

  PB-2                           3200                                4200

  PB-3                           4200                                5400

  PB-4                           5300                                8700

    TIWN sources also said that when the state Finance Department Officials met the then Finance Minister P Chidambaram he categorically informed them to implement the proposal of 6th Pay Commission and then only 14th Finance Commission can recommend for funds from the Centre. But state govt acted totally in opposite direction.

And until recent past even the H B Road oragan campaigned that Grade Pay would be declared on 19th August and accordingly almost all the members were instructed to attend the rally (Maha Machhil) on 20th August. But rapid discontent spread as the Govt did not declare any Grade Pay on 19th August.

Now again a campaign is being conducted that Grade Pay will be given on 26th August. A high level official working in state Finance Department told TIWN, "Earlier department has prepared a file for employees' Grade Pay at par with Central Grade Pay structure.

But after the recent meeting between two most influential Employees' Coordination Committee leaders and three top level Melarmath leaders another instruction has been sent to Finance Department to make some modifications in the file before it is sent for Cabinet's approval. Somehow the news of the meeting got leaked among the employees and quite naturally discontent spread rapidly.

     On 20th August H B Road organ organized Maha Michhil in which one demand was:- Allocation of funds by the Centre to implement the proposals of 7th Pay Commission from 1/1/2011[listed in no 5 of the demand notes of Tripura Employees' Co-Ordination Committee( H B Road) ].

Interestingly 7th Pay Commission has made any such proposal. 7th Pay Commission Pay Commission will come into effective from 1/1/2016. So making such demands the Coordination Committee has made itself a laughing stock.

Meanwhile, the Nationalist & Left Democratic Employees' Joint Forum has called 'March to Secretariat' movement on 27th August demanding to effect and implement Central Pay Scale and Grade Pay with in 31st August this year. Considering this state govt may also call a Special Cabinet on 25th or 26th August, said a TIWN Melarmath source.