7th pay commission: Rajasthan government employees likely to get benefits before Diwali

Jaipur: The committee formed to make recommendations about implementing seventh pay Commission in Rajasthan, the D C Samant Committee, submitted its report to the government on Monday. The finance department received the report on behalf of chief minister Vasundhara Raje who was in Delhi to attend the national executive meeting of BJP.

After the seventh pay commission comes into force, the government workers’ wages will witness an increase of nearly 15 percent. The announcement is likely to be made before the festival season of Diwali. If this happens, the pay will be hiked from next month meaning the salary received by the state employees on November 1 should be as per the seventh Pay Commission.

The report would affect the salaries of nearly seven lakh state government employees as well as around three lakh pensioners. As per estimates, the state government will have to spend around Rs 10,500 crore in salaries and allowances if all the recommendations are implemented. The government had constituted the committee on February 23 earlier this year.

The report will be now submitted to the cabinet for final approval. The Centre implemented the pay commission for its employees in July 2016. Rajasthan has already delayed the process by more than a year. The committee had come under sharp criticism as it was supposed to submit its report in May but kept seeking extensions in the deadline.

Arrears will be given in cash this year. The government does not have funds to pay the current arrears hence will do so in installments next year. A large sum of the arrears received in the previous pay commissions was deposited in the GPF (General Provident Fund).