Karnataka Pay Commission Report Submitted

A Pay Revision Committee was constituted under the Chairmanship of Mr.Subir Hari Singh, Development Commissioner and Additional Chief Secretary, a year ago to recommend revision of pay to Karnataka Government employees, as it was demanded by Karnataka State Government Employees to remove anomalies between the pay scales of the State and Central Government employees.

However, the government has kept the report under wraps. The chief minister is likely to incorporate some of the committee’s recommendations in the 2012-13 budget scheduled to be presented on March 21.

The State secretariat was abuzz on Tuesday with the news of the report, which was submitted to Gowda on Monday. About six lakh State government employees are eager to know the Committee’s recommendations on the quantum of hike in basic salary, percentage of dearness allowance (DA) merger with basic salary, and hike in various allowances, including house rent allowance (HRA) and city compensatory allowance (CCA).

Salaries of State employees were last revised in 2006. Presently, the minimum basic salary is Rs 4,800 and the maximum Rs 39,900.

About 70 per cent of the basic salary is being given as DA. The HRA rate is between six per cent and 25 per cent, and the CCA between Rs 100 and Rs 300 (both depending on the place of work).

The employees’ associations have been demanding fixing of minimum basic at Rs 12,000 and the maximum at Rs 96,000; complete merger of DA with basic and a hike in the HRA on a par with that of the Central government employees.

But the government has already given an interim relief of 15 per cent with effect from November 1, 2011. The overall hike of about 40-50 per cent in basic salary is considered as satisfactory by employees.

The government had asked the five-member committee headed by Additional Chief Secretary Subir Hari Singh to recommend a new, “feasible” pay structure.

Given the State’s financial situation, official sources said the government can afford a 50 per cent hike in salary without upsetting the fiscal condition. For, the current fiscal is expected to end up with a revenue surplus of Rs 1,278 crore for the government.

The Committee is also said to have recommended introduction of five-day work a week. When contacted, Subir Hari Singh refused to divulge any information.

Main demands
* Fix Rs 12,000 as minimum basic salary and Rs 96,000 as maximum
* Merge 70 pc DA with basic, excluding 7.5 pc pending for the present calendar year
* Hike HRA, CCA and other allowances on a par with Central government employees

source:Deccan Herald