AGARTALA, June 9 (TIWN): Even in the month of June state Govt. led by CM Manik Sarkar and his loyal Finance Minister Bhanulal Saha has not shown any interest to constitute Pay Commission for the state Gov't employees in Tripura. The proposals of the 7th Pay Commission have been submitted to the Finance Minister Arun Jetley and it is expected that very soon Govt. of India will declare the imposition of the proposals of 7CPC w.e.f. 1st January 2016. Keeping view with this almost all the state Govts have already constituted Pay Commission and there are some state which won't form any such commission but will directly implement the salary structure as implemented by the Union Govt, as proposed by the 7CPC. But in Tripura Govt's intention is not yet clear.On Tuesday after the cabinet meeting the Finance Minister Bhanulal Saha told the press," State Govt. has not yet ready to constitute Pay Commission. Centre has not yet taken its final decision. We will first see what steps they take and then we will decide .

"When asked whether the state gov't will declare any Interim Relief to its employees keeping in view  with the implementation of 7th CPC proposals , Bhanulal replied ," In July state govt. employees will get another of Dearness Allowance. " 

This remark is a clear indication that this Govt. is not even thinking seriously on this matter. Only after taking oath for the second time West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee led TMC Govt. in its very first cabinet meeting decided to increase 10% of the respective pay band of its employees as an interim relief before the implementation of 7CPC's proposals.

 For more than a decade CPI-M led gov't as well the ruling party leaders have campaigned that the state Govt. employees suffered due to the deprivation (?) imposed upon them by the 13th Finance Commission. But the reality was quite different . Finance Commission being a constitutional body can't on its own . It simply works as per provisions kept in the guidelines given in the Constitution.

 The 14th Finance Commission has allotted a total budget of 31308.76 crore for Tripura. According to the estimated budget, Tripura will get 644 per 1lakh. Thus, it is clear that  rather than stereotype story of Central Govt deprivation(?)  its the foolishness of State Govt for not following the earlier Finance Commission's recommendations of implementing Central Pay Scale for the state govt employees during the 6th CPC .

During the allocations under 14th Finance Commission in the matter of the Central Government schemes, 46 schemes are introduced. Among them the share of 23 schemes are same. While others are under supervision. However 6562.07 crore are invested in the non- plan purposes. The sketch of the major commodities of non-plan expenditure is mentioned

                 MAJOR ITEMS

            --------------------------

1)     Salary and wages Funds allotted.    :-                     6463.47 crore

2) Pension Benefit. :-        837.75 crore

3)Other Social expenses. :-55.29 crore

 4)Share tax to local bodies:-          223.56crore

 5)Food and other allowances:- 70.80 crore

6) New School          :- 1.95 crore

 7)PMGSY.                :- 20 crore

 8)Infrastructure for colleges and universities.              :- 18.01 crore

A top level official in the state secretariat told this correspondent over phone ," During the last three high level meetings almost all the officials including those of the Finance Department tried to convince the Chief Minister Manik Sarkar that to implement the recommendations of the 7th CPC state Govt. will have to bear an additional expense of Rs 800 crore  annually . It means that during the tenure of 14th Finance Commission state will have to incur a total expense of around 4000 crore rupees in paying  salary as well as pension as per 7th CPC . But neither Chief Minister Manik Sarkar nor the Principal GSG Ayyangar uttered a single word in such meetings. Thus, one can easily imagine the attitude of the state gov't towards its employees and pensioners. "

 It is to be mentioned here that in West Bengal CPI-M's State Gov't Employees Co-ordination Committee did not hesitate to  raise voice along with Trinamool's employees' union demanding to reconsider the LTC benefits so far being availed by the gov't employees. Considering their their demands West Bengal Govt.  decided in partial modification of the Finance  department's  Memo. No. 9924-F dt. 07.12.2005 read with Memo. No. 607-F dt. 20.01.2006 to allow the following benefits to the State Government employees  of journeys on LTC w.e.f. 1st July 2015 :-

(a) One Home Travel Concession once in every five years to visit any place within the State;

(b) One LTC once in ten years to visit any place in the neighbouring countries, namely, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives or within the Country.

 The employees who have been duly permitted to retire voluntarily are also allowed to avail of the above benefit before their such retirement.

 But in Tripura CPI-M's employees' union HB Road is not yet seen to raise such issues before the gov't. At the same time women working in West Bengal are getting 2 years of maternity leave while in Tripura women can avail such leave only for 6 months. Thus, working like party cadres state gov't employees are simply cutting their own feet. And Manik -Bhanu combine has been very successful so far to compel this organ and its leaders to act as per the instructions sent from Melarmath.