AGARTALA, Aug 14 (TIWN): State Gov't is once again heading towards the formation of Pay Review Committee instead of Pay Commission. In 2006 state gov't intentionally deprived the gov't employees of their financial demands through Pay Review Committee. This time also same situation osngoing to be created by the Manik Sarkar led LF Gov't in Tripura. Recently speaking to the newsmen in the state secretariat Finance Minister Bhanulal Saha hinted that state gov't is thinking about the possibilities of Pay Review Commottee. Bhanulal Saha said ," There are two sets of opinions oh how it should be - pay revision through Pay Commission , which can be time consuming and pay revision through Pay Review Committee , which should not take too long. We have to study the process before we come to a decision. " That the Manik Sar kar led CPI-M Gov't is totally unwilling to give the employees of the state their so long demanded financial benefits has become absolutely clear from the state gov't's own official document. In the name of so-called Central deprivation as well as the 13th Finance Commission state gov't denied the deserving rights of the state gov't employees as far as the financial demands are concerned.

Even after the 14th Finance Commission's huge fund allocation state gov't doesn't seem to be least interested to pay the employees their due benefits. 

Recently Union Gov't has declared 7th Pay Commission's proposals and made them effective w.e.f. 1st January 2016. In its official statement Centre has declared that the area amount (from 1st January 2016 to 30th June 2016) in a single instalment any time within September this year. After the declaration of the constitution of the 7th CPC almost all the state gov'ts have decided not to constitute separate pay commissions but to implement the proposals of 7th CPC. 

But in Tripura, the so-called Alternative Pioneer in the country under Manik Sarkar's regime , is almost certain to deprive the employees once again.

Recently Manik & Co made its intention clear that denying the High Court's order to release 31% pending DA to the Gov't employees it will challenge the HC's judgement in the Apex Court. And quite shamelessly Manik Sarkar led CPI-M party is forcing the gov't employees to provide fund for the expenses related with this case. It is learnt that from August 1 CPI-M boot licker organ H B Road employees are engaged in Extortion on money from gov't employees ranging from ₹ 150 to ₹ 800 each. Reacting to this forced collection a top level official said ," We are going to be bambooed by ourselves. The life of employees is being made a hell by this ruling party." 

Meanwhile state gov't own document itself showing that huge amount of fund allocated for the salaries and other financial benefits of the gov't employees remained unspent during the last four consecutive. Had this fund been utilized properly the demands of the state gov't employees can be fulfilled quite easily. In the state gov't's official statement published in the book ," Accounts at a glance for the year 2012-13,2013-14 and 2014-15" following statistics come to the notice of all :-

1) Fund allocated for salaries ( in crore ):-

FY                                    Amount

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

2012-13.                  ₹2652.46 crore

2013-14.                  ₹3164.26 crore

2014-15.                  ₹3734.68 crore

2) Amount spent in paying salaries

FY                                    Amount

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

2012-13.                     ₹2303 crore

2013-14.                     ₹2674 crore

2014-15.                     ₹3123 crore

3) Amount remained unspent from salary fund:-

FY.                               Amount

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

2012-13.                    ₹349.46 crore

2013-14.                    ₹490.25 crore

2014-15.                    ₹611.68 crore

Thus, from the total amount that remained unspent from the allocated fund for salaries amounted :-

₹349.46 cr(2012-13)+ ₹490.25 cr(2013-14) + ₹611.68 crore(2014-15) = ₹1451.39 crore 

On 31st March 2015 talking to the reporters  at the civil secretariat Chief Minister Manik Sarkar announced ,"  The Govt has today decided to to allow modified revised pay structure including modified revised Pay Band and Grade Pay to its employees equivalent to 6th Central Pay Scale."

But Manik Sarkar so popularly termed as honest CM(!) by a his party and section of his puppet jurnos working in nations media deliberately lied with the people because the Grade Pay is far less in compare to 6th CPC.  Following stats will make this clear :-

1) A Primary Teacher/LDC/Work Assistant of Central Govt as per 6th CPC availed a Grade Pay of ₹ 4200 but in Tripura employees serving in the same category still availing Grade Pay of ₹ 2200 ( a clear difference of ₹ 2000).

2) A Graduate Teacher availed a Grade Pay of ₹ 4400 but in Tripura the employees of the same category are still getting Grade Pay of ₹ 2800( a clear difference of ₹ 1600)

3) A Post Graduate Teacher of Central Gov't availed a Grade Pay of ₹ 4600 but in Tripura employees of the said category are still getting Grade Pay of ₹ 4200( a gap of ₹ 400).

Speaking to TIWN on Sunday a top level official said ," It is now obvious that the state gov't is quite reluctant to pay the pending DA and other financial benefits to the employees. Even if the gov't releases 42% DA in a single instalment it may not have to spend around ₹1200 crore. But the state gov't ₹1451.39crore which was kept in the budgetary allocation for the employees' salaries . This is something unbelievable."

Recently Finance Minister Bhanulal Saha said that to release 1% percent DA to gov't employees and pensioners gov't would have to incur an expenditure ₹23.40 crore . From this statement it is clear that to release pending 31% DA state gov't would have to spend only ₹753.3 crore and to release the entire pending DA( compare to Centre's 125% DA) of 42% state gov't needs ₹982.8 crore. Thus, even after releasing 42% DA gov't will have a fund of  ₹468.59 crore remaining in its allocated budget.

State gov't employees' future in Tripura seems to be darken day by day under the so-called honest(!) CM Manik Sarkar.