AGARTALA, March 28 (TIWN): 'Whatever will be the expenditure for Tripura Govt employees it has to be managed under the announced Rs. 600 crores', Finance Minister Bhanulal Saha said in the Assembly on February 20. However, when teachers' joint forum announced to go for en-mass protest in April-23, on Tuesday during the cabinet meeting the salary issue was discussed including the unpaid DAs to the employees in the presence of all Ministers. Completing the meeting, Finance Minister told media that they need more 3 / 4 months to decide about the expenditure of the fund and immediately nothing can be said in this regard. It's worthy to mention here that Tripura Govt during the budget announced Rs. 600 crores as employees fund, but how the fund will be utilized, nothing was clear, resulted huge resentment among the govt employees including CPI-M backed union members too.

Instead of 7th Pay Commission, Tripura Govt after 3rd Pay Commission till day has not implemented any new pay commission which created a huge gap of salary with the Centre. But on Tuesday also, after the cabinet meeting was done,  Bhanu Lal Saha couldn't say anything clearly.

It's worthy to mention here that Tripura Govt which had announced about Rs. 600 crores allocation for Govt employees for the year 2017-18. Following the budget, Opposition Congress MLA Gopal Roy asked, “What will the Govt do with the allocated 600 crores for the employees? How the Govt is going to spend the amount ?”. However, Finance Minister Bhanulal Saha failed to answer the question properly and said, “It’s not possible for the state govt to provide more than Rs. 600 crores. Whatever the salary, allowance will be given it will be from this 600 crores”. Reacting over Bhanulal Saha’s comment MLA Biswabandhu Sen said, “The Govt employees have been massively fooled by Tripura Govt”.

“At present the Govt is unable to allocate more than 600 crores and within 600 crores the financial year has to be managed”, Saha said.

The demand for the salary and pensioners were Rs. 58.399 crores but it has been allocated Rs. 30,501 crores. Saha further said that it’s not possible to bear the hiked amount of salary, pension under 4rth Pay Commission.

Saha clearly said, ‘……a huge amount will be required to meet the requirement in accordance with the accepted recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission. In this situation, further examination is going on to take pragmatic views and steps in this regard’.

This whatever is possible the state govt will give from this 600 crores.

It can be stressed here that for the first time Tripura govt. in 2008 implemented Pay Review commission, whereas the employees were expecting the Pay-Commission’s implementation. But in the name of Pay review till day govt. employees have been deprived in Tripura. It took 9 years for grade pay’s introduction in Tripura. Out of 20 PSO for pensioners, Tripura has only 6 out of them which are given to a selective section of employees.

Even after High court orders to clear 31% DA to the state government employees the state govt is not ready to give issuing ‘fund crisis. Presently the case is hanging at Supreme Court and until the case resolves, Tripura Govt is free to provide salary as per its wish.