AGARTALA, June 13 (TIWN): Once again depriving the State Govt employees, Tripura Finance Minister has finally declared the much awaited Pay & Pension Committee’s decision of 19.68 % hike with 2.25 per FF (Basic and pay band together) in salary, with 125 % of DA increase from 88 % DA for both the Govt Employees as well as the pensioners. “We have given as much as possible within our limited capacity. Infact it’s a better offer than the 7th pay commission as Centre in 7th pay commission only hiked 14. 2 %". However, the budget instead of 600 crores have been hiked double, according to the Finance Minister. Addressing a press conference Finance Minister said, this will highly benefit the Govt Employees as well as the pensioners which is projected with various allowances including house rent, medical benefit (to be hiked from 250 to 500) and especially allowances for disables. The persons who are not getting promotions after 10 yrs, 7 yrs, 8 yrs of jobs will be benefited with this modified rules. But, the recommended rate of wages / remuneration will be from 1.4.2017. ‘I thank the Review Committee for this excellent plan for 2.9 lakhs of Govt Employees’, said Saha.

  But, when the state was waiting for 7th pay commission, the declaration has upset a larger section of the Govt employees.The fixed salary employees also will be kept in fixed with a hike in their salary, said Bhnaulal Saha.

However, to make the employees happy within so called limited capacity the Minister also said from now onwards the 2^nd Saturday as well as 4^th Saturday will be off days.

'Like every increments, this time also we have decided to increase the daily workers' wages which will be hiked from 400 to 79', said Saha. 

However, 19.68 percent hike has been mentioned with 'average'. 

Tripura government on 5^th April had set up a high-powered committee on increasing salaries and pensions for its 209,000 employees and pensioners and reportedly the committee had sat in a meeting for the first time. But after 45 days the report on employees and pensioners salary was to submitted to the state govt which however took 56 days, but at the end of the day, the announcement has poured cold water over the employees hopes.