Assam implements revised pay scales

GUWAHATI - The Assam government Friday agreed in principle to pay nearly 500,000 state employees three percent annual increment and 15 percent house rent with retrospective effect from Jan 1, 2006.

“We have decided in principle to grant annual increment at the rate three percent of basic pay and there shall be no increment based on performance,” Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi told reporters.

“I have asked the finance department to send a note for cabinet approval.”

The Sadou Asom Karmachari Parishad (SAKP), the apex union representing Assam government employees, was on a warpath since the state government approved the Sixth Pay Commission report in November last year.

The government then announced to make the new pay scale effective from April 1, 2009 and also said there would be a two percent annual increment and one percent increment based on performance.

The SAKP was demanding the pay scale be made effective from Jan 1, 2006 and do away with the one percent increment based on performance and make it three percent flat annually.

“We are happy that the state government agreed to our demands,” SAKP general secretary Basab Kalita told IANS.

The SAKP in the past two months resorted to a series of agitation against the government.

The chief minister also decided to hike the house rent allowance - 15 percent of the basic for those staying in Guwahati, 12 percent for employees working in other district headquarters and 10 percent in all other places in Assam - irrespective of whether someone was staying in rented accommodation or own house.

“Now we want the employees to work with dedication and bring about a distinct work culture in the state,” the chief minister said.