Pre-poll gift: Karnataka staff set for 24-30% hike, one more day off

TNN
January 27, 2018

Bengaluru, Jan 27: Come February, government employees in Karnataka are expected to receive a pre-poll bonanza from the Congress-led administration. The state government is likely to announce a 24-30% pay hike for its 6.2 lakh employees and pensioners in the budget, and introduce holidays on alternate Saturdays in government offices.

The decision is a bid to address demands for a five-day week and a pay scale on par with that for central government employees. Currently, state government employees have a six-day week with an additional off every second Saturday of the month. The government will now likely make the fourth Saturday a holiday too, in tune with the schedule for nationalised banks.

"To ensure this does not lead to a decrease in work hours, the government is toying with the idea of extending office hours on the first and third Saturdays," said a senior official of the state department of personnel and administrative services (DPAR).

Responding to demands from employee associations, chief minister Siddaramaiah had, in the last budget, announced a committee headed by retired IAS officer M R Srinivasa Murthy to recommend increase in salaries and pensions. "We are in the process of finalising the report... We will submit it soon since the CM fixed January 31 as the deadline," Murthy said.

While government employees are hoping the CM opts for a hike in the 30-35% slab, sources said the government may go for a 24-30% increase. The move is estimated to cost the exchequer Rs 10,800 crore. At the fag end of the tenure of Karnataka's previous administration, led by BJP, the then chief minister D V Sadananda Gowda had hiked pay by 22%. "We cannot afford to offer anything less than what BJP offered," said a senior state minister, an indication that the new hike would be higher.

Comments

Suresh Kumar
 - 
Saturday, 27 Jan 2018

Fighting for survival-----WIthdrawing all criminal cases against muslims------now pay hike of government employees--------more freebies--------nothing from his pocket all government money----------freebies is nothing but bribe------they don''t have anything to show in terms of development -------compenesating for it

Babu Gowda
 - 
Saturday, 27 Jan 2018

Blanket bribes to the bureaucracy that already is used to taking bribes for decades! Typical elitist Congress politics to retain their strangle hold by paying the least deserving with money looted from the most deserving.

Ravi
 - 
Saturday, 27 Jan 2018

Congress Governments are habitual offenders - when they know they are not coming back to power, they destroy the financial conditions so that the next government is unable to deliver. MODI & Vajpayee has to face the same in center, and all state governments that changed over to BJP from congress have to undergo the same torture.

Unknown
 - 
Saturday, 27 Jan 2018

Shameless siddu and media. These people blamed Jayalalitha while she was giving "pre-poll gifts"

Naveen Poojary
 - 
Saturday, 27 Jan 2018

Govt making them again and again laziest people. Now they are getting good salary+incentives. And for winning in poll, given again

Sangeeth
 - 
Saturday, 27 Jan 2018

Suppose, it was given by BJP govt then CD will report it as bribe. #StopDoubleStandard

Yogesh
 - 
Saturday, 27 Jan 2018

This is not gift. This is bribe for electing him again. Shame on you Siddu

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
January 2,2020

Bengaluru, Jan 2: Former chief ministers of Karnataka Siddaramaiah and H D Kumaraswamy on Thursday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he embarked on a two-day visit to the state attend events in Tumakuru and Bengaluru. In a series of tweets, the Congress and the JD(S) leaders took a dig at Modi for his alleged failure on various fronts.

"You did not visit Karnataka when it was devastated by floods, you did not visit Karnataka when our farmers cried for help, but all of a sudden, when you want to launch your political propaganda, you remember the innocent people of Karnataka. Wah Modi Wah!!" Siddaramaiah tweeted.

In another tweet, the Congress leader claimed Karnataka is starved of Central government funds as there were no adequate flood relief, no GST revenue loss compensation and there was a delay in the transfer of grant-in-aid.

He further said, "Before attempting to fool our people, let the people of Karnataka know when they will get their due share!" He also sought to know from Modi why the 25 MPs from Karnataka have 'turned off' their engines.

"With 25 MPs from BJP and a state government with BJP, people hoped for a double engine. Instead, all BJP representatives have turned off their engines and have become sycophants to play a tune to your idiosyncrasies. Why, are they scared of you?" Siddaramaiah said.

Seeking an explanation on various incomplete projects, the Congress leader said, "Mr Narendra Modi, people are fed up of your lies and double-edged sword comments. We want your answer today about long-standing questions on: Kalasa Banduri Yojana, Belagavi border issue, exams in Kannada, Tulu & Kodava in 8th schedule, the list goes on." Kumaraswamy too minced no words as he went on the offensive against the Centre.

In his tweets quoting newspaper reports, he said Karnataka's coffer has dried up, financial position is in doldrums and the revenue has plummeted.

"What's the reason (behind poor economic situation)? The poor economic policies of the Centre. After swallowing the GDP and development of the country, the wrong policies have affected the state too," alleged Kumaraswamy.

Quoting reports, Kumaraswamy said the Centre has denied the state's share of revenue.

"About 5.44 per cent of state's share is yet to come from the Centre. This is step-motherly attitude of the Centre towards the state," Kumaraswamy tweeted.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
April 11,2020

Bengaluru, Apr 11: Former prime minister H D Deve Gowda claimed the lockdown decision was taken in 'haste' without forethought because of which farmers and the working class were 'suffering' and suggested measures to mitigate the impact. The state government should have consulted experienced citizens, officials, progressive farmers, farmer organisations and wholesale traders about the pros and cons before lockdown, he said in a letter to Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, while highlighting that 61 per cent of the state's population depended on agriculture.

Because of the "hasty decision taken without any preparations", farmers of the country and the state are facing financial distress," he said in the April 9 letter, a copy of which was released to media here on Friday. The JD(S) patriarch suggested taking up some measures, including ensuring no restrictions on agriculture activities, procurement of horticulture produce at a fair price, relaxing export curbs on it, to provide relief to farmers, agriculture labourers, and daily wage workers.

On Sunday, Gowda had said he has assured Prime Minister Narendra Modi of his support in the nation's battle against COVID-19 pandemic when the latter called him to discuss the situation. In his letter to the chief minister, Gowda said: "...the lockdown implemented to control the spread of coronavirus has led our farmers into despair and put their lives into a burning fire.

This lockdown looks like a decision taken at haste without proper thinking and forethought for our farmers, agriculture labourers, and daily wage workers." He said the lockdown decision was taken after remaining 'quite' for about two months since the first corona infection was reported in the country on January 30. Among the suggestions made by the former prime minister include, procurement of horticulture produce at a fair price like in the case of milk from villages by the government through related organisations like Karnataka Horticulture Federation, HOPCOMS among others.

As horticulture produce was perishable, there should be no restriction on its procurement, transportation and marketing; all processing related activities of horticulture produce should be given relaxation from the lockdown, he said. Gowda also called for relaxation on exports for horticulture produce and its processed items. There should be no restriction on agriculture activities; a national grid has to be set up for marketing of horticulture produce, he said.

If such measures were not taken up immediately, the government will have to pay compensation to farmers for losses. Lack of remedial measures would lead to a shortage of supply, leading to rebellion from the people and may result in farmers' suicides and bringing about a situation that might be more grave than coroanvirus, he said.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
March 10,2020

Belagavi, Mar 10: Around 6,000 chickens were buried alive by some poultry farm owners here as the rate of flesh in the market dropped even below the cost price due to Coronavirus scare.

The poultry farm who buried the chickens on Monday evening belonged to Lolasuru village in Gokak Taluk of the district.

One of the owners, Nazir Makandar, said that there was no demand for chicken because of threat of Coronavirus.

Comments

Gajagamini
 - 
Tuesday, 10 Mar 2020

we are ready to destroy food but wont allow poor to eat it

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.