Karnataka govt. decides to implement recommendations of 7th Pay Commission
Bengaluru, Jul 15: The Karnataka cabinet on Monday decided to implement the recommendations of the seventh Pay Commission effective from August one, official sources said.
The Chief Minister is expected to make an announcement regarding the pay hike to more than seven lakh state government employees in the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, the sources said.
The 7th Pay Commission, headed by former chief secretary K Sudhakar Rao, has recommended a 27.5 percent hike on basic salary of government employees.
This is expected to cost the government exchequer an additional Rs 17,440.15 crore annually.
Siddaramaiah government was under pressure to decide on a pay hike, after the Karnataka State Government Employees Association announced its plans to go on an indefinite strike from August.
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In March 2023, the then Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai gave employees an interim 17 per cent salary hike, to which the Siddaramaiah administration is likely to add a 10.5 percentage points hike, which will total to 27.5 per cent hike on basic salary, as per the recommendation of the 7th Pay Commission, the sources said.
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BJP dreaming to win polls with money power: West Bengal BJP MLA after bypoll loss
Kolkata, Nov 23: As the ruling Trinamool Congress swept the by-elections in six assembly seats in West Bengal, Kurseong's party MLA Bishnu Prasad Sharma attacked the state leadership, saying the party dreams of winning polls with money power and that it sidelines legislators and gives "unnecessary importance and responsibilities" to MPs.
The TMC retained five of the six seats it had previously won during the 2021 polls, while wresting the key Madarihat seat from the saffron camp in north Bengal’s Alipurduar district.
In a Facebook post, Sharma alleged, "The BJP runs a membership drive in West Bengal over the phone from a Kolkata office, while party leaders turn a blind eye to factionalism within the party. The party sidelines MLAs and gives unnecessary importance and responsibilities to MPs. It dreams of winning elections relying on money power. Despite having no shortage of political issues in the state, it centers its politics solely around religion."
"The BJP accuses opponents of corruption while carrying Adani and Ambani on its shoulders. It tries to undermine the rights of the indigenous population by luring Bangladeshi Hindus with promises of CAA. It halts MGNREGA funds and indulges in such tactics, hoping to win elections in the state," he alleged.
On the other hand, the BJP MLA lauded TMC saying, that the ruling party in the state, armed with 26 different "pro-poor schemes" such as Kanyashree Prakalpa, Gitanjali Housing Scheme, Krishak Bandhu Scheme, Nijo Griha Nijo Bhumi, Rupashree Prakalpa, Shishu Sathi Scheme, and Student Credit Card, quietly works at the grassroots level.
"Now, you decide who will win the elections. I have never seen a culture of self-criticism within the BJP; otherwise, this outcome wouldn't have occurred," he added.
Since the 2021 assembly elections, the TMC has won every by-election, except the Sagardighi bypoll in March 2023, which was won by a Congress candidate who later switched to the TMC.
With this victory, TMC's tally in the 294-member state assembly rose to 216, further consolidating its position. The BJP's tally, on the other hand, dropped to 69, from 77 in 2021.
