Bhopal: The state government employees and pensioners will get additional DA of only four per cent from January 1 this year. This was decided by the cabinet meeting held here on Tuesday. The cabinet had cleared seven per cent DA for the employees and the pensioners at the last cabinet meeting. The central government had announced an additional DA of four per cent to its employees still getting the sixth pay commission wages. Three per cent DA was announced for those getting seventh pay commission pay scale. However, the state government officials, mistakenly, added the two figures and put up a proposal for sanctioning seven per cent DA, which was approved by the cabinet.
In the cabinet meeting, the Chief Minister expressed his displeasure over the bloomer. He told finance minister Jayant Malaiya and additional chief secretary, finance AP Shrivastava that orders be issued in pursuance of the decision. Otherwise the government would have faced an embarrassing situation. However, Malaiya made a light of the matter saying that even if that had happened, it would have made no difference. He said that the additional amount would have been adjusted against the seventh pay commission arrears to be paid to the employees. The cabinet also decided to change the name of the “Aadim Jati” department to “Jan Jatiya Karya”. Chouhan was told that Madhya Pradesh was the only state which had named its department looking after tribal welfare as “Aadim Jati” (primitive tribes). He was told that ‘Janjati’ was the correct Hindi equivalent of “Tribal”. The department had put up the proposal.
It was also decided to amend the rules regarding payment of extraordinary family pension to the families of the police personnel martyred during clashes with naxalites. Now, the pensioners will benefit from additional DA sanctioned for the employees from time to time. It was also decided that if class three and four employees are given additional charge in the districts, they would be entitled to a special allowance of Rs 500 and Rs 300 per month respectively. The cabinet also cleared three new projects, which would benefit 12 lakh residents of 819 villages.
