Ahmedabad: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who completes 10 years in office tomorrow, today announced a slew of sops which included a Rs 2,250-crore package for the State Government employees and new recruitment for 50,000 posts.
The BJP stalwart, who took over the top post on October 7, 2001 is the longest serving Chief Minister of Gujarat. On the eve of completing a decade in office, Modi announced that 4.54 lakh state employees and 3.47 lakh pensioners will get their third installment of arrears, on account of change in salaries as per the 6th Pay Commission, in cash instead of the amount being deposited in their respective Government Provident Fund (GPF).
Modi said dearness allowance (DA) of State Government employees and pensioners would be increased by 7 per cent, equivalent to that of the Central Government employees. The hike in DA would be payable with effect from July 2011.
According to Modi, of Rs Rs 2250-crore package, a sum of Rs 1,377 crore would be disbursed among the over eight lakh state employees and pensioners as payment of third installment of arrears. Another Rs 873 crore would be spent towards increase in DA, said the Chief Minister, who faces Assembly polls in late 2012. Modi further said 50,000 persons would get Government jobs by end of the current financial year.
He also announced hike in salaries, ranging from Rs 800 to Rs 4,400, of over one lakh contractual Government employees on fixed pay which include assistant teachers, Lok Rakshak Dal members and administrative assistants.
PTI