CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court has issued a standard operating procedure (SOP) for the state government to pay an enhanced pay scale as per the recommendations of the Second National Judicial Pay Commission (SNJPC) for judicial officers in the state by February 29.
After the Supreme Court order to the state government to pay enhanced pay scale as per SNJPC recommendations, Acting Chief Justice B R Sarangi constituted a Committee for Service Conditions of the District Judiciary (CSCDJ).
“The CSCDJ formulated the SOP for proper implementation of the recommendations of the SNJPC including pay pension, allowances and all allied matters and to facilitate settlement of claims and disbursal of allowances along with the payment of arrears of salary and pension to judicial officers, pensioners and family pensioners of the state,” registrar general Pratap Kumar Patra stated in a notice.
The SOP expected the state government in the Law department with concurrence of Finance department to come up with the resolution/notification as the case may be, within seven days of receipt of the recommendation of the CSCDJ on each allowance and facilitate for implementation of the recommendations of the SNJPC.
The SOP declared eleven government authorities, district judges of all the 30 judgeships and heads of department of all the courts/offices/institutions of the government where judicial officers are working or have worked on deputation as nodal agency for smooth disbursement of salary, allowances, arrears and other service and retirement benefits.
“The authorities (nodal agencies) shall see that the disbursement on account of arrears of salary, pension and allowances due and payable to judicial officers, retired judicial officers and family pensioners shall be computed and paid on or before February 29, 2024 as directed by the Supreme Court”, the SOP said.
For drawing of the arrear salary allowance/retirement and pensionary benefits within the stipulated dateline as fixed by the Supreme Court, the Law department/Home department in consultation with the Finance department shall timely place sufficient funds in the appropriate head of accounts for the purpose. If required, funds may also be made available by resorting to the process of re-appropriation of available savings with the concerned departments in a time bound manner, the SOP further said.