Pondy to scale down staff salary

Move comes in wake of 2006 hike that was against Central rules

Around 5,000 Puducherry government employees, who received a hike in their salaries in January 2006, are now in for a shock as the government has decided to scale down the pay for certain posts in 67 cadre in various departments under the territorial administration.

According to an office memorandum  issued by Chief Secretary M Sathiyavathy, based on the Lieutenant Governor’s order on November 26, upgraded pay scales which were brought into effect after the Fifth Central Pay Commission (CPC), would now be reverted to the entitled V CPC pay scales prior to upgradation.

The territorial administration had earlier hiked salaries of employees after the Fifth CPC was introduced based on recommendations of  a one-man committee constituted by the UT to rectify pay anomalies. However, since the administration has no delegated authority to effect such a hike, the proposal for ratification of the revision had been sent to the Central Ministries concerned through the Ministry of Home Affairs. Till now, the approval from the Centre is yet to come.

Despite this, the government went ahead and implemented the VI CPC recommendations and extended the pay band and grade pay corresponding to the upgraded scale of V CPC without the Centre’s approval.

This has resulted in an anomalies disturbing the vertical and horizontal relativity within. Consequently, recruitment rules could not be amended as per the instructions of the Department of Personnel and Training, Government of India, on March 24, 2009.

Various vacant posts could not be filled and the regularisation of ad hoc services and grant of assured career progression  could not be carried out, saod Sathiyavathy. New recruitment rules would now be framed by incorporating the normal replacement pay band and grade pay, based on the entitled V CPC of the posts before the upgradation,  stated M Sathivathy in the order.

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