Haryana: Small in size, rich in financial resources

State estimates salary and pension bill at Rs 24,951 cr for 2016-17

Haryana will raise the salaries and pensions of its employees according to the recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission. If increased in toto, the hike in salaries and pensions would entail an extra annual burden of Rs 4,000 crore on the state exchequer.

The state has close to 280,000 employees and 180,000 pensioners. Haryana has estimated the salary and pension bill at Rs 24,951 crore for 2016-17, as against Rs 20,693 crore (Revised estimate) for 2015-16. According to sources in the finance department, the annual salary bill of the state would be 19,340 crore and the estimated annual pension was Rs 5,611 crore.

Captain Abhimanyu, Haryana’s finance minister said the state government usually follows the recommendations of the Pay Commission that are approved by the Centre and employees would be granted an increase in pay and arrears accordingly.

He had said during discussions after the state Budget this March that provisions had been made in the annual Budget of the state for 2016-17 to enhance the salaries and pensions of government employees in line with the Seventh Pay Commission’s recommendations.