Meghalaya govt approves 5th pay panel recommendations

The Meghalaya cabinet has approved the recommendations of Fifth Pay Commission for state government employees of all categories.
The implementation of the new salary structure will benefit more than 80,000 employees and cost the state exchequer nearly Rs 1000 crore in the current financial year.
After a marathon cabinet meeting that lasted for several hours last night, Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said, "The government employees will be receiving the new pay structure from next month with effect from January 1, 2017."
The salaries of the government employees have been increased by a multiple of 2.68, he said in a press meet.

The D-category employees who were earning a basic salary of Rs 6,500 would now be getting Rs 17,400 and an annual increment of three percent.
The department heads whose current basic pay is Rs 31,300 will be drawing Rs 83,900 and that of level-12 employees will get a raise from Rs 14,700 to Rs 39,400.

"The cabinet has also approved the number of progressions from twice to thrice for all employees - in their 10th, 20th and 30th year of their service," the chief minister said.
With the approval of the new pay commission's recommendations, the state government will incur an additional expenditure of Rs 929 crore for the current year, which also includes 40 per cent arrear.

The remaining 60 per cent arrear will be paid in equal instalments in the next two financial years.
The medical allowance has also been increased from Rs 700 to Rs 1000 and house rent allowance in urban areas has been doubled to Rs 8000, the CM said.
The chief minister also announced a paternity leave of 15 days while maternity leave has been increased to six months from the current three-month period.