West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today hailed the role of over one lakh civic volunteers working in the state, and announced a hike of Rs 3,000 for them from October.
The CM also said that the volunteers would be roped in for the posts of home guards, and a programme would soon be initiated to train them for the posts of police constables.
"The civic volunteers in our state undertake critical jobs and are doing a remarkable job. And to ensure a secure future for them, we have decided to hike their remuneration by Rs 3,000...from October 1," Banerjee said at the Bangla Bibhushan Award distribution ceremony here.
She also announced a hike for both the Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) and Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) workers from the same date.
"We had increased the salary of ASHA workers by Rs 500 a few months back. We are paying Rs 2,000 to them now other than the incentives they get. From October 1, they will get Rs 3,000," Banerjee said.
On the salary hike of state government employees, the chief minister said an announcement in this regard would be made before Durga Puja in October.
"I am not announcing anything for the state government employees, but I remember my commitments towards them. I will fulfil them before the Durga Puja. The (state) finance minister is taking care of that matter and they do not need to worry about it," she added.