Karnataka govt announces 17% hike in basic salary, employees withdraw strike
Chief Minister Basavraj Bommai, who had held a meeting with members of the Association Tuesday night, spoke to finance department officials Wednesday morning and again held talks with the KSGEA.
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An agreement was reached with the striking employees after discussions with additional chief secretary ISN Prasad and other IAS officers including PC Jaffer and Ekrup Kaur. (Express Photo) Hours after the start of an indefinite strike called by the Karnataka State Government Employees Association (KSGEA), the state government succumbed to the pressure and announced a hike in basic pay of employees by 17 per cent as interim relief. Also, the state government has formed a committee to look into the demands of reverting to the Old Pension Scheme. The interim relief will come into effect from April 1, 2023.
Chief Minister Basavraj Bommai, who had held a meeting with members of the Association Tuesday night, spoke to finance department officials Wednesday morning and again held talks with the KSGEA. After his announcement of a 17 per cent hike in basic pay, the Association called off the strike.
Bommai said, “An order to this effect will be issued immediately. A committee headed by the additional chief secretary (finance) will be constituted to study the Old Pension Scheme in other states, the financial implications, and other issues, and then submit a detailed report.”
Association president CS Shadakshari said, “We have agreed with the government’s decision and are thankful for it. We are calling off the strike and all employees will report back to work with immediate effect. The government has also promised that they will get a report on the Old Pension Scheme (NPS) within two months and we have demanded to implement it. We had placed only two demands which have seen progress.”
The interim relief announced by the chief minister will entail an additional Rs 12,000 crore expenditure for the government. An agreement was reached with the striking employees after discussions with additional chief secretary ISN Prasad and other IAS officers including PC Jaffer and Ekrup Kaur.
Meanwhile, there was discontent within the association for withdrawing the strike early without reverting to the Old Pension Scheme. Karnataka Government Secretariat Employees Association President P Guruswamy said, “As an organisation and as an individual, I am not happy with the association’s decision to withdraw the strike. We wanted the government to enforce OPS, but they have not done it. Our primary aim was to get it done from the government. They have formed a committee which will give a report after two months. But by then, elections will be announced and we do not know the future.”
The Karnataka Government Secretariat Employees Association has about 5,000 employees.
Reacting to Guruswamy, CS Shadakshari said, “It is a matter of policy decision and cannot be done overnight. I understand that the employees need OPS and also the implementation of the 7th pay commission. It cannot be done in a day and the government is studying the matter. I also understand that there will be elections in near future, but the government cannot bypass the procedures and issue an order.” “We will fight for it if it is not fulfilled,” he added.
Earlier in the day, government offices remained shut and employees were seen staging protests in taluks and district headquarters. Government schools and colleges were also shut and, in many hospitals, doctors sported black bands. Also, in some places, doctors and nurses skipped their work.
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