Fifth Pay Commission submits its final report to Kar CM Kumaraswamy

Bangalore, May 22 (UNI) The fifth Pay Commission headed by former Additional Chief Secretary M B Prakash today submitted its final report to Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy.

Mr Kumaraswamy, in his brief address, said the government would go through in detail the report and explore possibilities to implement the recommendations made by the Commission.

Later briefing newsmen, Mr Prakash said that it was desirable to review the administrative system also whenever the government chose to revise pay scales of its employees. The Commission expressed dissatisfaction over the present transfer policy and suggested formulation of a legislation to prescribe the minimum period of tenure, transferring authority, penalty for those who violated it and those who approved such violations.

He said to contrain corruption, simplification of administrative procedures, transparency in administration and punishing the guilty immediately were necessary. In the last one decade only 105 officials were punished under the Prevention of Corruption Act as against 1547 against whom cases were registered. The Lokayukta should be given necessary powers and special court be established for speedy disposal of such cases. People will come forward to make complaints against corruption only if they are confident that government was fighting corruption, he added saying that the government should also establish Vigilance Commission.

He said just as merit was given importance during recruitment, similarly merited and efficient employees should be given prominence during promotion. In higher categories of posts more prominence should be given to efficiency. At least 25 per cent of the promotional posts at the entry level of a few cadres of category B and C should be filled by completitive exam, he suggested. he also stressed the need to forumlate a trianing policy and make it mandatory as it was an important input to improve technical and administrative knowledge of employees.

The Commission, among others, had suggested departmentwise cadre/posts for higher pay scale. It had also recommended revision of travelling allowance, conveyance allowance, uniform allowance, house building advance and increase in entry level pay scales of primary school teachers, veterinary doctors, Ayush doctors and Assistant Public Prosecutors.

UNI