Ch'garh to implement pay panel report

Raipur, Aug 16(UNI) With a view to garner electoral benefit during the year-end Assembly election, the Chhattisgarh government has initiated the exercise to implement new pay-scales to its 2.5 lakh employees on the Central pattern.

Immediately after the Centre announced the pay revision for its employees with effect from January 1, 2006, Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh, who also holds the Finance portfolio, yesterday directed Finance officials to examine the Centre's report and its impact on the state's finance.

Highly placed government sources said the Chief Minister was eager to implement pay revision before announcement of the Assembly election to avoid violation of Election Commission's code of conduct.

''If the report could not be implemented now for any reason, it would be on top of the new government's agenda as all preparations were complete'', the sources added.

The Chief Minister had already expressed the government's commitment to implement the sixth pay panel recommendations saying the employees would not have to resort to agitation for getting benefits at par with Central government employees.

UNI AS-SP 1404