Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai made five significant decisions favouring government officials, employees and media personnel on Friday.

He announced an increase in the DA of government officials and employees by about 4 per cent under the seventh pay scale, and this benefit will also extend to state government pensioners.

The increased DA will be effective from March 1, 2024. The state government will also pay the last installment of the arrears to the officials and employees under the seventh pay scale.

Additionally, the Chief Minister has formed a committee under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary, Panchayat, and Rural Development Secretary, Niharika Barik, which will review the issues of employees and suggest a resolution to the state government.

He also announced a decision to provide relief to village panchayat secretaries, under which the state government would provide them the wages for their 55-day strike period, and these periods would be adjusted with earned leave. These significant decisions will add joy and happiness to the families of employees during the Holi festival.

The Chief Minister announced an increase in the DA of government officials and employees by about 4 percent under the seventh pay scale, and this benefit will also extend to state government pensioners. The increased DA will be effective from March 1, 2024.

As a result, the DA under the seventh pay scale will increase from 42 percent to 46 percent, and under the sixth pay scale, it will increase to 230 percent. This decision will benefit 3 lakh 90 thousand employees and 1 lakh 20 thousand pensioners in the state. With this decision, state employees and pensioners will receive a monthly benefit of Rs. 68 crore and an annual benefit of Rs. 816 crore.

The Chief Minister also announced to pay the last installment of the arrears to employees under the seventh pay scale.

The Chief Minister also provided relief to the gram panchayat secretaries. Gram panchayat secretaries were on strike from March 16, 2023, to May 9, 2023, for a total of 55 days.

The Chief Minister stated that the strike period of gram panchayat secretaries will be adjusted to their earned leave, and they will be paid for 55 days. This decision will incur an expenditure of Rs. 70 crore on the state government.

The Chief Minister said that our dedicated employees have shared their various concerns and demands with us. He announced that a five-member committee has been formed under the chairmanship of Principal Secretary, Panchayat and Rural Development, Niharika Barik to address these issues.

The committee will actively interact with representatives of various employee unions and give suggestions to the government for effective solutions in the interest of the employees.

This committee will also include Principal Secretary Law and Legislative Affair Department, Secretary General Administration Department and Secretary Finance Department as members and Secretary General Administration Department (Shaskiya Karmchari Kalyan Shakha) as member secretary.

The Chief Minister said that several complaints of harassment against journalists and people of media had come to light.

Our media department had also given information about alleged false cases and harassment against journalists and demanded justice. In this regard, we announce the formation of a committee under the chairmanship of the Home Secretary, he said.

The Chief Minister further said that journalists will also be a part of this committee among other members.