The Punjab Cabinet on Thursday announced an increase in the basic pay of its staff by a minimum of 15 percent, as recommended by a Cabinet subcommittee on August 4. Further hike their basic pay by a minimum of 15 percent over and above the basic pay as of December 31, 2015, in addition to the restoration of certain allowances.

With this, the total average increase in salary, as well as pension per employee, has gone up to Rs 1.05 lakh per annum from the earlier Rs 79,250 per annum that they were getting following the government’s decision to accept the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission.

The decision on the further hike was taken at the Cabinet meeting on Thursday, chaired by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh. It was directed that all ministers, administrative secretaries and heads of departments to talk to their respective employees for early redressal of their grievances. While all reasonable demands of the employees should be resolved following this announcement, he made it clear that strict action should be taken, as per rules, if the employees continue to agitate.

Chief Minister Amarinder Singh pointed out that all operational allowances have not only been retained but also doubled in absolute terms over what they were being paid earlier, with the Cabinet decision to restore common allowances, such as fixed medical allowance, mobile allowance, conveyance allowance and city compensatory allowance at the revised rates with effect from July 1.

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