No need to send pay revision files to Centre: TU leader

By Our Staff Reporter

PONDICHERRY, JULY 10. Mr. P. Lakshmanaswamy, general secretary of the Pondicherry State Government Employees Central Federation, said here on Monday that there was no need for the Pondicherry Administration to send files to the Centre when the pay scale of the staff here was to be brought on par with what was available to their counterparts in the Central services.

There could be automatic revision of pay scales for local employees whenever there was an order from the Centre fixing higher pay scales for the staff, as the local government had full powers to act immediately without seeking Centre's concurrence.

He said that the position had been explained to the Chief Minister by a delegation of the Central Federation . The Lt. Governor had revised in respect of several categories of employees their pay scales to bring the pay pattern on a par with the Central system. No file was sent to the Centre.

Mr. Lakshmanaswamy said there were also instances of some officials ordering implementation of pay scales to some sections although there was no such pay available for the Central government employees. This was an ironical situation prevailing in the Union Territory.

He said that orders were issued by the local government with specific policy decision that there should be no secondary grade teachers either in high schools or in higher secondary schools.

There should be only degree holders in teaching discipline in these schools according to the decision of the Administration. But this decision had not been implemented and the government was trying to justify the delay by contacting the Centre.

The instructors working in the Education Department or Labour Department were sought to be covered under the Central pay system and this was agreed to by the government. However nothing had been done in practice by the Administration.

Mr. Lakshmanaswamy appealed to the government to invite delegation of the government employees representatives for a dialogue with the Joint Secretary to Union Finance Ministry, Mr. N. Sunderrajan, now in Pondicherry to hold parleys with officials on matters relating to the Union Territory employees and for removal of pay anomalies.

Already a delegation of the Central federation of government employees had had a talk with another Joint Secretary in New Delhi and were told by the official that the Pondicherry Administration itself had powers to decide pay scales for the employees here to maintain parity with the Central government staff.

This had been done in Chandigarh which was also a Union Territory, it was then pointed out to the delegation.

Pondicherry has an Assembly of its own and hence has more powers than Chandigarh, Mr. Lakshmanaswamy said, and added that there was no justification for the Administration to shift the burden on to the Central authorities on fixing new pay scales for staff.

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Section  : Southern States
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