Southern States
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Tamil Nadu
We are worst hit: govt. employees
By Our Tamil Nadu Bureau
CHENNAI, NOV. 30. Hit by both the cut in their pay and the hike in bus and power tariffs, besides milk prices, government employees began their protest today. According to them, they were the worst hit by the recent increases.
The monthly expenses of a government employee will go up on an average by Rs 500 as he has to pay more for travel, milk and power. And, the additional source of revenue which supplements the monthly income is blocked, the employees complain.
While there has been no DA increase since June, they are not allowed to get a loan from their PF accounts. This year's festival advance was not given and uncertainty hangs over the Pongal gift too.
Besides a 10 per cent cut in medical allowance, the leave travel allowance, which they utilise for bridging the gap between the income and expenditure has been stopped. ``From where do we get the money to meet the deficit'', asks a section of the protesting employees at the Secretariat here.
``Why are there no curbs on the spending by Ministers'', they asked, listing the various cuts in their perks.
Members of various employees unions gathered outside the Namakkal Kavignar building at the Secretariat here during lunch hour and raised slogans against the Government's announcements.
Meanwhile, the Joint Action of Tamil Nadu Teachers and Employees Associations (JACTTEA) will meet in Coimbatore on December 16 to decide agitational programmes to condemn the Government's ``drastic measures'' including the decision to employ teachers on a contract basis.
In a statement, the JACTTEA organiser, Mr. A Mayilsami, said the Government had not raised the dearness allowance on a par with what was paid to Central government staff.
Members of the Tamil Nadu Secretariat Employees Union protesting the hike in bus fare and power tariff at the Secretariat on Friday. - Photo: K. Gajendran
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