BENGALURU: In what appears to be a pre-election boost, the 7th Pay Commission has proposed a significant 27.5% increase in basic pay for Karnataka govt employees. This increase is anticipated to benefit approximately 12 lakh employees and pensioners across the state.
The final report of the commission, led by former chief secretary K Sudhakar Rao, was formally submitted to chief minister Siddaramaiah before the announcement of the Lok Sabha polls on Saturday.
Constituted in Nov 2022 with a six-month mandate, the commission, which was granted a three-month extension in Nov 2023, concluded its work on Friday. However, because of the CM’s Mysuru tour, the report could not be submitted at that time. Govt employees and pensioners across the state have been advocating for implementation of the 7th Pay Commission recommendations, which have been met with anticipation.
Acknowledging the report, Siddaramaiah stated that the govt has already initiated an interim hike of 17% in basic pay for all employees. He said the finance department would carefully examine the final report and provide recommendations. Subsequently, the govt will make a conclusive decision regarding its implementation. If the recommendations are adopted, the minimum salary for govt employees is expected to witness a substantial rise from Rs 17,000 to Rs 27,000 a month.
Implementation process might face delays because of the announcement of the Lok Sabha election schedule, which triggered the enforcement of code of conduct.
