Govt employees term salary cut, disbursal delay double blow

Social security pensions, which include old age allowance, widow and destitute women pension, pension for the disabled, would be disbursed from April 13. Retired employees will get pensions from April 16

The Haryana government’s decision to delay the disbursal of salaries and pensions due to fiscal severity has dismayed a large section of employees, including officers.

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As per an April 6 finance department schedule announced for the release of salaries, pensions and social security pensions, the group D employees, contractual and daily wagers would get their salaries on April 7, group C on April 10 and group A and B would get it on April 20.

Social security pensions, which include old age allowance, widow and destitute women pension, pension for the disabled, would be disbursed from April 13. Retired employees will get pensions from April 16.

Finance department officials said that salaries to all government employees, including contractual employees, pension including family pension to government pensioners and social security pension, involve an expenditure of Rs 2,350 crore every month.

“Given the present scenario and Covid-19 crisis, it has been proposed to disburse salaries and pensions this month in a staggered manner,” said a finance department note by finance secretary-cum-adviser Sunil Saran.

Reacting to the development, an employee said, “On one hand, the state government is insisting on 10% contributions from group A, B and C employees and 20% from all India service officers towards the Covid-19 relief fund. Delaying the disbursal and a salary cut is a double blow to everyone.”

The state government is facing a severe financial crunch due to the nationwide lockdown. Chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar said there was a sizable decline in tax collections and the government fell short of about ₹2,300 crore in revenue collections during March and the shortfall would be around ₹4,000 crore in April.

The finance department, however, said that salary bills of all employees will be accepted and cleared in a prompt manner as per the usual procedure.