Gujarat government hikes salary of fixed pay contractual employees by 30 per cent

The decision was taken in a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel. The move will cost Rs 548.64 crore to the state exchequer, state government spokesperson and minister Rushikesh Patel sai

Ahmedabad:The Gujarat cabinet on Wednesday decided to increase by 30 per cent the salary of 61,560 employees working on a fixed-pay contractual basis. The decision was taken in a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel. The move will cost Rs 548.64 crore to the state exchequer, state government spokesperson and minister Rushikesh Patel said.

"The new salary will be implemented with effect from October 1, 2023," he said, adding that the salary hike before Diwali will bring happiness to the employees and their families. "With this decision, the existing monthly fixed pay of class-III employees under the grade pay scale of 4400 will increase to Rs 49,600 from the existing Rs 38,090, while that of class-III employees with grade the pay of 4200 and 2800 will go up to Rs 40,800 from the existing Rs 31,340," he said.

Further, the existing monthly salary of class-III employees under 2400, 2000, 1900 and 1800 grade pay scales will rise to Rs 26,000 from the existing Rs 19,950. Notably, the employees have time and again protested against the fixed-pay contractual basis arrangement calling it exploitative and discriminatory.

Ahead of the 2022 assembly elections, the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had promised permanent jobs to all contractual employees and an 'equal work, equal pay' system if voted to power in Gujarat.