Before assembly elections the BJP-IPFT government of Tripura has turned virtually a Kalpatoru –fishing out financial supports for employees from its kitty. Within a week of announcement of 12 percent DA/ DR for the employees the state government on Tuesday came with one more New Year gift for the
Anganwadi workers and helpers, mid-day-meal workers, ASHA workers, pump operators and Home Guards et al. The council of ministers in a meeting decided to hike their wages considerably.
Apart from the raising the pay of several sections of low paid employees, the government also decided on many other important matters including filling up of 16 posts of Election Inspectors through Tripura Public Service Commission, said ICA Minister Sushanta Chowdhury in a press conference at the Civil Secretariat on Tuesday.
There are 9,199 Anganwadi Workers and 9,199 Helpers under the Social Welfare and Social Education department and their wage has got a raise by Rs 600 and Rs 700 respectively. Now total pay of the Anganwadi Workers will be minimum Rs.8000 and helpers’ pay will be minimum Rs 5000. They will draw the increased amount from this month as the decision has come into force from December 01 last.
The cabinet gave the green signal for the proposal seeking increase the monthly pension of retired Home Guards from Rs. 750 to Rs. 2500.
Besides, the duty allowance of the Home Guards has been also hiked from Rs. 18,140 to Rs. 19,140.
Chowdhury said, the cabinet also cleared a proposal for increasing the honorarium of 7767 Asha Workers engaged under the Health and Family Welfare department by Rs. 1000. The state’s share will increase by additional Rs. 9.32 crore to implement the decision; earlier it was Rs. 13.68 crore.
The ICA minister also said, honorarium of the cook cum helpers (mid-day-meal) under the School Education department has been hiked from Rs. 1500 to Rs. 2500 per month.
Chowdhury said, the decisions would put an end to long deprivation. Earlier, the salary of Home Guards was hiked and dress allowance was sanctioned.
He said, a proposal for adding more 25 schools under the Vidyajyoti Scheme has been approved by the cabinet. The existing 100 schools are already seeing a huge rash of students. To meet the demand, the decision has been taken.
The council of ministers approved filling up of 16 posts of Election Inspectors (Group-C) through Tripura Public Service Commission (TPSC).
Under the Tribal Welfare department, the stipend of inmates in boarding houses has been increased from Rs. 65 to Rs. 80 per day. This decision would benefit 31,000 families, Chowdhury said.
In a similar move, the stipend of inmates in boarding houses has been increased from Rs. 65 to Rs. 80 per day.
According to Chowdhury, the cabinet also decided to hike the honorarium of the Pump Operators– 2434 under the DWS department and 1751 under the Rural Development department.
The salary of 2434 pump operators (drinking water purpose) under the DWS department has been hiked from Rs. 4710 to Rs. 7010 (the hike is Rs. 2300) and for the pump operators engaged in Iron Removal Plant has been hiked from Rs. 5110 to Rs. 7600 (the hike is Rs. 2490), he added.
In the cabinet meeting, the entry fee for the Agartala Science City has been fixed, he said.
The ticket price for entry into the main complex of the Science City would be Rs. 30 for general visitors, Rs. 20 for school students as general visitors and Rs. 10 for school students in groups.
Similarly, the price of the entry ticket for 3D theatre has been fixed at Rs. 30 for the general visitors, Rs. 30 for students as general visitors and Rs. 20 for students in group. The Science City would be a source of revenue earning, he added.
The state cabinet also cleared a proposal for providing government jobs to the families of five victims of political violence.
The cabinet also cleared creation of 34 posts for Tripura Judicial Academy under the Law department and 32 new teaching and non-teaching posts in MBB University under Higher Education department.
He said, a proposal for setting up Aryabhatta International University in North Tripura has been approved. The cabinet also approved a proposal for allocation of land on lease contract. A Bill in this regard would be required to be placed in the House; the in-principle approval has been given in the cabinet meeting.
Tripura Power Transmission Company Limited (TPTCL) would be introduced under the Tripura State Electricity Corporation Limited (TSECL). It would handle power transmission upto 33-KV, the ICA minister said.
Meanwhile, the ICA minister gave counter to CPM Secretary Jiten Chaudhury’s recent claim that the BJP government had stopped providing jobs in the die-in-harness scheme.
“The present state government provided 1271 die-in-harness jobs alone,” the ICA minister said and appealed to the CPM state secretary not to spread misleading information.
(With inputs from Tripura Times)
