Team Herald
PANJIM: In a move which could be termed as the first step towards the implementation of the VII Pay Commission recommendations, the State cabinet on Friday approved the proposal to bring Group D employees into Group C and designating them as multi-tasking staff.
“As per the VI Pay Commission recommendations, it was mandated that Group D needs to be disbanded and converted into Group C but there was some eligibility prescribed, which meant the employees had to be either SSC or ITI pass,” Chief Secretary RK Srivastava said after the cabinet briefing.
Srivastava said that while those possessing this required qualification would be given pay scale of grade pay of 1800, there were many who did not posses those qualifications and the employees cannot be thrown out.
He said that those who had the qualification would be given a notional promotion and grade pay. “Rest will be retrained within a period of three months and then brought in this scale of 5200-20,200 with grade pay of 1800,” he said adding, “Henceforth there would be no recruitment of those who do not possess these qualifications.”
Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar said this was necessary as the VII Pay Commission does not recognise Group D. “We will have to convert them into Group C and bring them as multi-tasking staff. This is the first step towards the VII pay,” he said.
Parsekar also said that VII Pay Commission was delayed due to this reason. “If we had implemented then a large number of Group D employees would have been left deprived,” he said.
Asked when the VII Pay Commission would be implemented, he replied, “Before Diwali we have brought them into Group C and after Diwali will announce soon”.
Parsekar also announced that the retirement age of GMC doctors has been increased to 62. “Since the medical seats have been increased from 100 to 150 there was requirement of more doctors and hence we had to increase the age limit for retirement,” Parsekar said.
He said the government also proposes to increase the age of GMC lecturers to 65. “Elsewhere it is already 65 and we are also moving in that direction due to difficulty in getting lecturers,” he said.
