The present government had, in its white paper presented in 2017, also touched upon this issue, stating that the average salary of the Punjab government employees is much higher as compared to the other states and even the Government of India. The three-member pay panel headed by former chief secretary JS Gill is in the process of “finalising” its report. “Haryana pays salaries equivalent to the Centre whereas Punjab pays about 25% more without any justification,” it said, suggesting that the 6th State Pay Commission may be requested to keep this in view while recommending pay revision. The new pay scales have been introduced after a 20-member task force set up by the state government under former chief secretary KR Lakhanpal to devise an exit strategy from the lockdown, had, in its report in April this year, recommended the freezing of dearness allowance and drawn attention towards the high pay scales in the state. The government has also announced more recruitment in the police force. The health department has already set the ball rolling for recruitment to 3,854 posts, including medical officers, pharmacists, staff nurses, dialysis technicians, operation theatre assistants and ward attendants as per the new pay scales. “Any deviation from these policy guidelines will be viewed seriously and the appointing authority and the drawing and disbursing officer will be held personally responsible,” reads the letter. The instructions, which have been sent to all additional chief secretaries, heads of departments (HoDs), commissioners of divisions and deputy commissioners are applicable with immediate effect “The state government, after careful consideration, has decided that pay scales admissible to all prospective appointments – direct recruitments/compassionate appointment – in any cadre of any administrative department or the entities there under shall not be higher than the pay scale admissible to the said cadre in Government of India,” according to detailed instructions issued by the state’s finance department on Friday. They will not get the benefit of the state pay scales, which have been higher than those of the central government employees. The new appointees recruited after these instructions will be paid with the recommendations made by the 7th Central Pay Commission as the benchmark. In an effort to cut its salary bill, the cash-strapped Punjab government has decided to have new pay scales for all fresh appointments in its departments and other undertakings on the pattern of the central government.
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