Kohima, December 5 (DIPR): Come January 2008, nearly one lakh Nagaland Government employees from the Secretary level downwards will fatten their purses and they will have more money in their provident funds. Employees heaved a sigh of relief with the government’s decision to revise Dearness Allowances from the existing 29 percent to 35 percent with effect from 1st January 2007 and from 35 percent to 41 percent with effect from 1st July 2007.
The State Government also granted Additional Dearness Allowance from the existing 217 to 233 percent from 1st January 2007 and 233 to 249 from 1st July 2007 to employees who are drawing pay in the pre-revised scales under ROP 1993.
An office memorandum issued by Principal & Finance Commissioner, H.K.Khulu on 3rd Dec.2007 said, the whole arrears from first January to 31st December 2007 shall be credited to the respective GPF/CPF accounts of the employees concerned. The memorandum said, no part of the arrears upto 31st December 2007 will be paid in cash except in respect of those employees who have already retired from service or have died or are due to retire on superannuation on or before 31st March 2008 said the government employees who have not yet opened provident fund account can be allowed to draw the arrears only after the provident Fund Accounts are opened so that the arrears can be credited to their Provident Fund Accounts. Arrears of DA/ADA may be paid in cash in respect of those employees who are not required to subscribe to Provident Fund under the Rules Applicable to them.
The memorandum also said the amount of arrears credited to the provident funds shall not be treated as accumulation for the purpose of temporary or non-refundable withdrawals till 31st march 2009. However this condition shall not apply in case of final withdrawal from provident funds in respect of employees, who have already retired, died or have ceased to be in service otherwise. The amount of arrear credited to provident Fund under these orders shall earn interest at normal rate.
The memorandum further said these orders shall apply to the employees appointed on contract against sanctioned posts but not to the workcharged employees (whether on time scale of pay or on fixed daily/monthly wages) nor shall these orders apply to any other categories of employees on fixed monthly pay or daily wages.
Though it is a party time for State Government employees, the current hike in DA and ADA will have an adverse effect on the state exchequer.
