Following the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission, the Karnataka government authorized a significant pay increase for its workers. The decision, which will take effect on August 1st, was approved by the Cabinet under the direction of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. The pay rise for employees is going to be 27.5%. Minister for Karnataka Priyank Kharge stated that it will help about 14 to 15 lakh state employees and was one of the people's demands.

“Seventh Pay Commission was one of the demands of the people and it was also there in our manifesto. Yesterday we brought it into the Cabinet and saw the blueprint of the financials. It will benefit around 14 to 15 lakh state employees," Priyank Kharge said.

7th Pay Commission
Image Source:
Livelaw

Journalistic organization According to PTI, the 7th Pay Commission, which was chaired by former chief secretary K Sudhakar Rao, recommended raising government employees' base pay by 27.5%. The Karnataka State Government Employees Association threatened to go on an indefinite strike in August, which put pressure on the Siddaramaiah government to approve a salary increase. This is expected to cost the government exchequer an additional ₹17,440.15 crore a year, according to PTI.

Government Response to 7th Pay Commission Recommendations

Employees received a temporary 17% pay increase in March 2023 according to an order from former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai. Based on the suggestions of the Seventh Pay Commission, the present government is expected to augment this temporary increase by an additional 10.5 percentage points, meaning that the basic wage would rise by 27.5 percent overall.

Meeting with PM Modi last month, the chief minister of Karnataka requested that the state receive special consideration in the next budget.

Sources in the know told PTI, “In March 2023, the then Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai gave employees an interim 17 per cent salary hike, to which the Siddaramaiah administration is likely to add a 10.5 percentage points hike, which will total to 27.5 per cent hike on basic salary, as per the recommendation of the 7th Pay Commission.”

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