The Jharkhand Cabinet on Wednesday gave the nod for implementation of seventh pay commission package for staff and employees in urban civic bodies. As per Cabinet nod, the staff and employees of urban civic bodies working in Municipal Corporation, nagar parishad and nagar panchayat will be benefitted. The staff of urban civic bodies will get revised salaries with effect from April 1, 2019.

State Cabinet Coordination department secretary in-charge Ajoy Kumar Singh said, “With the implementation of seventh pay package the State Government will bear the burden of Rs 12 crore on its exchequer yearly.”

In another major decision, the State Cabinet on Wednesday gave its approval for a hike in the monthly honorarium of Anganwadi sewika, Anganwadi sahayika and middle level Anganwadi sahayika. As per Cabinet decision, the monthly honorarium of Anganwadi sewika and Anganwadi sahayika has been increased to Rs 500 each. Similarly, the monthly honorarium of middle level Anganwadi sahayika has been increased to Rs 250 per month. With today’s Cabinet decision the monthly honorarium of Anganwadi sewika will be Rs 6,400, Anganwadi sahayika will get Rs 4,700 while the middle level Anganwadi sahayika will get Rs 3,200 per month.

With the increase in monthly honorarium of Anganwadi sewika, Anganwadi sahayika and middle level Anganwadi sahayika the State Government will bear burden of Rs 33.82 crore in State exchequer. There are around 71,000 Anganwadi sewika, Anganwadi sahayika and 2,551 mid level Anganwadi sahayika working in State.

The State Cabinet also gave its nod for service rules of Jharkhand Urban Town Planner (appointment, promotion and service rules) 2019. Nod for service rules of Aayush Pharmacist cadre was also approved in Cabinet meeting.

The State Cabinet also gave the nod to lease out 2.870 acres of land at Bhagwanpur and Bahadurchak area of Godda district to Adani Power Ltd at the rate of Rs  60.82 lakh for period of thirty years to Adani Power (Jharkhand) for setting up booster pumping station.

Administrative approval for revised fund allocation under centre government funded Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana was also given nod. Earlier, the Government had sanctioned Rs 3696.22 crore under Gram Jyoti Yojana which has been revised to Rs 4,166 crore.

In today’s Cabinet meet, a nod was given to 12 agenda which also includes administrative approval of financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh each to family members of four journalists, among others. 

Sources said that Wednesday was the last Cabinet meeting of Raghubar Das Government’s present tenure as the election dates is likely to be announced after Chhath festival.