Even though it is “cash strapped”, Congress-led Punjab Government on Friday gave a whopping hike in the salaries of Chief Minister’s advisors.
Giving a hike of Rs 25,000 each, the salary of as many as seven advisers of the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has been increased from Rs 1.25 lakh to Rs 1.50 lakhs. Besides, the Government will pay retired lieutenant General TS Shergill, senior adviser, equal to his last drawn salary in the Army.
With this, the State exchequer will be burdened with an additional expenses of Rs 6.20 lakh per month.
The raise come at a time when the State Government has been crying hoarse over its precarious financial situation and citing “lack of funds” as major reason to fulfil its key pre-poll promises, including complete farm debt waiver, doubling pension, giving jobs, among other things.
Moreover, the “debt-ridden” Government is also preparing to impose slew of taxes to mop up revenue.
As per the notification, the Chief Minister’s Adviser Bharat Inder Singh Chahal, and Media Adviser Raveen Thukral — having the cabinet rank — would now get a salary of Rs 1.50 lakh.
The four other advisers — Media Secretary Vimal Sumbly, Political Secretary Captain Sandeep Sandhu, Protocol Secretary Major Amardeep and Kirpal Singh — will get a salary of Rs 1.25 lakhs.
Earlier, they were getting a salary of Rs 30,000 per month.
No increase in the salaries of Officer’s on Special Duty (OSDs) has been announced by the government who are getting Rs 30,000 as of now.
It has been learnt that the advisers has, since long, been unhappy for having equal pay with that of the OSDs, despite enjoying the Cabinet status.
Sources informed that the State Government has been considering the issue of revision of the advisors’ salaries, on which the Chief Minister has finally given his approval.
Apart from a handsome pays, they will continue to get other related facilities separately.