The State Government on Sunday announced to give death and retirement gratuity to the employees who have joined service after 2005.
Finance Minister Sashi Bhushan Behera said the Government has decided to pay death gratuity to the employees and the administrative process for it has begun. The proposal for retirement gratuity for the employees is also being considered.
With the State Government’s move, more than one lakh Government employees are going to benefit.
Usually, the employees get 16 and a half months’ salary on head of gratuity and 10 months’ salary towards unutilised leave post retirement. The facilities were not available for those who got job after 2005.
The employees have expressed happiness over the development and said the employees, who have joined after 2005, are not entitled to get pension. However, the opposition political parties have alleged that the Government has taken the decision keeping in mind the forthcoming elections as the Government employees are a major vote bank. Congress MlA Ansuman Mohanty questioned, “Why had the Government in the first place stopped the pension of employees in 2005 and again implemented itIJ The BJD Government only knows vote bank politics.”
BJP spokesperson Golak Mohapatra said the BJD is linking everything to vote bank politics and elections. It remains to be seen whether they are giving it or not.