B'lore: Bonanza for Karnataka’s 11,500 Lecturers: UGC Scales & Rs 954 Cr Arrears
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Sept 25: Karnataka’s 11,500 lecturers working in government and aided private colleges in the state will be getting UGC pay scales with retrospective effect from January 2006.
The state cabinet, which met in Bangalore on Friday, decided to implement the decision for paying UGC pay scales to the lecturers working in 349 government colleges and 298 private aided colleges with effect from January 2006. Thus, all the 11,500 lecturers will be entitled for payment whopping arrears amounting to Rs 954 crore.
Briefing reporters on the decisions taken by the state cabinet, Karnataka’s home minister Dr V S Acharya said 80% of the financial burden on account of the enhanced pay scales to lecturers would be borne by the Centre with the state government contributing 20%.
Thus, out of the total arrears of Rs 954 crore payable to the lecturers, the state government will be required to pay Rs 191 crore while Rs 763 crore will be contributed by the Centre.
The cabinet also decided to reduce the number of attempts available to the general merit students to clear gazette probationary examination from the present five to four. However, candidates from backward classes could attempt it seven times and there would be no restriction for SCs and STs.
In another decision, the state cabinet decided to increase the salaries of its doctors by Rs 4,500 to Rs 8,000 and regularise the services of 569 working on contract basis.
The doctors had threatened to resign en masse if their demands for pay revision and regularisation of services of contract doctors were not met by September 28.
The state Cabinet that met here today approved a salary hike by Rs 8,000 to doctors who have completed post-graudation on their own expenses and Rs 5,000 to PG diploma holders. In service doctors, who completed post graduation under government seat quota would get Rs 5,000 hike and PG Diploma holders Rs 3,000. Salaries of doctors serving in rural areas will go up by Rs 6,000.
Doctors who have moved over to urban areas after rural service will get Rs 4,500 increase in salaries, he said.
"Being a doctor myself, I know the pay revision falls short of the doctors demands. But under the existing economic conditions, this is the best that government can offer,’’ he said.
The cabinet also decided to regularise the services 569 doctors, including 107 dentists, now working on contract basis.