Ahead of Holi Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai hikes salaries of government employees by 17%

The government employees of Karnataka on Wednesday withdrew their protest on Wednesday after the state government announced a 17% hike in salary.

Chief Minister Bommai announced the pay hike from April 1. CM Bommai said that his government will constitute a committee to submit a report on the possibilities of reintroducing the Old Pension Scheme(OPS).

CM Basavaraj Bommai said the state government will provide a 17% hike to all government employees in the state and orders regarding the same are already issued.

“The 7th pay commission has already been appointed and I already discussed it with the employee associations,” he added.

The Karnataka government employees across the state launched an indefinite strike after their talks with the state government failed to implement 7th Pay Commission.

Their other demands includes the implementation of at least 40 percent of fitment facilities, and reverting to the Old Pension Scheme. Over 27,000 government employees in Mysuru district have extended their support to the strike called by the state government employees.

“We’ll not take back the decision of employees protesting until the CM takes the decision to implement the 7th pay commission recommendations. We have given choice to CM, and we’ll wait for govt decision,” CS Shadakshari, President of Karnataka state employees association, told ANI.

The strike from the state government employees comes at a time when CM Basavaraj Bommai said his government is holding on to every good thread ahead of the state assembly elections.