Gujarat Government Doles Out Sops Ahead Of Assembly Polls 

Ahead of the state Assembly polls due later this year, the Gujarat government has announced a slew of sops for teachers, employees of municipalities and others.

The government said ‘fixed-pay’ teachers of government-aided secondary and higher secondary schools across the state would get a significant hike in their salaries.

Employees of 105 municipalities would now get salaries according to the provisions of the 7th Pay Commission.

The state government also raised the annual income cap from Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 2.5 lakh for the ‘Ma-Vatsalya’ scheme for free medical treatment of up to Rs 2 lakh for serious ailments.

Around 7,000 ‘fixed pay’ teachers, whose salaries are fixed for five years, as well as administrative staff of government-aided secondary and higher secondary schools will be given pay hikes.

“We have decided to increase the monthly salary of 'fixed-pay' teachers of secondary schools from Rs 16,500 to Rs 25,000. Assistant teachers, who used to get Rs 10,500, will now get Rs 16,224. Administrative assistants will now get Rs 19,950 from the current salary of Rs 11,500,” Patel said.

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A similar raise has been approved for teachers and administrative staff of higher secondary schools which are dependent on government grants, said Patel, who handles the finance portfolio.

Around 15,000 employees of municipalities will also get a pay hike.

Patel said the government had decided to give permission to 105 local bodies to pay salaries in accordance with the 7th Pay Commission.