30%-35% hike in govt workers salaries notified

Finance ministry raises wages in form of adhoc relief allowances

ISLAMABAD:

The finance ministry on Tuesday notified an increase of 30% to 35% increase in the adhoc relief allowances of government employees.

According to the notification, the adhoc relief allowance of government employees up till grade-16 has been increased by 35%.

Similarly, the adhoc relief allowance of government officials from grade-17 to grade-22 has been raised by 30%.
Contract employees and contingent pay workers will also avail the allowance.

All federal government employees including armed forces personnel, civil armed forces and civilian employees drawing salary from defence estimates too will also be handed over the allowance.

According to the notification, the hike in the allowance has been implemented from July 1 this year.

The adhoc relief allowance received by the employees will be subject to income tax. Employees will receive the allowance during regular offs and leaves preparatory to retirement. However, they will be unable to avail it during ‘extraordinary’ leaves.

This allowance will not be counted for calculation of pension, gratuity and house rent received by the employees.
Besides, the allowance will not be given even during the deputation of employees abroad.

However after returning from abroad, they will start receiving it after being appointed to their respective departments.

According to the notification, the adhoc relief allowance will be included in the personal salaries of the employees.
The ministries and divisions will provide the allowance to the employees from their allocated budget.

No supplementary grants have been provided to the ministries and divisions to pay the adhoc relief allowance.

Besides, the federal government has also increased the orderly allowance of officials from grade-20 to grade-22.
According to a notification, the orderly allowance has been jacked up from Rs17,500 to Rs25,000 per month.

The rate of deputation, additional charge and special pay current charge allowances has been maintained.
However, the maximum amount has been increased from Rs12,000 to Rs20,000.

The conveyance allowance for disabled employees has been hiked up by 100% -- from Rs2,000 to Rs4,000.
Similarly, the Employees Old-Age Benefit Institution (EOBI) pension has been increased from Rs8,500 to Rs10,000.
At present, the EOBI gives Rs4 billion to  its 430,000 registered pensioners.

The institution has issued cards to all its registered pensioners. Through the EOBI card, the pensioner can easily withdraw their amount from an ATM machine and other easy money facility in any city or town in the country.