DMK working president M.K. Stalin on Thursday said Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami had not found a solution to moving back to the old pension scheme from the new one, a long-pending demand of government employees, while implementing the Seventh Pay Commission recommendations in Tamil Nadu.
In a statement, he pointed out that the committee appointed to look into the issue had not yet submitted its report and the delay was worrisome.
Mr. Stalin noted that the issue was hanging similar to the current government and the Chief Minister did not remark anything about it.
He also slammed the Chief Minister for using words like “me” and “mine” in the statement on salary hike.
“Like former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, Palaniswami has used words like ‘me’ and ‘mine,’ imagining that he is Jayalalithaa.”
Mr. Stalin also pointed out that unions had expressed disappointment over the manner in which the 7th Pay Commission recommendations were implemented.
He pointed out that the employees would not get 21 months’ pay arrears and the State had not fixed minimum salary of ₹21,000 like the Centre, while there was no proper hike in house rent and medical allowances.
Mr. Stalin also recalled the protests by State government employees and the police action against them.
He said the State government’s decision came only after the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court ordered it to implement the Seventh Pay Commission recommendations.
Mr. Stalin also thanked the judges for their intervention and making the implementation possible and it increased the people’s trust in the judiciary.
He said the delay in holding local body elections as one of the key reasons for the State not being able to prevent dengue.
Mr. Stalin also said that the current ruling government should go if dengue had to be checked.
Inequality likely: PMK
Even as it welcomed the Tamil Nadu’s government’s decision to revise the wage structure in line with the Seventh Pay Commission recommendations, the Pattali Makkal Katchi said that pre-existing issues should be ironed out. In a statement, PMK founder S. Ramadoss warned that the revision could end up increasing income inequality.