Gandhinagar: Gujarat government today said it would have to incur an extra burden of Rs 6000 crore per year if it were to apply the Seventh Pay Commission even as state employees union sought immediate implementation of the award.

The Union Cabinet today accepted the recommendation of of Justice A K Mathur headed panel, which would benefit around one crore government employees and pensioners across country.

“If we implement the 7th Pay Commission for government employees, we will have to shell out Rs 6000 more per year on their salaries. Finance and General Administration Department will study the recommendations in detail,” Gujarat Government Spokesperson and Finance Minister Saurabh Patel said.

He said an appropriate decision will be taken in this regard on directions of Chief Minister Anandiben Patel.

Welcoming the implementation of the Pay Commission, state unit BJP president and Transport Minister Vijay Rupani said, “I am happy that our government at the Centre has accepted the demands of employees. In Gujarat, our CM and Finance minister would deliberate on this and then take an appropriate decision”.

Gujarat State Employees Co-ordination Committee (GSECC), the apex union body representing over 4.5 lakh state government employees, demanded swift implementation of the pay award.

“We welcome the Centre government’s decision to accept 7th Pay Commission recommendation. Now, we want that state government should implement it here without any delay, as we learned that Uttar Pradesh Government has already announced to give the hike as per the commission’s recommendations. This should be followed here too,” said GSECC spokesperson R A Patel.

PTI