3 mths on, central pay scale for UT power dept staff

Chandigarh: Three months after it implemented the central pay scale for its other departments, the UT administration has now extended the facility to the employees of the electricity wing of the engineering department, which had been kept out earlier. The finance department has issued a notification to this effect, ‘Electricity Wing of Engineering Department UT Chandigarh Employees (Revised Pay) Rules 2023’.The UT had earlier issued a notification in March for the implementation of central pay scale for the rest of the departments, but electricity wing was not part of the notification. At present, there are 600 regular and 400 outsources employees in the electricity wing. so far, the wing had been following Punjab rules. “The pay scales of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) were applicable and the salaries of the employees were made on this basis. PSPCL has 27 levels of pay scale, while 7th Pay Commission has 18 levels, of which 15 are applicable to Chandigarh. The new pay scales will be applicable for the electricity wing from April 1, 2022,” said an official.As per the notification, if an employee’s pay has been drawn under the PSPCL matrix till March 31, 2022, and they are found in the central pay scale’s matrix at the fixed level, their pay will be changed. But, if this post and pay matrix are not found in the central scale, the scale will be decided as per the next higher post. “If the salary of the upper division clerk under PSPCL pay matrix was Rs 32,900 with Rs 3,200 grade pay in the eightth level till March 31, 2022, then from April 1, 2022, his salary would be Rs 2,400 grade pay in the fourth level in the central pay scale. As per this, Rs 33,300 will be the new scale,” he said.