An additional Tk 800 billion may be needed in fully implementing the proposed new pay scale for public employees, officials say as the Pay Commission is set to submit its report today.
Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed explains the modus operandi of executing the pay scale with salary hikes, leaving the onus of bearing the financial burden to his upcoming successor.
Whatever financial burden is created to the exchequer due to pay hike of public servants, the next government will have to bear the brunt, the custodian of the exchequer under the post-uprising government told reporters Tuesday.
He made the comment when his attention was drawn about the possible burden the new pay hike will create and how the new government will manage it.
According to estimation, full-fledged implementation of the new pay scale may cost some Tk 800 billion that accounts for around 11 per cent of total fiscal budget of Bangladesh and some 14 per cent of revenue budget.
The Pay Commission will submit its report to the Chief Adviser today (Wednesday) with recommendations that include pay rises.
"As I said before, there is financial involvement with the pay hike. Whatever actions we take, the next government will have to take the responsibility," says the finance adviser.
Mr Ahmed would not say how the next government would manage the increased expenditure from the pay hike when the country's revenue growth found to be very slow.
Finance ministry officials say they have allocated some Tk 220 billion extra in the revised budget of the current fiscal year as there is a chance to implement the new pay scale partially, with effect from January 1.
"We have managed the funds by diverting from budgetary allocations to other sectors," a senior finance division official told The Financial Express.
Asked, the finance adviser claimed that the pay hike of public servants would not have any impact on the commodity prices as the government is giving importance on strengthening supply side.
He said different committees would scrutinise the report after it is submitted. It will be implemented after the process is completed.
However, Mr Ahmed wouldn't make it clear whether the new pay scale will be implemented during the tenure of the interim government or not.
syful-islam@outlook.com
