Patna. July 20: The rise in University Grants Commission salary scale for college teachers has resulted in an extra burden of Rs 700 crore per year for the state.

Bihar deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi revealed these figures while getting the first supplementary budget of over Rs 2,258 crore passed in the Assembly today. He added that there might be a need to raise more money to pay the salaries of college and university teachers in Bihar.

The deputy chief minister also had a gift for legislators of the state.

All MLAs and MLCs would be given Rs 1 lakh each to buy computers, laptops and other related appliances.

“For those MLAs who have been given laptops in 2008, the depreciated amount of the machines would have to be returned before they are given this amount,” he said.

He also announced the formation of an independent engineering body under the planning department. This would have a vacancy for 2,042 engineers and other employees.

This body will implement the chief minister’s development scheme, which was announced by chief minister Nitish Kumar.

Modi also announced that the government would have tie-ups with banks, which would enable the employees to get up to Rs 30 lakh as housing loan at the interest rate of 8.5 per cent.

“The state government will play the role of guarantor for the employees,” he said pointing out that at present the employees were given loan of Rs 7.5 lakh by the government at the interest rate of 9.5 per cent.

Modi said the internal revenues of the state have doubled since 2007-08.

“But so have the salaries and pensions. Against the amount of Rs 7,769 crore disbursed as salaries in 2007-08, the state had paid salaries to the tune of Rs 12,777 crore because of the Sixth Pay Commission revision in the last financial year.”

He also pointed out that the government gave pension to the tune of Rs 2,079 crore in 2007-08 while in the year 2010-11, it paid approximately Rs 7,500 crore.

“Of the yearly budget of over Rs 67,000 crore, the state has a committed payment of around Rs 30,000 as salaries and pensions to its employees and also for repaying debts,” he said.