Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi flags off a mobile fair price vegetable shop on Saturday. Picture by Eastern Projections

Guwahati, Oct. 24: Chief minister Tarun Gogoi today hinted that the state government employees were likely to get revised payscales, on a par with central government employees, from next month.

Gogoi told reporters that the government had constituted a high-powered committee to examine the recommendations of the state pay commission, headed by Bhaskar Barua.

The committee will submit its report by October 30.

The chief minister also said a part of the pay commission’s report, which was submitted last week, would be made public by next week.

Sources in the Congress said the government was keen to implement the new pay structure in view of the bypolls in South Salmara and Dhekiajuli, slated for November 7.

A cabinet meeting held last night took the decision and formed the committee last night.

The Assam government’s exchequer will be saddled with an additional burden of Rs 4,500 crore under the salary head once the new pay structure comes into effect.

“There was apprehension that the government would delay in implementing the new payscales to its employees by constituting the high-powered committee. The committee has been constituted with the aim to implement the recommendations of the report of the Bhaskar Barua-led pay commission in an effective manner. The government will maintain complete transparency in regard to the new payscales,” Gogoi said after inaugurating three mobile vans and seven centres where customers could purchase vegetables at cheap prices.

The mobile vans and centres were set up by the Assam State Agriculture Marketing Board.