Bhubaneswar, Aug. 30: Odisha government employees spent the day working out the enhanced amount they are supposed to get with their September salary following the state government's decision to implement the fitment committee's report on the Seventh Pay Commission's recommendations.

Odisha Secretariat Employee's Association president Krushna Prasad Mohapatra said: "We are happy with the announcement of the chief minister. There are many permutations and combinations set to take place at the government level. We are waiting for the government's notification in this regard. Till the notification explaining the gains of the employees comes out there will be uncertainty."

Though official details of enhanced pay bills are yet to emerge, secretariat employees today came out with a statement that Group-D employees will draw a basic salary of Rs 18,000 compared to the present salary of Rs 6,450. Similarly, Group-C employees will get basic salary of Rs 19,900 against their present salary of Rs 7,100 and Group-B employees will now be drawing a basic salary of Rs 35,400 monthly as against Rs 13,500 at present. Group-A employees will get Rs 56,100 as basic salary as compared to Rs 21,000 they are drawing currently. Group-A cadre OAS officer at the peak of his career will now draw a salary of around Rs 1. 44 lakh.

As per the official estimates, the financial burden only on account of paying the arrears to the employees for 20 months as the salary hike has been made effective from January 1, 2016 would touch Rs 7,500 crore. Besides the government will spend Rs 4,500 crore per annum to meet the financial burden on account of salary and pension of employees. At present, the state is spending Rs 33,313 crore towards salaries and pension for its 4.5 lakh employees and 3.5 lakh pension holders. Though its revenue receipts are projected at Rs 36,000 crore, the state's loan burden is likely to touch Rs 76,000 crore.

Finance minister Sashi Bhusan Behera said: "The revenue receipts have increased. Besides, the tax base has gone up. We will be able to shoulder the financial burden on account of salary hike. Work is on to decide the modalities of paying arrears - whether in instalments or by transferring the amount to the general provident fund (GPF) accounts of the employees."

However, the block grant teachers who are on strike in front of the Assembly for the last 15 days expressed their resentment against the government for not accommodating their demands. Pabitra Mahalla, a striking teacher, said: "The state government had yesterday told us that it would settle the issue. But today, they did not even invite us for talks. The government should remember that we are also its employees and we are working for the cause of the state."