ITANAGAR,Nov 22: Call it a New Year gift or anything else, Chief Minister Pema Khandu today made a slew of announcements that would liven up the year-end celebrations this year for sure.
The biggest of the announcements, that would bring a sigh of relief to educated unemployed youths of the state, and more particularly victims of the recent APPSC fiasco, is that the state government has decided to increase the eligible ageof APST candidates up to 40 years for appearing APPSC examinations from the present age of 37.
Expressing shock and disgust over the recent paper leakage scam in the state’s top recruiting body, Khandu said the state government is alive to the over-aging concerns of aspirants for no fault of theirs and therefore has decided to increase the age limit.
“It was our government that had increased the age limit for APPSC examinations from 35 to 37 for APSTs. Now we will increase it to 40 for benefit of all aspirants including those who have been deprived of a fair chance dur to few vested interest persons,” Khandu said.
He informed that the state public service commission is in process of complete overhaul and soon a robust and stricter SoP would be in place as is with the staff selection board.
The Chief Minister assured the people that his government will deal all kinds of corruption with iron hands and warned corrupt officials, “I (chief minister) may not have the power to give employment but I still have the power to take it away.”
Making further announcements and in line with the 7th CPC, Khandu said the Dearness Allowance (DA) and Dearness Relief (DA) of all regular state government employees would be enhanced by 4% that would see an increment in their DA/DR from 34% to 28% with effect from 1st July 2022. The state government employees will also now on receive House Rent Allowance (HRA) at par with central government employees.
Khandualso announced that Non Practicing Allowance (NPA) will be paid to government doctors from now on, which was a long pending request of the doctor fraternity of the state.
He informed that in implementing all these announcements the state exchequer will have to bear additional burden of Rs 172 crore per year but said his government is capable and ready to bear it.
“Our government is a performing government. In recent years we have more than doubled our revenue generation and Rs 172 crore is but a small amount to be spent on welfare of our employees, who in fact are the backbone of the government,” he said.
Khandu, however, expressed expectation that the approximately 68000 state government employees would reciprocate positively and perform their duties with sincerity and diligence.
Attending the Vivekananda Kendra’s 50 years of service to the nation at DK Convention Centre here this evening, Khandu reiterated that the country and the state are in right direction of progress under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He said people of the state will always be indebted to Mananiya Eknath Ranade, founder of Vivekananda Kendra, for choosing Arunachal Pradesh as the Kendra’s karmabhoomi as early as 1977, when the first set of Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalayaswere established in the then Union Territory.
The Kendra today runs41 schools in Arunachal Pradesh.
Khandu lauded the schools run by the Kendra, particularly the VKVs for providing all round nationalistic education to the tribal children. He said the contribution of VKVs in improving the educational scenario in the state is immeasurable.