Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Tuesday made 13 announcements including the implementation of an increase in the Dearness Allowance (DA) for Tamil Nadu government employees and an increase in the retirement age of cooks and assistant cooks at the nutritious meal centres. He also reiterated that no employee would be suspended on the last day of their retirement.

Making a suo motu announcement in the Assembly, the Chief Minister said he had decided to make these announcements after associations representing government employees and teachers made a representation to him.

Recalling the announcement made in the budget that increase in the DA would be implemented from April, 2022, Mr Stalin said even though the government was facing a severe financial burden it had decided to give effect to the increase from January next year. It will benefit 16 lakh government employees and cost an additional ₹1,620 crore because of its early implementation. Every year, it will involve an expenditure of ₹6,480 crore.

The Chief Minister said the retiring age of cooks and cooking assistants of the nutritious meal centre would be increased to 60 from 58 and this would benefit 29,147 cooks and 24,576 assistants.

Another announcement he made, was for the revival of the bonus increment for government employees with additional qualifications. The scheme was cancelled in 2020. “It will be implemented based on the guidelines issued by the Union government. In will increase their [the employees’] performance and skills,” Mr Stalin said.

The CM also also announced the recruitment of junior assistants to fill in vacancies in government schools. They will be recruited by the Tamil Nadu Public Services Commission (TNPSC).

Mr. Stalin said the government had decided to treat as working period, the period of strike and suspension faced by government employees during the protest against the AIADMK government in 2016, 2017 and 2019. “The practice of suspending employees on the day of retirement will be avoided,” he reiterated.

As regards the request for appointment of teachers in the place where they had worked before transfers because of their involvement in the strike, the Chief Minister said the disciplinary action against them would be given up and they would get priority in counselling for transfers.

The government has also decided to come out with guidelines for appointment of family members of deceased government employees on compassionate grounds to dispense with the practical difficulties.

The Chief Minister said there would be no age limit for sons and daughters, who depend on government employees, in including them in the health insurance scheme. “A separate help desk will be created to help government employees for availing themselves of the insurance scheme,” he explained. Moreover, the insurance limit for the government employees would be more than ₹10 lakh for COVID-19 treatment.

Mr. Stalin said employees of the treasuries and accounts department would get training to effectively and quickly handle works related to the Integrated Financial and Human Resources Management System (IFHRMS). Newly-appointed government employees need not go to the Civil Services Training Institute in Bhavanisagar. Instead, they will be trained in the districts they have been posted and it will help them join work without any delay.

The Chief Minister also announced appointment of teachers proportionate to the strength of students as student admission had increased in government schools.