: The state government has decided to accord a slew of benefits for further improving the scope of promotions across all levels of officers and employees of the state government. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday held a meeting with a section of the association of government officers and employees at Nabanna Sabhaghar in this regard.
The MCAS (Modified Career Advancement) has been revised which will ensure all employees get the benefit of the next higher scale after 15 years and 24 years, instead of the present 16 years and 25 years.
The existing grants benefit of scale movement on continuous and satisfactory completion of 8 years, 16 years and 25 years of service will be revised to 8 years, 15 years and 24 years of service for further improvement in the promotional prospects of all state employees.
At present under the West Bengal Health Scheme (WBHS), cashless benefit is given for treatment upto Rs 1.5 lakh. It has been decided to enhance this limit of cashless benefit under WBHS to Rs 2 lakh. This increase in cashless treatment will immensely benefit all the employees of the state including the pensioners presently covered under WBHS.
From June 1, the SSK/ MSK teachers and staff members under Minority Affairs and Madrasah Education Department will be getting yearly enhancement of remuneration at 3 per cent and a one-time terminal benefit of Rs 3 lakh on attaining the age of 60 years. The state is already providing these benefits in respect of SSK/MSK teachers and other staff members under the
School Education Department. About 3,500 such teachers and staff members will come under this benefit.
Banerjee has instructed the Chief Secretary to ensure that promotional vacancies at all levels across Secretariat, Directorate and Regional Offices are filled up immediately from among the eligible officers and staff.
The entire exercise should be completed within 3 months.
To improve the promotion of employees borne in the Common Cadre Wing of the State Secretariat and West Bengal Secretariat Service, the state has also decided to increase the number of posts that includes Section Officer/OSD/ Registrar/ Special Officer etc, Assistant Secretary, Deputy Secretary, Joint Secretary, Additional Secretary. The increase in posts at all levels will hugely benefit employees of Group C and Group D categories.
The number of posts at the Joint Secretary level and Special Secretary level in most of the state services was limited. It has been decided to increase it to improve promotional prospects.
Considering the massive infrastructure boost that has happened over the last 12 years, the state has also decided to increase the number of engineers’ posts in PWD/Irrigation/WRIDD/PHE
departments.
Members of State Constituted Group-A services in line departments of the state government will also get higher ranks as per their pre-revised pay scale.
“The Chief Minister who always considers the employees as the government’s strength has requested all officers and staff members to discharge their responsibilities with utmost sincerity keeping the interest of common people in mind,” a senior Nabanna official said.