Odisha CM announces pay hike of 25% for employees hired through outsourcing

Bhubaneswar: Employees working in different departments under the Odisha government but engaged by outsourcing firms will get a 25% hike in their monthly salary. This was announced by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today evening.

The pay hike decision will also be applicable to employees engaged by outsourcing firms on contractual basis in different departments.

The new decision will benefit around 33,000 persons employed by the outsourcing firms in different departments of the government.

Patnaik said the government will bear additional expenses of over Rs 100 crore from the State exchequer.

As per the decision, the outsourcing firms will contribute towards EPF and ESI benefits of their employees working with the State government. It will be the responsibility of the department heads to ensure the employees of the outsourcing companies get the EPF and ESI benefits.

The Chief Minister asked government officials to take stringent action against the outsourcing companies who fail to adhere to the directive.

This apart, these employees will get maximum 12 days leaves annually. He asked the concerned department heads to take decision on sanctioning maternity leave to pregnant employees at the earliest.

Earlier, the Naveen Patnaik government had hiked the salaries of contractual employees by 50 per cent for the first six years and designed them as initial appointees. After six years, their services would be regularized.