Sends a chill across states

MUMBAI/NEW DELHI: The Manmohan Singh government’s decision to set up the Sixth Pay Commission has invited a shrill reaction from the state governments, which fear that the move will cause a further drain on their already precarious financial situation.

Contrary to Union Parliamentary affairs minister PR Dasmunshi’s assertion during his post-Cabinet briefing, it’s not just the BJP-ruled states which are up in arms.

The decision has left Maharashtra fuming. Yet to recover from the last commission’s pay out that caused a Rs 5,000-crore dent to the state exchequer, the Maharashtra government now wants the Centre to share the financial burden.

Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi and his Madhya Pradesh counterpart Shivraj Singh Chouhan too have asked the Centre to bear at least 50% of the financial burden that may accrue from to them by implementing the recommendations of pay panel. Mr Modi, in fact, is learnt to have urged Union FM P Chidambaram to convene a meeting of the National Development Council first to discuss the issue before going public with the decision to set up the pay panel.

Alternately, he asked the Centre to bear 50% of the burden — a suggestion which was endorsed by Mr Chouhan. Maharashtra FM Jayant Patil, said that the last pay commission had put a huge burden on the state’s finances.