Apparently spurred by the prospect of the looming Lok Sabha elections, Ms Mayawati, Chief Minister Uttar Pradesh, announced that Uttar Pradesh had decided to implement the Pay Commission recommendations, “despite a huge financial burden that would have to be born as a result by Uttar Pradesh.”

By this announcement, she presented the Central Government both bouquets and brickbats over implementing the Sixth Pay Commission (SPC).

Ms Mayawati said, “The new pay commission recommendations will be brought into force from 1 December, though we will implement it with retrospective effect from January 2006.”

Ms Mayawati praised the Central government for implementing the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations but at the same time she accused the Central government for neglecting UP by not releasing Central funds worth Rs 80 crores.

Ms Mayawati also said “By accepting the SPC recommendations, the UP government will be putting a huge strain on its resources, and the rate of implementation of development schemes in the state will be affected.”

The Chief Minister said that, “It should have released its report much earlier, so that the burden of inflation on government employees could have been somewhat less,” She claimed that the Sixth Pay Commission had been late in placing its report.

She assured people of the state that no additional taxes shall be levied on the public to implement the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations so as to alleviate the financial burden. The state governments own resources would be mobilized and wastages plugged to meet the deficit.  She said while the arrears were estimated at about Rs 14.8 crore, the annual burden on the state exchequer would be about Rs 5.2 crore per year.