बिहार में स्ट्राइक; कितना उचित?

THE indefinite strike of Non-gazetted employees (NGE) of the state govt entered 7th day today. All efforts of the govt so far has failed to yield any positive results and all the govt offices right from state secretariat to block look deserted. Strike sponsored by Bihar State Non-Gazetted Employees Federation (BSNGEF),(BSNGEF) Gope group, Bihar State Secretariat Services Association (BSSA) and a host of similar organisations began on 7th January has brought the state’s machinery to a grinding halt.

Majority of the departments are already lagging behind the target in spending the ‘Plan head’ allotment. In fact, up to 31st October, average percentage of expenditure in ‘Plan head’ is only 31.91%. Some of the key departments like IT, Commercial taxes, sugar cane transport and Excise have failed to make any expenditure and it is hopelessly zero percent. The ongoing strike has made the task of achieving target by end of this fiscal, almost impossible.

Some people say that had the govt formed ‘fitment committee’ somewhere in sep-October of the previous month; this strike could have been averted. The outspoken ministers issued statements in the press that the govt is willing to announce 6th pay panel on the eve of dussehra but the govt did not announce anything even in the last week of December, therefore the employees got impatient.

On the other hand the govt is in tight financial position. According to the state govt’s budget estimate, state’s own revenue generation for current fiscal is 5680.71 crore, whereas; the state’s share in central taxes is 19094.31 crores. The govt’s plan expenditure is 135000 crore (it includes central grants and central sponsored schemes also). The govt has to make about Rs/-8000 crore expenditure on pay and 2000 crores on pension.

The govt has already accepted to pay the employees according to 6th pay panel report, which would add about 30% to the state’s coffer increasing the expenditure by about 3000 crore annually.

The present hitch is about the payment of arrears. The govt wants to give it from 1st April, 2007, whereas; the agitating employees demand it from 1st January, 2006. If the govt accepts this demand, it would have to make an additional about 2000 crore payment. Thus the govt will be left with a very meagre amount for the developmental as well as other plan and non-plan expenditure for the state.

Some senior officer on the condition of anonymity said that had IAS, IPS and IFS officers not taken their arrears from 1st January, 2006, the NGE unions would have not resorted to strikes, because the leaders of the NGE say that if the state’s coffer is not in a happy position, why did Babus take arrears from 1st January, 2006. They further say that if these babus refund the arrears, they would call off their strikes.

WHAT GOVERNMENT SHOULD DO

The government must come up with a transparent and lucid statement before the public at large and should tell them what the govt is doing. The IAS and IPS and other all India class I officer should voluntarily eschew their claim of arrears from January the 1st,2006, and tell the govt to re-fund back their payment. This would give a very good signal to the denizens of the state. It apparently looks discriminatory if they withdraw arrears from January 2006 and ask other to do the same from April,2007. We all know that the state is under tremendous financial constrainsts. On the one hand the millions of people are half fed and we demand for extra. Is it fair. We all should contribute to the economic development of the state. The CM is desperately trying to move things in good direction, we all , therefore should help him in this effort