The Bhutanese Leading the way.
While the National Assembly (NA) elections isn’t done and dusted as yet, with allegations and other political issues having barely settled down, the civil servants across the country have high expectations, particularly from the People Democratic Party’s (PDP) pledge on pay revision, among many others.
However, PDP’s vice president Damchoe Dorji said the decision on the pay revision and allowances would be carried out only after consulting with the Pay Commission.
The last pay revision took place in 2009 when the civil servants’ pay was increased by 35% across the board in 2009 followed by another increase of 20 percent in 2010. Over the span of four years, the country’s economy has transitioned and grew to at 8.8% whereby the inflation rate has touched 8.37% during the first quarter of the year. The ever increasing house rent in towns has had acute impact on tenants.
A teacher at Phuntshothang middle secondary school in Samdrup Jongkhar, Megraj Tamang said he is eagerly waiting for a hike in his salary. He cited high living standard and expects the PDP administration would increase their pay up to 20 to 30% of the gross salary. “The work done and salary do not match,” he added.
Dissatisfied with his current salary, a civil servant residing in capital, Ugyen Dorji states, “It is not enough to feed my family”. He looks forward to a ‘less pathetic life in the capital city’ by the end of this year with the 20% house rent allowance and a hike in his income by a few thousands.
An administrative officer, Ugyen Zangmo working at one medical center at Samtse is one among many who is disgruntled by the meager travel allowance she is entitled to. She said, “Although I am satisfied with my current salary, the travel allowance (TA/DA) of Nu 300 per day must be revised.”
“It would be great if the government is going for it, but have to wait and see. Even if it comes to housing allowances it is very much necessary for those civil servants who are staying at private houses. Pay never increases and rents are increased every year,” she added.
A gewog administrator under Tsirang also vouched for a pay hike. “It will be very fair and wise on the part of the government to increase the pay as promised by PDP in its pledge”, he said. He also said he would be satisfied if there would be little more than 20%.
Records with the Department of National budget shows there are 24, 275 civil servants, of which 23, 309 are regular Bhutanese, 40 regular non-Bhutanese, and 407 on contract Bhutanese, and 519 contract non Bhutanese as of 31 December 2012.
The introduction of 20% housing allowance for civil servants falls under PDP’s pledges to be delivered within the first 100 days in office. Which means the reforms will have to wait at least till October this year.
