By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, August 28, 2017: Odisha will be burdened with an extra load of Rs 5,500 crore per annum on state exchequer if the Naveen Patnaik government finally decides to implement the recommendation of the 7th Pay Commission for its employees and pensioners.

Finance Minister S B Behera has hinted that the government is planning to roll out the new pay scale soon. However, the chief minister will take a final call on the date of implementation.

“We have received the report from the fitment committee and the government is considering implementing the new pay scale for the employees soon,” said Behera.

The state government has raised a loan of Rs 3,000 crore it had taken from the open market during the first five months of the 2017-18 fiscal to meet the budget targets.

The opposition party leaders, however, believe that the state government will implement the 7th Pay Commission keeping the general elections in mind.

Odisha Secretariat Service Association, Krishna Prasad Mahapatra made it clear that the Association has not given any deadline to the government for the implementation of the 7th Pay. “However, we expect the government to implement it by the Puja in the very interest of the employees,” he added.

The state government is under constant pressure as the Seventh Pay Commission Recommendations have been implemented with effect from January 1, 2016 in some select states.