“They deserve it,” he said, adding the public servants are now underpaid. 

Lyonchen Jigmi Y. Thinley said raising the salary of the civil servants would not only be a recognition of what they have done but will also serve as an incentive for them to continue to serve the country. 

“The Pay Commission is working on this and we will try to take action on it as soon as the cabinet approves it,” said the prime minister.

The hike percentage hasn’t been confirmed yet. The prime minister said he could not preempt the recommendations of the Pay commission.

“But I hope it will be substantive,” he said.

Civil servants BT spoke to said the raise is urgent as the current salary cannot sustain them, especially in Thimphu.

“Everything is becoming expensive, and with the salary we get it’s very difficult to keep the family going,” said Sangay Dhendup, a government employee who earns about Nu 15,000 a month.

On the other hand, Yeshey Tshering feels the more a family earns, the more is the demand.

“I think the lower income people deserve to get a good raise, they work equally hard and their salary is comparatively very low,” he said.

In 2005 civil service saw an across-the-board hike of 45%, the highest ever. 

According to the National Budget Report and Budget and Appropriation Bill for the year 2008-09, the provision of Nu 4,744.68 million includes pay and allowances of regular, contract and special appointment categories of government employees, parliamentarians, volunteers and elementary service personnel.

Salaries and wages account for 41% of the current expenditure

There are about 31,000 people on the government’s payroll today.

Source: http://www.bhutantimes.bt