Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Thursday restored the annual wage increment given from July 1 every year to state government officers and employees. The Chief Minister made the announcement after interacting with a delegation of the Chhattisgarh Employees-Officers Federation led by state Convenor Kamal Verma at his official residence.

Additional Chief Secretary Finance Amitabh Jain was present. The delegation urged Baghel to provide the annual increment as per the specified date. The Chief Minister agreed but said the arrears will be cleared after six months. The delegation agreed to the suggestion.

Thus, the arrears from July to December will be paid in January 2021, in a single instalment. Similarly, officers and employees whose increment is due in January 2021 will get the hike from the same month while their arrears of six months will be paid in July.

The Chhattisgarh government had earlier decided to keep the annual increment of officers and employees suspended in view of the crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.