
Invoking his Dravidian model, Stalin showers sops on govt employees
In a sweeping set of announcements ahead of the scheduled Assembly polls next year, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Monday unveiled a nine-point package for government employees and teachers, a significant voter base numbering close to 10 lakh.
Presenting the measures in the Assembly under Rule 110, Stalin positioned the Dravidian model government as the steadfast guardian of state workers' welfare, even as the political stakes rise.
'With your permission, I would like to make announcements regarding government employees under Rule 110,' Stalin began as the House responded with a round of desk-thumping. 'Our government employees are the pillars of administration and the arms of the government. Since this Dravidian model government assumed office, countless welfare schemes and developmental programs across various sectors have been implemented… Tamil Nadu stands at the forefront and leads in various aspects across India.'
Stalin's speech, a mix of ritualistic praise and specific policy, left little doubt about the government's intent: 'The tireless work and sincere contribution of government employees and teachers is a very important reason for this. On behalf of the government of Tamil Nadu and personally, I would like to appreciate and congratulate each government employee who ensures the effective delivery of welfare schemes to all people, leaving no one behind,' he said.
Stalin then launched into the heart of his address: 'At this moment, I wish to announce nine welfare measures for the benefit of government employees through your esteemed office.'
Encashment of leaves
'During the COVID-19 pandemic, due to the heavy burden on government finances, the encashment of earned leave for government officers was suspended. In the Budget statement for 2025–2026, it was announced that this would be reintroduced from April 2026, allowing encashment of up to 15 days. However, government officers and teachers have requested implementation of this scheme within this financial year itself. After considering their request, I am pleased to announce in this House that earned leave encashment of up to 15 days will be allowed with effect from October 1, 2025.'
This move, according to Stalin, is likely to benefit eight lakh government employees and teachers, and cost the state an additional Rs 3,561 crore annually.
'Based on the decision of the Union government to grant a 2% increase in Dearness Allowance from January 1, 2025, I am pleased to announce that Tamil Nadu state government employees will also receive a 2% hike in Dearness Allowance from January 1, 2025.'
'Approximately 16 lakh government officers, teachers, pensioners, and family pensioners will benefit from this. An additional Rs. 1,252 crore per year will be spent to implement this hike.'
Doubling of festival advance
'To help government officers and teachers celebrate festivals joyfully with their families, the existing festival advance of Rs 10,000 will be doubled to Rs 20,000.' The move is likely to benefit about eight lakh government employees and teachers every year.
Hike in education advance
'The education advance provided to government employees will be enhanced to Rs 1,00,000 for vocational studies and to Rs 50,000 for arts, science, and polytechnic courses.'
'Manifold increase' in marriage allowance
Stalin announced a 'manifold increase' in the marriage advance for all government employees and teachers, raising it from Rs 10,000 for women and Rs 6,000 for men to a uniform Rs 5 lakh for all.
Other key decisions
Other highlights included doubling the Pongal festival gift for C and D group pensioners and family pensioners from Rs 500 to Rs 1,000, raising the festival advance for pensioners from Rs 4,000 to Rs 6,000, and instructing a committee to submit its report on the state's three pension schemes by September 30.
Crucially, the CM also addressed a long-pending grievance affecting thousands of women government employees: 'Earlier, the maternity leave for married government women employees was increased from 9 months to 1 year with salary from July 1, 2021. However, under current rules, the maternity leave period is not counted towards the probationary period, which has affected thousands of young women employees, delaying their confirmation and depriving them of promotions and seniority. In order to protect the rights of women in government service, and in line with this government's commitment to women's advancement, I am pleased to announce that, henceforth, the period of maternity leave will be counted towards the probationary period.'
Concluding his address on a note of Dravidian pride: 'Following the footsteps of Kalaignar (late M Karunanidhi), the scholar of three Tamil traditions, this Dravidian model government will continue to act as the shield of government employees and as a government deeply concerned about their welfare – it will continue – continue – continue.'
The package, amounting to thousands of crores in new spending, is widely seen as a direct pitch to a formidable vote bank – Tamil Nadu's government employees, teachers, and pensioners, whose families together influence at least more than 20 to 30 lakh votes.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Economic Times
24 minutes ago
- Economic Times
Claims made by HDFC Bank don't add up: Lilavati Trust; HDFC denies charges
In a fresh attack on HDFC Bank MD and CEO Sashidhar Jagdishan, Lilavati Kirtilal Mehta Medical Trust (LKMM Trust) on Wednesday said the claims made by the bank about a single loan are not consistent and it has never produced any official loan ledger or agreement in court regarding its transaction with the Trust. Refuting allegations, an HDFC Bank spokesperson in a statement said the allegations and insinuations made by the trustees are devoid of any iota of truth whatsoever and neither the bank nor its CEO has engaged in any activity that is illegal, unethical or improper. The LKMM Trust manages and runs the prestigious Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai. Various documents from the bank reflect widely inconsistent loan amounts for instance, Rs 4.8 crore was cited initially, Rs 450 crore in another filing, and now Rs 65.22 crore, LKMM said in a statement. "How can one of India's largest banks make three different claims about a single loan, and not back it up with a basic loan agreement and ledger?" LKMM Prashant Mehta, Permanent Trustee wondered. The LKMM Trust and Prashant Mehta maintained that they had never taken a loan from HDFC Bank, and these inconsistencies support that claim, rather than refute it. The bank's refusal to present even basic documents in court undermines the credibility of the entire case and hints at deliberate narrative manipulation, it alleged. The Trust also alleged that the Rs 2.05 crore bribe money was paid to HDFC Bank MD and CEO Sashidhar Jagdishan to help Chetan Mehta group remain illegally in control of the LKMM Trust. However, the HDFC Bank's spokesperson said, "We reiterate our unequivocal, categorical and unambiguous denial and condemnation of these egregiously malicious, false and defamatory allegations and insinuations." The bank said it is concerned about its stakeholders and is on the verge of taking strong legal actions as per expert advice, against those who are initiating these baseless allegations with malafide and ulterior motives or involved in propagating the same. Members of the public and media are urged to exercise their critical judgement in reporting or amplifying the unsubstantiated allegations and insinuations, the spokesperson added.


Time of India
27 minutes ago
- Time of India
Bengaluru civic body to replace sodium lamps with smart LEDs
BENGALURU : By replacing traditional sodium street lights with energy-efficient LED lights, BBMP is set to save hundreds of crores in annual electricity costs, reducing power consumption by over 85% and significantly cutting its Rs 380 crore yearly electricity bill. Bengaluru is set to phase out traditional sodium street lights and replace them with LED lights, marking the start of a long-awaited, ambitious project aimed at saving hundreds of crores annually in electricity costs. After six years of planning, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is finally implementing the initiative to cut energy expenses by removing conventional street lights and installing energy-efficient LEDs. A BBMP official said, 'The BBMP had commissioned a private company to conduct surveys across seven out of eight BBMP zones (excluding Mahadevapura) to assess the feasibility, cost, energy savings, and financial model for this transition. Based on the survey report, the zones were divided into four packages, tenders finalised, and contracts awarded, with LED installations set to begin from June.' Currently, Bengaluru has about 5,37,000 street lights consuming over 51.5 crore units of electricity annually, costing the BBMP approximately `380 crore every year, including a `330 crore electricity bill paid to BESCOM. The recent electricity tariff hike has further escalated costs. With 40% of the city's street lights already converted to LEDs through BBMP grants and support from local MLAs and corporators, approximately 2 lakh LED street lights are already in place. However, many of these LEDs have exceeded their warranty periods, transferring maintenance responsibilities to contractors. This large-scale transition to LED street lighting is expected to bring significant financial and environmental benefits, easing the city's power burden and ensuring better-maintained, smarter public lightingBBMP Official The new contracts require companies to maintain and operate the LED street lights for seven years, with BBMP making monthly payments totalling `700 crore over the contract period. Besides street lights, the project includes installation of CCTV cameras, pollution sensors, and motion detectors on electric poles. Each streetlight will be equipped with a motion sensor and linked to a centralised control system that monitors and adjusts brightness remotely, targeting an estimated 85.5% reduction in energy consumption. The savings will help BBMP cover electricity bills and contractor payments. In past attempts, a contract awarded in 2018 to a consortium led by Shapoorji Pallonji was cancelled due to delays in LED installation. The project has now been restructured into four packages covering seven zones, with new tenders completed and contracts issued. The centralised monitoring system will instantly detect faults and allow remote control of lighting intensity, ensuring efficient management of street lights across the city. A BBMP official added, 'This large-scale transition to LED street lighting is expected to bring significant financial and environmental benefits, easing the city's power burden and ensuring better-maintained, smarter public lighting.'


Time of India
27 minutes ago
- Time of India
West Bengal govt to allow residential consumers to opt out from power smart meters: Official
KOLKATA : Amid protests over alleged inflated electricity bills following the installation of prepaid smart meters, the West Bengal government has decided to allow residential power consumers to opt out from the system and revert to traditional devices, an official said on Tuesday. The government had on Monday temporarily suspended fresh installations of smart meters for domestic consumers, he said. "The installation of smart meters for residential consumers has been temporarily suspended, but there is no plan for a mass recall. Consumers can choose to switch back to conventional meters," the official said. The prepaid smart meter installation will continue for commercial and government establishments, the official said. The decision comes after the BJP and the Left Front have been accusing the Trinamool Congress government of "burdening households with sudden tariff hikes and opaque smart meter installation". There had been protests in districts such as Howrah, North 24 Parganas, and Bardhaman, where people alleged their bills doubled or tripled after smart meter installations. The Mamata Banerjee government had earlier approved large-scale smart meter deployment to help the cash-strapped utility, West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd, recover dues. The state government departments alone owed over Rs 1,500 crore to the discom, which has a total debt of Rs 15,400 crore in the 2023-24 fiscal, the official said. In May, Polaris Smart Metering secured a Rs 2,246-crore contract to install 2.2 million smart meters in West Bengal under the Centre's Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS).