Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma underlined the crucial role of employees in the state’s development during a pre-Budget dialogue with employee unions on Thursday.
He emphasised that solving employee grievances remains a top priority for the state government, encouraging them to work with dedication and a spirit of service toward the goal of a prosperous and developed Rajasthan.
The Chief Minister assured that suggestions from employee unions would be carefully considered and incorporated into the upcoming 2025-26 budget where feasible.
“Employees are a vital link in fulfilling the aspirations of Rajasthan’s 8 crore citizens,” he said, highlighting their importance in the state’s journey toward progress.
CM Sharma outlined several significant decisions the government has implemented in the past year for employees’ benefit, which included Relaxation for Promotions in which the required experience for promotion was reduced by two years in 2023-24.
Next was recognition for sports medal winners under which pay scales and salary increments have been granted to medal-winning employees as per regulations.
He also counted welfare provisions under which gratuity limits have been increased from Rs 20 lakh to Rs 25 lakh, and additional pension allowances have been introduced for pensioners over 70 years old and healthcare improvements in which home delivery of medicines under the Rajasthan Government Health Scheme (RGHS) has been initiated on a pilot basis.
The Chief Minister reiterated his government’s pledge to create 10 lakh jobs, including 4 lakh in the public sector and 6 lakh in the private sector.
So far, over 59,000 appointments have been made, and 15,000 are in process. Advertisements for 81,000 additional posts have been issued.
Other measures include issuing an exam calendar for recruitment, amending Rajasthan Class IV Service Recruitment Rules to ease qualifications and resolving pending legal cases to expedite employment opportunities.
Employee representatives expressed gratitude to the Chief Minister for his proactive approach to addressing their issues and implementing reforms.
They commended his open dialogue and commitment to resolving employee grievances, noting that this was the first time a Chief Minister had engaged so directly with employees.
During the meeting, employees shared suggestions on topics such as addressing salary discrepancies and grade pay issues, expanding promotion opportunities, regularising contract workers, improving provisions for disabled employees and enacting protective legislation for employees.
Representatives from various departments, including Panchayati Raj, Education, Medical, Agriculture, and IT, contributed their inputs. The Chief Minister assured employees that their concerns would be addressed at ministerial and departmental levels.
This initiative underscores the state government’s commitment to fostering a collaborative relationship with its workforce to drive Rajasthan toward greater prosperity, said officials.
