Burma likely to raise salaries of government employees

Friday, 05 March 2010 11:19 Phanida

Chiang Mai (Mizzima) - Rumors are spreading among government employees in Burma’s former capital city of Rangoon that the ruling junta is planning to raise the pay of government employees.

Sources tell Mizzima that officials in various departments have verbally told employees there are plans to increase their present salary by 20,000 kyats (US $20) per month as of the start of the next fiscal year on April 1, 2010.

“We heard that we would be given a raise of 20,000 kyats. We heard that the raise would be made to all from the top to the bottom and would begin with the start of the next fiscal year,” an official working in the Tax and Revenue Department told Mizzima.

An official at a township Health Department office also told Mizzima, “We heard from headquarters that we would be given a raise. We were told at our monthly meeting and told to work hard as there is a likelihood of a pay raise.”

Though the rumors about the pay raise should be welcoming news, many fear that commodity prices might also shoot up, added the official at the Tax and Revenue Department.

The pay raise, if true, would be the second such action since the beginning of 2010. In January, the government also raised the pay of employees by 20,000 kyats per month.

The pay-raise in January had an immediate effect, as the prices of essential commodities including oil, edible oil and onions as well as gold increased apace.

Rumors of the current pay raise are being accompanied with rumors suggesting the Electricity Department is planning to increase rates on electric bills by three-fold, residents in Rangoon said.

However, the Electricity Department in Rangoon’s Insein Township told Mizzima that so far they have not received any orders from Naypyitaw regarding revision of electric meter bills.

Burma’s current military rulers, since assuming power in 1988, have authorized five salary hikes to government employees - in 1989, 1993, 2000, 2006 and 2010.