Certain decisions taken by the government are ridiculous and controversial. The decision taken by the Cabinet to increase the benefits of bureaucrats living a kingly life comes under this category.

When Civil Service officers take One to Two lakh as salary every month and several other benefits, the government’s attempt is to help them again line their own pockets.
What is unbelievable is that the order will be carried out with retrospective effect from 2017 July and this certainly shock the commoners who are finding it hard to make their both ends meet.

When there is a call for austerity measures in order to salvage Kerala from its flood-battered state, such awkward things are happening on the other side.
The government had come out with measures to cut the expenses in the case of school youth festival, film festival and other frills used in government’s public functions.
Even restrictions were bought in the case of distribution of financial aids. The civil service offices need not even submit bills for travel allowance. They get reimbursement for vouchers from Rs 3000 to Rs 12000 according to their grade.

From now on, allowance will not have any limit. For private travel they can buy fuel without any limit. Nobody will question. This is besides the benefit that they can use their official vehicles for their private use. Now, there is also no limit for the salary of persons they plan to appoint as assistant in their residences.

The most ridiculous thing among the new benefits is the freedom to use current and water according to their whims and fancies. The government will pay these bills, whatever the amount is.
This mean act is not because a civil service officer is not able to pay current or water bills. This is just the hangover of white collar supremacy that was prevalent during the time of British Rule in India.
The argument is that the new benefits were given in accordance with the recommendation of seventh pay commission. People who know about the structure of Pay Commission will not be surprised about this because those in the commission might be persons holding top bureaucratic posts or ones retired from such posts.
Moreover, no governments will be interested in straining their relationship with bureaucrats. Ironically, the government doesn’t show the verve and vigour they show here in the case of other matters mentioned in the pay commission recommendations.
The recommendation in each commission report also includes very valuable ones related to administrative reforms
No government has shown justice to such recommendations till date.
The government which cry about paucity of funds for developmental works once they finish the distribution of pension and other benefits should also think about pilferage of money from public exchequer in this manner.
Why the government is not thinking about the extravaganza from the part of top bureaucrats.
The government may argue that just a few crores are required to give benefits to top bureaucrats but it should remember that there is also a question of righteousness in this matter. It should also be noted that there are many who don’t have money even for a day’s meal. The pay revision every five years is a financial burden to the State. Apart from this comes the indiscriminate benefits given to civil service officers.
What is more unfortunate is such officers who get benefits do not feel abashed by the thought that allowance even for paying their water bills are paid with tax-payers’ money.