NEW DELHI, August 14: Finance Minister P Chidambaram today gave a categorical assurance that the government will notify implementation of the Fifth Pay Commission recommendations this month-end.

Replying to a discussion on the supplementary demands for grants in the Rajya Sabha, the Finance Minister said as per the Pay Commission recommendations the revised pay scales would be effective retrospectively from January 1, 1996, and the allowances from August 1, this year.

He said the wage bill on the government, which stood at Rs 27,000 crore, would increase to Rs 37,000 crore in the current financial year as a result of the implementation of Pay Commission recommendations.

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