Chief Minister Manohar Joshi today announced that 6,25,498 employees from the Agriculture, Home, Revenue, Forests, Public Works and Irrigation Departments will be paid the revised salaries.

``The D M Sukthankar Committee had recommended that these employees be paid salaries based on the old salary structure but the Cabinet today decided to pay them salaries based on the new pay structure. This will put an annual burden of Rs 150 crore on the state exchequer,'' Joshi said.

``However,'' he added, ``the Cabinet has also decided to appoint a one-man committee to review salary structures and demands of Zilla Parishad employees, gram sevaks, talathis, naieb tehsildars and policemen. The final decision in case of these employees will be taken only after the committee submits itsrecommendations,'' Joshi added.

The CM had announced last week, after studying the Fifth Pay Commission Report, that State Government employees will be paid revised salaries as recommended by the D M Sukthankar Committee.

However, hundreds of Mantralaya employees staged a three-day dharna early this month demanding immediate implementation of the Fifth Pay Commission recommendations.

BLACK JOWAR: The State Government will purchase jowar blackened by incessant rains over the last three months. ``The Cabinet has decided that blackened jowar will be procured for Rs 300 per quintal,'' Chief Minister Manohar Joshi said today.

Joshi said a detailed survey of the damage caused to crops was expected to be done next week and a decision on compensation to farmers would be taken in the next Cabinet meeting. ``Six departments are involved in the decision to pay compensation and I have asked them to prepare an exhaustive note on the same,'' Joshi said.

BHAU BEEJ GIFT: Chief Minister Manohar Joshitoday announced that Rs 250 will be paid to each anganwadi and balwadi worker in the State as Bhau Beej gift - traditionally given by a brother to his sister on Diwali.

``The amount will be distributed to 82,156 anganwadi and 20,755 balwadi workers. This will cost the state exchequer about Rs 2.55 crore,'' Joshi said.

Asked about the indefinite hunger strike staged by representatives of anganwadi workers and the government delay in taking a decision, Joshi said the committee, headed by Education Minister Sudhir Joshi, was having a meeting with the workers and will soon find a solution.