Number of personal staff of ministers increased

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a move that would cost the exchequer at least an additional Rs. 2.50 crore per annum, the government has increased the number of personal staff of a minister from 27 to 30. Along with the 20 ministers, Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Chief Whip and the Opposition Leader will also benefit from the order.A total of 72 new posts will be created immediately to accommodate those who had been left out while finalising the list of personal staff of the UDF ministers.Though work load is said to be the official reason for increasing the number of personal staff, sources in the government said that the move was to accommodate a few members who couldn’t find place in the offices of the ministers despite having  the support of political parties.The decision was taken in the last Cabinet meeting and the proposal hadn’t been discussed in the UDF meeting."There is a lot of work in a minister’s office. All ministers demanded more staff. Hence, we decided to slightly increase the number,’’ Finance Minister K M Mani told ‘Express’.Mani, however, refused to divulge the details of additional financial burden caused by the move.He said such decisions need not be discussed in the UDF as these are purely administrative matters.According to Mani, the UDF Government had fixed number for personal staff."In the LDF Government, there were 32 to 35 members in the office of most of the ministers. We had deducted that number and made it 30,’’ Mani said.The government order increasing the number of personal staff members also didn’t specify to which category the new members would belong to. Whether they would be freshers or government officials on deputation have  also not been made clear.