HCM City (VNA)- The average income of civil servants from Ho Chi Minh City is expected toincrease this year but will not exceed 1.8 times their main salaries, accordingto Nguyen Thanh Phong, Chairman of the HCM City People’s Committee.

The pay raises, which wouldbe 0.6 times their salary this year, 1.2 times in 2019, and 1.8 times by 2020,will be submitted to the municipal People’s Council for approval in March.

Phong said the decision onpiloting special policies which allow the city to make more independentdecisions will become effective on January 15.

HCM City makes upthe largest proportion, up to 27.8 percent, of the state budget, while thelabour productivity of the city’s government officials is 1.5 times higher thanthat of other localities across the country.

Each government officialrenders services to around 700 residents compared with 340 residents perofficial in other localities.

Many officials in HCM City,who earn the same level of salaries as their counterparts in other localities,must seek outside financial support as prices in HCM City are higher than inother provinces and cities.

Dao Thi Nga, who works fora food safety management agency in HCM City, said she and her husband haverelied on support from the husband’s family for several years.

“My husband’s mother hashelped us as we both have low salaries,” Nga said.

Tran Vinh Tuyen, Vice Cairmanof the HCM City People’s Committee, said many young male officials do not wantto tell their girlfriends about their jobs because they may think the salary istoo low.

In other countries,especially in Singapore, Government officials are proud to talk about theirjobs because they receive high salaries that show their competence, Tuyen said.

However, many governmentofficials in HCM City say that an increase for all government officials wouldnot encourage competent officials to work harder.

Bui Anh Tusn, an officialat the urban railroad management unit of HCM City, said that salaries forgovernment officials should be based on each position, the individual’s workexperience and performance. The same rate should not be applied to everyone, headded.

“Salary payments create(healthy) competition among officials at a Government office, and at the sametime offer opportunities for promotions for young officials,” said Tuan.

The funds for increases incivil servants’ incomes will come from the state.-VNA