In the run up to the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the Maharashtra government on Thursday approved the 7th Pay Commission's recommendations.

At the weekly Cabinet meeting, presided over by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the decision to hike the salaries and related allowances was taken.

This would put an additional burden of Rs 14,000 crore on the state exchequer annually.

Salaries of nearly Rs 20-lakh state government employees including officers, staffers, teachers from unaided schools and Zilla Parishad employees will be increased, Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar said.

The decision will be implemented from January 1, 2019, will take retrospective effect from January 1, 2016 (36 months) and all employees will get salaries as per the revised pay-scales from February 1.