Dissatisfaction over 7th Pay Commission ‘Anomalies’
New Delhi: It was supposed to get praise but all it generated was bitterness. The 7th pay commission recommendations should have come as good news for the central government employees as it will give them more money in the pocket and a number of other perks.
Overall, the government gave its nod for 23.55 per cent hike the salaries and allowances for the central government employees. They are also getting arrears from January.
Instead of gratitude the government is hearing unhappy outbursts from the very people it is supposed to please. The cause is increasing 14.27 per cent in basic pay for Central government employees, the lowest in 70 years.
The National Joint Council Action (NJCA), a confederation of 3.3 million central government employees, has been one of the most vocal protesters of increasing minimum pay Rs 18,000 since the cabinet approved minimum pay from existing Rs 7000 to Rs 18,000 on June 29.
The Central government employees’ Unions have been pressing for fixing “anomalies” in the pay scale. They are demanding minimum pay Rs. 26,000 instead of Rs 18,000 with 3.68 fitment factor, which cabinet approved fitment factor 2.57 to hike basic pay only 14.27 per percent.
The Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu then stepped in and assured the unions leaders that the issues raised by them would be considered by the High Level Committee, which will soon be set up and the government will take steps accordingly.
The Central government employees’ Unions not only demands hiking in pay scales but also asked the other anomalies in 7th pay commission recommendations like abolition of some allowances and advances that should be fixed.
After receiving of 7th pay commission recommendations on November 19 from Justice A K Mathur, who headed the commission, the government formed a 13 member secretary-level Empowered Committee headed by Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha in January to review the report of the 7th Pay Commission before cabinet nod.
The Empowered Committee of Secretaries recommended a 30 per cent increase in the central government employees’ basic pay and minimum basic pay to Rs 21,000 per month. They also recommended for doubling of existing rates of allowances and advances but the cabinet didn’t accept any suggestion of the Empowered Committee for cabinet nod of 7th Pay Commission recommendations. The cabinet went for ditto, the 7th pay commission recommendations.
The cabinet asked to refer all allowances including HRA, transport allowance to a committee headed by Finance Secretary for examination of the 7th Pay Commission recommendations on its. The committee shall submit its report within four months
However, the notification on 7th Pay Commission recommendations is under process in Finance Ministry and it will be issued shortly and payment may be made from August with hiking basic salary from 14.27 per cent as well as allowances to be paid as per the existing rates in existing pay structure, not like the 7th pay commission recommendations.
However, the central government employees’ Unions are ready to wait for four months for more hiking in the basic pay and allowances.
Hence, the cabinet approval of 7th pay commission recommendations gave more agony for the central government employees.
TST
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