Central government employees feel “frustrated and squeezed” by their pay

7th CPC Central government employees feel “frustrated and squeezed” by their pay

Central government employees feel “frustrated and squeezed” by their pay, which has flatlined since implementation of the 7th Pay Commission recommendations. But despite broad government stagnation in pay growth, it is still possible to maximise chances of getting minimum pay hike, he added.

The battle between the government and the central government employees unions is being seen because the government has decided not to give minimum pay hike for the central government employees.

A letter of Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) dated October 30, states that the hike in minimum Pay and fitment formula do not appear to be treated as an anomaly, therefore, these do not come under the purview of the NAC.

However, the National Anomaly Committee (NAC) has been formed in September, 2016 to look into pay anomalies arising out of the implementation of the 7th Pay Commission’s recommendations.

A day after the Cabinet cleared the 7th Pay Commission recommendations, three senior Cabinet Ministers including Finance Minister Arun Jaitley discussed this issue with the several central government employees’ unions leaders for more than two hours on June 30, 2016 in home minister Rajnath Singh’s house and they assured the leaders a High Level Committee would look into the increasing minimum Pay and fitment formula.

Their assurance had prevented several central government employees’ unions to go indefinite strike over pay hike from July 11, 2016.

“The minimum pay of central government employees Rs.18,000 was made on recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission. But government will consider hiking it after discussions with all stakeholders, once the proposal in this regard will be submitted to government by the proposed High Level Committee,” Jaitley had also said in Rajya Sabha on July 19, 2016.

While the High Level Committee has not yet been constituted. The government had said the NAC would discuss any pay hike agenda but DoPT letter now says minimum pay and fitment factor doesn’t come under the purview of the NAC.

The central government employees unions, including the Confederation of Central Government Employees and Workers, have strongly criticized the government over the DoPT letter.

“The Confederation of Central Government Employees and Workers leaders said a meeting would be held on January 24, so they may ask employees to go on indefinite strike over pay hike,” a union leader said.

The top official in the Finance Ministry said that the ministry would like to review the DoPT letter, because the DoPT has issued the letter against Finance Minister’s promise to hike minimum pay.

This is probably the first time that the Finance Ministry is likely to raise minimum pay while the government already approved the 7th Pay Commission recommendations.

The Finance Ministry is likely to remain committed to hike in minimum pay beyond the 7th Pay Commission recommendations for the central government employees, he confirmed.

Earlier, the government gave nod the 7th Pay Commission proposal of minimum basic pay from Rs.7,000 to Rs.18,000 per month while the maximum basic pay from Rs.80,000 to Rs.2.5 lakh with a fitment factor of 2.57 times uniformly of basic pay of 6th pay commission.

The Unions have been demanding minimum pay Rs. 26,000 instead of Rs.18,000 with 3.68 fitment factor.

Source: 7cpc.in