No.19047/10/2016-E-IV
Government of India
Ministry of Finance
Department of Expenditure

North Block, New Delhi.
Dated: 12.04.2017

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject: Delegation of powers to Ministries/ Departments for payment of Sitting Fee in respect of Non-officials of Committees/ Panels/ Boards etc.

The undersigned is directed to state that the issues related to payment of Sitting Fee to Non-officials of Committees/Panels/Boards etc. have been examined in D/o Expenditure. It has been decided that Administrative Secretaries of the Ministries/ Departments may decide the Sitting Fee in respect of Non-officials of Committees/Panels/Boards etc. in consultation with their Financial Advisors and with the approval of their Ministers.

2. While considering the proposals for payment of Sitting Fee to Non-officials, the Ministries/Departments are directed to keep in view the following instructions/guidelines:-

2.1. Categorisation of Committees: For the purpose of payment  of Sitting Fee, Committees/Boards/panels are categorized into following three categories:-

(i) High Level Committee: In terms of Cabinet Secretariat Circular No. 1/16/1/2000-Cab. dated 15.04.2002, a High Level Committee is a Committee set up with the approval of Hon’ble Prime Minister through the Cabinet Secretary and presided over by a high ranking dignitary eg. a Minister, a Judge of the Supreme Court of India, a Vice-Chancellor etc. including prominent persons in public life as Members.

(ii) Technical or Expert Committee: A Technical or Expert Committee is a Committee constituted to discharge functions as prescribed under Acts/Rules/Subordinate legislation on the subject. Such Committee is to be set up with the approval of the Minister of the concerned Ministry. In case any Member of Parliament is included in the Committee, the prior approval of Prime Minister to their inclusion is to be obtained in terms of Cabinet Secretariat Circular No.1/16/1/2000-Cab. dated 15.04.2002.

(iii) Other Committees: All other Committees will be covered under this category. These Committees will be constituted with the approval of the Administrative Secretary or Minister.

2.2 Definition of a Non-official: For the purpose of grant of Sitting Fee only such persons are to be considered as Non-officials who are not employed in any institution/ organisation/body funded by the Central Government.

3. Rates of Sitting Fee: On the basis of categorisation of Committees viz. High Level Committee, Technical or Expert Committee and Other Committees, The Ministries/Departments shall ensure that the maximum rates of Sitting Fee to be paid to Non-official Chairman/ Members will not be more than the following:-

(i) High Level Committee : Not more than Rs.10,000/- per day of Sitting.

(ii) Technical or Expert Committee : Not more than Rs.6000/- per day of Sitting.

(iii) Other Committees : Not more than Rs.4000/- per day of Sitting.

4. For arriving at the rates of the Sitting Fee to Non-official Chairman and Members of the Committees/Boards/Panels, the Ministries/Department shall observe the following conditions:

i. While considering the amount of Sitting Fee, the Ministries/Departments have to keep in view facts such as nature and scope of the Committee, importance of the subject assigned to the Committee, category of the Committee (i.e. High level Committee, Technical or Expert Committee or other Committee), level/ status of Chairperson/ Members, duration of the Committee, frequency of meetings, Terms of Reference of the Committee etc.

ii. In no case, the ceiling should exceed 10 meetings in a month in respect of all categories of Committees viz. High Level, Technical or Expert Committees and Other Committee. It is presumed that such committees are constituted for a limited duration specified in the order.

iii. It is clarified that the Govt. employees nominated to such Committees/ Boards/ Panels etc. will not be entitled to Sitting Fee.

iv. Cases seeking deviation from the above norms may be referred to M/o Finance giving full justification for seeking deviation.

3. These instructions will be effective from the date of issue of this O.M.

4. This is issued with the approval of Finance Minister.

sd/-
(Nirmala Dev)
Deputy Secretary to the Government of India

Source: finmin.nic.in

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While deferring the indefinite strike from 11th July 2016, as per the assurance given by the Group of Ministers, the NJCA in its statement dated 06-07-2016, stated as follows:

“The committee set up to look into the matter of minimum wage and fitment formula is expected to submit their report to the Government in the given time frame of not more than four months”.

Finance Ministry’s press statement issued on 06-07-2016 also stated as follows: “The Ministers assured the Union leaders that the issues raised by them would be considered by a High Level Committee”.

After one month, the NJCA wrote letters on 28-07-2016 to Hon’ble Home Minister, Finance Minister, Railway Minister and Cabinet Secretary in which it conveyed the following:

“It is a matter of concern that, despite elapsing of a pretty long time, nothing has been heard in this regard from the Government of India, which is leading to serious resentment amongst the Central Government employees.”

Again after two months the JCM staff side, Secretary, wrote a letter on 12-08-2016, to Shri. Arun Jaitely, Finance Minister – “We are expecting a quick action on the part of the Government to operationalise the assurance of setting up a High Level Committee to go into the Minimum Wage, Multiplication factor etc. However, we are disappointed that even after a lapse of more than a month, no orders have been issued by the Government in this regard ………. we therefore appeal to you that the concerned authorities may be asked to expedite the issuance of orders setting up the committee and finalisation of the report within the available time of remaining three months.”

A group of Senior Officers invited the JCM staff side on 30-08-2016 to discuss the grievances arising out of the recommendations related to 7th CPC. No High Level Committee was constituted and no terms of reference was notified. The second meeting with Group of seniors was held on 24-10-2016.

Eventhough the group of senior officers held two round of discussion with JCM staff side, surprisingly they had not come prepared to discuss increase in minimum wage and fitment formula. They made a mockery of the meeting by disclosing in the first meeting that they are not fully aware of the details of the issues to be discussed and in the second meeting they told that they came for discussing allowances (though another committee under the chairmanship of Finance Secretary is constituted for allowances) and not minimum wage and fitment formulas. The JCM staffside leaders felt humiliated.

After that meeting, the JCM staffside wrote the following letter on 26-10-2016, to Hon’ble Finance Minister…..

“We (staff side) interacted with the said committee headed by Shri. P. K. Das, Addl. Secretary (Expenditure) on 24-10-2016. It would be quite appropriate to bring to your kind notice that, we have felt, during the course of meeting, that the proceedings of the committee are extremely disappointing and are left with the impression that committee is dilly-dallying the issue…………….. we are, therefore, left with no option, but to address this communication with the fervent hope that, your goodself will direct the said committee to interact with the staff side in a fruitful manner and arrive at a mutually agreeable proposal on the issue of minimum pay and fitment formula…. We have full trust and believe that, the Government would honour the decision taken in the meeting held on 30-06- 2016 in your benign presence and suitable direction will be given to the committee to complete the assigned task within the stipulated time frame in a satisfactory manner…. It would be the most unfortunate development, we regret to state, if we are constrained to tread the path of struggle once again in the event of the committee not coming up with a satisfactory settlement.”

Inspite of all these, after that (ie after 24-10-2016) no meeting of the group of senior officers was held and no discussion on minimum wage and fitment formula took place. The four months time fixed for the High Level Committee (which is yet to constituted) expired on 30-10-2016. Government has gone back from the most important assurance given to the NJCA leaders on 30-06-2016 by the Group of Cabinet Ministers. NJCA decided to defer the strike mainly because of this assurance of the Govt. that the Minimum pay and fitment formula will be enhanced. Now that Govt. has gone back and betrayed the entire Central Govt. employees and pensioners. NJCA has no other option but to revive the indefinite strike.

Source: http://confederationhq.blogspot.in/

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New Delhi: The central government employees’union expressed its resentment over the non-formation of High Level Committee for reviewing the minimum pay and allowances.

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 the government implemented minimum pay from Rs 7000 to Rs 18,000.

The Central government employees’ Unions had been pressing for fixing “anomalies” in the pay scale. They were demanding minimum pay Rs. 26,000 instead of Rs 18,000 with 3.68 fitment factor, day after the cabinet approval the 7th pay commission recommendations. The cabinet approved it on June 29.

The Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu then stepped in and assured the unions leaders “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 unions leaders said, “three and half months was passed, no High Level Committee has been formed while The Finance Ministry issued a press statement in this regard on July 7, confirming the assurance and stated that a High Level Committee will be constituted. The above ministers also assured that the favourable decision will be taken within four months.”

The Central government employees’ Unions not only demanded hiking in pay scales but also asked the other anomalies in 7th pay commission recommendations like abolition of some allowances that should be fixed.

The government hasn’t honour its group of ministers assurance till date, so the central government employees unions say they must lead their march to Parliament on December 15.

The leaders of the central government employees unions have also called on all employees to join the march in demand of hike in minimum pay and other demands.

TST

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Representatives of Unions representing employees of the Central Government had met the Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh, the Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley and the Minister for Railways Sh. Suresh Prabhu in the evening of 30th June, 2016.

They had requested that certain issues raised by them in relation to the pay scales and other recommendations of the Pay Commission be allowed to be raised before a Committee of Secretaries looking into different aspects of grievances of employees in relation to the Pay Commission recommendations.

The Ministers assured the Union leaders that the issues raised by them would be considered by a High Level Committee.

PIB

The post Government assures Representatives of Unions representing employees of the Central Government that the issues raised by them relating to the pay scales and other recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission would be considered by a High Level Committee appeared first on CENTRAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES NEWS.