New Delhi: The proposal on the new pay scales under 7th Pay Commission award for Central government employees, is likely to get the cabinet’s nod by the end of the month.
“7th Pay Commission award is likely to get Cabinet clearance this month. The proposal on the new pay scales under 7th Pay Commission award, will be send for the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs clearance this month after getting the report of revision in the pay scales of the central government employees from the Empowered Committee of Secretaries on the 7th Pay Commission,” a senior Finance Ministry official was quoted as saying Monday.
The Empowered Committee of Secretaries will be making revision in the pay scales on June 11 on the inputs Implementation cell. After June 11, the Empowered Committee of Secretaries is likely to submit its updated report to the Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on the seventh pay revision for central government employees, he added.
The Empowered Committee of Secretaries is likely to recommend a minimum salary at Rs 21,000 and the highest salary at Rs 2,70,000.
The official said the government has been facing strong opposition regarding this move as a large number of central government employees who will benefit from the pay revision are unhappy with this proposal.
The unions of central government employees have been demanding a minimum salary of Rs 26,000 as against Rs 18,000 recommended by the 7th Pay Commission, they also demanded to scrap the New Pension Scheme and to restore old pension rules for employees who join since 2004.
Unions decided to go on an indefinite strike from July 11 for above demands, so they will serve strike notice to central government on June 9.
A union leader said, “We have asked the government to raise the minimum salary to 26,000. But the government is now willing to increase the minimum salary to Rs 21,000.”
Fresh demands look like a part of pressure tactics by the Unions but the government is in no mood to buckle under any pressure,” said the official.
The government formed a 13- member secretary-level Empowered Committee headed by Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha in January to review the pay panel’s recommendations and an Implementation Cell has also been created in the Finance Ministry which works as the Secretariat of the Empowered Committee of Secretaries.
The 7th Pay Commission headed by Justice A K Mathur proposed the highest salary at Rs 250,000 and the lowest at Rs 18,000 on November 19. The commission also recommended 14.27 per cent increase in basic pay, 23.55% overall increase in salary, allowances and pensions. The increase in allowances was recommended 63% while pension was proposed to rise 24%.
SOURCE - SEN TIMES
