Ajay Maken comments on the recommendations of 7th Pay Commission
7TH CENTRAL PAY COMMISSION’S RECOMMENDATIONS ARE DETREMENTAL TO LARGE SECTION OF EMPLOYEES
The Chairman of Seventh Central Pay Commission Justice Ashok Kumar
Mathur has since presented voluminous recommendation consisting of 875
pages to Hon’ble Finance Minister. When we go through the
recommendations it appears that it anti low paid employees and failed to
improve their financial condition, short of suggesting measures for
better and encouraging working conditions for them. It is tilted towards
higher level officers.
2.The following important issues on which recommendations are made show
the negative approach of the commission towards low level employees,
which may be due to anti employee actions ofthe present Government.
After independence seven Pay Commissions have been constituted all by
Congress or Congress led Governments. NDA Government during the year
2003 was in power but refused to constitute 6th Pay Commission in spite
of recommendation of 5th CPC to constitute 6th Pay Commission on 1st
Jan, 2003 so that its recommendations could be implemented wef 1st Jan,
2006. This proves beyond doubt that the present BJP Government too is
not serious to improve working condition and in financial upgradation of
majority of employees. Brief details of main recommendations are:-
Fitment: For fixation of pay effective from 1st Jan, 2016, fitment
factor of 2.57 has been proposed for application uniformly for all the
employees. It includes a factorof 2.25 is on account of Dearness
Allowance neutralisation, assuming that DA would be 125 percent at the
time of implementation of the new scale out of 2.57 of fitment formula
recommended. The hike will only be 14.29 percent.
The enhancement of pay by 14.29% is very depressing for the employees in
past after submission of 5th and 6th Pay Commissions report the minimum
hike given was 40%.
(A) It has been our consistent demand to reduce gap between the lowest
paid and the highest paid employees from 1:12, recommended by 6th CPC to
1:8 but instead of reducing the gap it has been further increased by
the 7th Pay Commission to 1 to 14.
(B) As per para 5.1.27 of the report, “it is proposed that fitment
factor of 2.57 is being applied uniformly for all employees.” Whereas at
Table 5 : Pay Matrix (Civilian Employees) for level 1 to 5 it is 2.57
and in respect of remaining higher levels except level 13 it ranges
between 2.62 to 2.81. It proves that senior officers have been favoured
by the Commission in fitment process.
(C) 6th Pay Commission had recommended annual Increment between 3 to 4%
of Pay plus Grade Pay whereas Seventh Pay Commission has restricted it
to 3% only.
(D) The 7th Pay Commission has proposed to withhold annual increments of
those employees who are not able to meet the benchmark either for MACP
or regular promotion within first 20 years of service, under the given
condition an employee will be left with no option but to leave the job
and seek retirement.
(E)Recommendationto withdraw some benefits which employees are already availing:
PENSION CALCULATORS FOR CG PENSIONERS
(i) In the name of parity in the rank of Assistants, between the field
staff and headquarter staff grade pay of Rs 4,600 of Asstts of CSS has
been placed in the new pay matrix in Level 6, the level corresponds to
pre-revised GP of Rs 4200. Similarly the corresponding posts in the
Stenographers cadre willalso follow same parity and thus will be deprive
of GP of 4600.
(ii) Non-functional selection scale with the GP of 4200 was granted to
30% Upper Division Clerks in CSS and Allied Offices, which is now being
withdrawn at the cost of UDCs awaiting grant of NFSS.
(iii) At present two additional increments are granted at the time of
promotion to Under Secy/PPS in CSS/CSSS it is suggested to abolish the
benefit.
(F) Recommendation to abolish Allowances, reduce percentage, de-link benefit of DA:
(i) The quantum of percentage based allowances has been reduced, the 6th
CPC had doubled it whereas 7th Pay Commission has suggested
rationalisation by a factor of 0.8 (para 8.2.3). This will reduce
present percentage based allowance for example House Rent Allowance
which is at present 30, 20 and 10% in respect of Class X, Y and Z
category of cities will come down to 24, 16 and 8% .In the same pattern
percentage of other allowances will also be reduced.
(ii) All non-interest bearing Advances viz Festival etc have been abolished.
(ii)Motor Car, Motor Cycle/Scooter/Moped advances have been abolished.
(iii) 52 Allowances presently available to employees will discontinue.
(iv) Identities of 36 allowances have been abolished as separate and
proposed to be subsumed with existing or newly introduced allowances.
(v) Transport Allowance which is at present linked with DA, with release
of every additional instalment of Dearness Allowance, TA is also
proportionally increases, this will be done away.
(G)Rates of contribution by various levels of employees towards
insurance coverage have been exorbitantly increased, the details are:
Level of Employee Present Monthly Deduction Proposed Monthly Deduction
10 and aboveRs 120/-Rs 5,000/-
6 to 9Rs 60/-Rs 2,500/-
1 to 5Rs 30/-Rs 1,500/-
(H) Process of Cadre Review has been made very difficult.
In short Central Government Employees are frustrated and disappointed
with the major recommendations of the Commission. It is unfortunate that
the employees, who were given 40% hike in their respective pay has now
been recommended only 14.29%. This is unjust and humiliating for the
beneficiaries.
We have decided to express our resentment and demand at least 40% hike in the pay of various categories of employees.
Source: Ajaymaken Blog
