Concerned
over possible backlash from unions, the Union Cabinet has chosen not to act on
the most significant and progressive recommendation of the 7th Pay Commission —
that no more pay commissions should be set up and instead a more
performance-linked appraisal system must be put in place.Though it sent the set
of recommendations aimed at rationalising the pay structures to the Department
of Personnel and Training last week, no deadline or directions for further
processing the suggestions were specified. “The reforms recommended by the pay
commission are effectively killed … an opportunity to rationalise pays and link
them to performance, and introduce meritocracy has been lost,” a top Finance
Ministry source told The
Hindu.
Wide gaps
The
Commission’s report highlighted wide gaps between the pays of Central
government employees and their counterparts in the private sector. A study it
commissioned found that while a driver in the private sector typically earns
around Rs. 12,000 a month, an entry-level driver in government service takes
home nearly Rs. 25,000. Similarly, while government doctors with an MBBS degree
get Rs. 80,500 a month, their counterparts in the private sector earn only Rs.
50,000. But remuneration of private sector doctors with an MD or MS degree and
15 years experience exceeds that of their counterparts in government: Rs.
3,70,000 per month as compared to Rs. 1,60,000 in the government sector.
Other
recommendations forwarded to the DoPT seek to establish parity between the
officers of the Indian Administrative Service and the rest of the cadres on
both pays and promotions.
