Tuesday, May 30, 2017

7th CPC Latest News: E-CoS may table its report on higher allowances before Cabinet on June 1; no decision on arrears


 If media reports are to be believed, the Empowered Committee of Secretaries (E-CoS) is likely table its report on higher allowances under the 7th Pay Commission before the Union cabinet on June 1.


New Delhi, May 30: Central government employees, who have been waiting for higher allowances under the 7th Pay Commission since July last year, may receive some good news on June 1. If media reports are to be believed, the Empowered Committee of Secretaries (E-CoS) is likely table its report on higher allowances under the 7th Pay Commission before the Union cabinet on June 1. The Empowered Committee is in last stages of finalising draft on Committee on Allowances’ report on higher allowances, including house rent allowance (HRA), under the 7th Pay Commission. However, there is no clarity whether the government will agree to pay arrears on higher allowances.

The Empowered Committee of Secretaries (E-CoS) is likely to meet the Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on June 1, where they would submit their recommendations about Committee on Allowances’ report on higher allowances under the 7th Pay Commission. National Joint Council Chief Shiv Gopal Mishra had been given assurance by the Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha who heads the E-CoS that all demands demands of the central government employees would be considered.

On June 1, the Empowered Committee of Secretaries (E-CoS) will hold a key meet in which the final draft on higher allowances and HRA under the 7th Pay Commission will be discussed along with other proposals and demands. However, the NJCA convenor is not sure whether their demands about arrears on higher allowances under the 7th Pay Commission will be accepted by the E-CoS. Earlier, a Sen Times report said the E-CoS may stick to the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission on higher allowances.

The 7th Pay Commission, led by Justice (retd) A K Mathur, suggested the abolition of 52 out of the 196 existing allowances, apart from subsuming 36 smaller allowances. The decision was widely opposed by the central government employees, after which Arun Jaitley had formed the Committee on Allowances to look into anomalies. The Committee on Allowances, which examined the 7th Pay Commission recommendations on allowances, submitted its report to the finance ministry on April 27.