7th Pay Commission: June 7 is crucial day for employees, good news will be there says govt

Employees of the central government who have been waiting for an update on higher allowances under the 7th Pay Commission will get an update by the end of the day. While the Empowered Committee of Secretaries will finalise its report on higher allowances and HRA by the end of today.

June 7 is D-Day for central government employees We have earlier reported that the final decision would be taken by the Union Cabinet. Since it is such an important issue concerning lakhs of central government employees, the Cabinet would want Prime Minister Narendra Modi to chair the session. Modi is away on foreign tour and will return this week. During the Cabinet meeting to be held on June 1, the issue will be taken up and finalised, sources say.

Same report The E-COS would go with a similar report that was prepared by the committee on allowances. There is a lot of anxiety among the employees about the report. The Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha however says that all considerations of the employees would be taken into account. Moreover the PM, Modi himself wants the issue to be resolved and has said several times that the employees demands and considerations must be looked into.

Huge protest The employees are waiting to hear about their allowances for over one year now. They had put out a May 23rd protest demanding higher allowances. Employees had said that the pay hike was meagre and their livelihood now depends on the high allowances and HRA. If the quantum of allowance does not vary from those proposed by the 7th Pay Commission, then employees will plan their next move and this could result in a massive agitation.

Will findings be made known? While it would be the Cabinet which will take the final decision, Sinha stated that the Empowered Committee of Secretaries (E-CoS) will go through the review report by Ashok Lavasa-led Committee of Allowances on or before June 1 and will let their findings be known by the same date. This exercise would be followed by a meeting of secretaries of various government department. A consolidated view on the findings would be taken and then the Cabinet would take up the issue for a final nod on June 7

Time for employees to get higher allowances This issue concerns the lives and families of 55 lakh government employees. They at least are seeking an update on the issue and have been waiting patiently for a month. Government sources say that there is a delay no doubt, but they are trying to resolve the issue as soon as possible. The decision on allowances was postponed because the 7th Pay Commission wanted abolition of 52 allowances and subsuming of another 36 allowances into larger existing ones out of total 196 allowances. The staff and pension holders have been waiting to hear desperately about an increase on allowances so that they get a better salary.

Representation tabled National Council Joint Consultative Machinery (Staff Side) submitted a representation to Cabinet Secretary Sinha. NCJA Secretary Shiv Gopal Mishra tabled the suggestions and demands of central government employees regarding allowances under 7th pay commission. He intimated Sinha about the demands. Sinha on the other hand assured that all aspects relating to the employees would be taken into consideration soon.

Source : One India