Meeting of E-CoS with JCM on recommendations of the 7th Central Pay will be held on 01.03.2016 at 6.45 PM

F No. 1-2/2016-IC
Government of India
Ministry of Finance
Department of Expenditure
Implementation Cell

Dated: 25th February, 2016

To
Shri Shiva Gopal Mishra,
Secretary,
National Council (Staff Side),
13-C, Ferozshah Road,
New Delhi- 110001

Subject: Meeting of Empowered Committee of Secretaries (E-CoS) with office bearers of Staff Side of Standing Committee of National Council (JCM) on recommendations of the 7th Central Pay –Postponement- Reg.

Sir,

In partial supersession of this office letter of even number dated 24.02.2016 it is intimated the meeting of the office bearers of the Staff Side of Standing Committee of National Council (JCM) with the Empowered Committee of Secretaries (E-CoS) will now be held on 01.03.2016 at 6.45 PM in the Committee Room, Cabinet Secretariat, Rashtrapati Bhawan New Delhi

2. The above change in the date and time of the meeting may please be noted

3. Inconvenience caused is regretted.

Thanking you

Source-http://confederationhq.blogspot.in/

Finmin released 7th Pay Commission meeting minutes held on 19.02.2016 with NC-JCM

Minutes of the Meeting of Joint Secretary (IC) with the Members of the Staff-Side of the Standing Committee (National Council-JCM) held on 19.02.2016

A Meeting was held under the chairmanship of Joint Secretary (Implementation Cell), Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance, with the Members of the StaffSide of the Standing Committee (National Council-JCM) on 19.2.2016 to discuss the issues raised by the National Joint Council of Action (NJCA) {Joint Consultative Machinery (JCM)} in their letter No. NJC/2015/7th CPC dt. 10.12.2015, addressed to the Cabinet Secretary, regarding their Charter of Demands on the recommendations of the 7th Central Pay Commission. The Secretary, Staff-Side of the Standing Committee (National Council- JCM), who is the convener of the NJCA, along with other office bearers attended the meeting. The list of the participants from the Staff-Side is attached at Annexure.

2. Welcoming the members of the Staff-Side, JS(IC) mentioned that the meeting has been convened to enable the Staff-Side to bring out their concerns on the recommendations of the 7th CPC in the light of the Charter of Demands made by them in the aforesaid letter of NJCA so that same could be examined in the Implementation Cell and submitted for consideration of the Empowered Committee of Secretaries. He informed the office bearers that before arriving at a decision, the ECoS would also hold separate discussions with the Staff Side.

2. Commencing the discussions from the Side of the Members of the Staff-Side, Secretary, Staff-Side, Standing Committee (National Council-JCM), explained that they have already placed their Charter of Demands as per the letter of NJCA dated 10.12.2015. He mentioned that the reasons based on which these demands have been made have also been explained therein. He, however, highlighted that the Staff-Side is not at all happy with the recommendations of the 7th CPC and, in fact, no section of the employees is satisfied, as the Commission has recommended a minimal pay increase as compared to the previous Pay Commissions. He mentioned that the Staff-Side does not agree with the minimum pay of Rs. 18000 and the reason as to why the methodology adopted by the 7th CPC to arrive at this figure is not correct has been explained in their letter dated 10.12.2015. He stated that Staff-Side demands enhancement of the minimum pay to Rs. 26000 and the reasons in support of this have been given in their aforesaid letter. He further stated that an amicable and mutually negotiated settlement of these demands is necessary as non-acceptance would further cause resentment in the employees. He informed that Staff-Side has already made their stand clear to go on strike from 11th April, 2016 if their demands are not considered and no amicable settlement happens.

3. Thereafter, the other members of the Staff-Side also expressed their arguments for acceptance of these demands and all of them emphasised that the minimum pay needs to be revised. Consequently, the fitment multiple of 2.57 would also need commensurate change. The leader of the Staff-Side explained that the office bearers who were present in the meeting represent various sections of Central Government employees including railways, defence civilians, postal employees etc., the number of which is around Rs. 32 lakhs.

4. The Staff-Side brought out their concerns on all the 26 demands included in the Charter of Demands and all the points brought out by them in the letter of the NJCA dt.  10.12.2015 were reiterated. However, following issues in support of their demands were highlighted :-

(i) Minimum Pay needs to be revised to Rs. 26000 p.m. and the minimum pay of Rs. 18000 p.m. as recommended by 7th CPC is not acceptable. This would require upward revision in the fitment multiple of 2.57 and change in the Pay Matrix. It was argued that if the 10% of the pay for NPS contribution and the recommended increase in the CGEIS contribution are taken into account, there would be a drop in the take-home salary of the employees at the
minimum pay of Rs.18000.

(ii) Central Government employees need to be excluded from the National Pension Scheme (NPS), which has been a long pending demand of the StaffSide. The Staff-Side stated that the Pension Fund which has been created under NPS to generate annuity for employees, would not ensure reasonable pension. Rather it is quite likely that it may generate negative returns because of the dismal performance of the financial market to which the fund is
invested, leaving the employees without any reasonable social security benefit.

(iii) The 7th CPC has recommended abolition of 52 allowances without properly appreciating the justification of these allowances. The example of break-down allowance in case of Railway employees was given, stating that this allowances is given so that the concerned employees take up the necessary follow up action in the case of breakdown on an urgent basis and therefore its withdrawal is not justified in operational interests of Railways.

(iv) The withdrawal of advances, especially LTC, TA, Medical, National Calamity Advance, was not justified. It was argued that these advances are recovered from the employees and, therefore, the same should be retained. (v) In regard to enhancement of contribution under Group Insurance Scheme, it was argued that increase in the contribution from the employees was not justified and if the same is to be raised, the Government should bear the
insurance premium.

(vi) The post of LDC should be upgraded to UDC and as part of delayering, Grade Pays of Rs. 1900, Rs. 2400 and Rs. 4600 should be abolished and merged with the next higher Grades.

(vii) The rate of increment needs to be raised from 3% to 5% because pay is revised in the Central Government after 10 years. It was mentioned that in the PSUs the pay is revised after 5 years and the rate of increment is also higher.

(viii) Two increments in the feeder post may be granted as promotion benefit.

(ix) Fixed medical allowance for pensioners who are not covered by CGHS and REHS needs to be increased from Rs. 500 p.m. to Rs. 2000 p.m.

(x) The recommendation regarding grant of only 80% of salary for the second year of Child Care Leave need not be accepted and the existing provisions may be retained

(xi) It was also demanded that though the D/o Expenditure has sought the comments of the Ministries/Department on the issues pertaining to them after consulting the Staff Associations, administrative Departments are not inviting the Staff associations for discussions.

5. After detailed explanation by the Staff-Side on all the demands included in the Charter of Demands, JS(IC), while concluding the discussions, assured the Staff-Side that the concerns and demands made by them would be placed before the Empowered Committee of Secretaries for consideration after examining the same in the light of the recommendations of the Commission. He also mentioned that in cases where the comments of the administrative Ministries/ Departments would be necessary, e.g., the case of break-down allowance pertaining to Ministry of Railways, the same would be considered before the issues are placed before the E-CoS. As regards the issue raised that the administrative Departments are not inviting staff associations for discussions, JS(IC) mentioned that the Departments have to formulate the views keeping in view the representations made by the Staff Associations.

6. Thereafter, the meeting ended with thanks to the chair.

Signed copy download here

Comments of the Ministries/Departments on Recommendations of 7th Central Pay Commission

F No. 30-1/2016-IC 
Government of India 
Ministry of Finance 
Department of Expenditure

Implementation Cell (7th CPC)

Dated: 15th February. 2016

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject: Comments of the Ministries/Departments on Recommendations of 7th Central Pay Commission-Request to Expedite-regarding.

All the Ministries/Departments, vide the D.O. No.1-4/2015-EIII.A dated 21.11.2015 from Joint Secretary (Pecs), Department of Expenditure were requested to formulate their views/comments on the issues and the posts/services under them with reference to the recommendations of the 7th Central Pay Commission and forward it to the Department of Expenditure within a period of three weeks.

2. The action involved on part of the administrative Ministries/Departments was also discussed, in detail, in the meeting with the Nodal Officers on 02.02.2016 and all the Nodal Officers were requested to furnish their comments in the ‘prescribed proforma’ circulated in the meeting, along with soft copy to the ‘sic-cc • nic.in within two weeks i.e. by 17.02.2016. The responses received so far are not satisfactory and comments of the most the Ministries/Departments are still awaited.

3. The Implementation Cell which is working as the secretariat of the Empowered Committee of Secretaries (E-CoS) has been asked to furnish considered views of the Ministries/Departments on the recommendations of the 7th CPC.

4. In view of the above, the comments of the Ministries/Departments may be furnished to the Implementation Cell. Department of Expenditure, immediately.

This may be treated as most urgent.
                                                                                                                      sd/-
                                                                                          (R.K.Chaturvedi)
                                                                                          Joint Secretary (IC)

Signed copy download

Full Pension for Pre-2006 Pensioners

Pre-2006 Pensioners with less than 33 years of service are vehemently fighting for payment of full pension since 6th Pay Commission has allowed full pension for Central Government Employees with 20 years of service above, who retires after 2006. Many pre-2006 pensioners had sought legal remedy in this issue.

In one of such cases, Government has agreed to implement the judgement of the CAT within one month for grant of full Pension to Pre 2006 Pensioners who retired after 10 years of service on superannuation or 20 years of service on Voluntary retirement or absorption in PSU. 

This commitment was given by the Government Advocate in CAT PB New Delhi during the hearing of the Contemptof Court Case filed by Shri Pratap Narayan & others -vs – Union of India.

Empowered Committee of Secretaries (CoS) meeting for the first time in March or April

Seventh Pay Commission: Govt To Raise Minimum Pay

 Government plans to raise the minimum pay of central government employees from Rs 18,000, which was recommended by Seventh Pay Commission, a Finance Ministry official said.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had said earlier that he was not worried about implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission recommendations.

The Finance Ministry official has given strong indications on condition of anonymity that the minimum pay recommended Seventh Pay Commission is likely to be increased as soon as next fiscal as the members of the Empowered Committee of Secretaries are ready to process the review of the Seventh Pay Commission recommendations for hike the minimum pay.

The official said government wants to see the minimum pay increased “progressively” in the coming fiscal as the economy improves and there is an “inevitability” about pay increase demands as the economy improves.

He said that the current pay panel recommended minimum pay to Rs 18,000 per month from Rs 7,000, while the maximum pay has been recommended Rs 2.5 lakh per month from current Rs 90,000. It’s made a width pay gap discrimination between employees and higher officers from existing 1:12 to 1: 13.8.

Every pay commission made up pay gap between employees and higher officers from second Pay Commission 1:41 ratio to Sixth pay commission 1:12. It reveals that the Seventh Pay Commission has not been properly reviewed the pay gap between minimum and maximum pay.

The Empowered Committee of Secretaries (CoS) for processing the report of the Seventh Central Pay Commission has been consisted of thirteen secretaries headed by Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha with experience of working with low-paid government employees, like experience of government employees’ interests and experience of labour market economics and employment law.

The official said he envisages the Secretaries Committee meeting for the first time in March or April after receiving feedback from employees’ association through the Implementation Cell of the Pay Commission, which has been created in the Finance Ministry to work as the Secretariat of the Committee.

He anticipates that Secretaries Committee’s recommendations will be implemented “very soon after that”.

The PMO has also directed the Empowered Committee of Secretaries to prepare the report on Pay Commission soon, he added.

Another official in the Finance Ministry, insisted that an Empowered Committee of Secretaries (CoS) for processing the report of Pay Commission, which is formed after every pay commission report to examine the report very closely and said its success is based on government usually implementing its recommendations.

The Seventh Pay Commission headed by Justice A K Mathur presented its report to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in November with the recommendations for 14.27 per cent increase in basic pay, the overall increase in salary, allowances and pensions is 23.55%. The increase in allowances will be higher by 63% while pensions will rise 24%.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had said earlier that he was not worried about fiscal deficit and government would be able to meet its target despite additional outgo on account of higher pay.

He had admitted however that the impact of implementing the recommendations, which will result in an additional annual burden of Rs 1.02 lakh crore on exchequer, would last for two to three years.

Online Subscriber Registration and contribution under NPS using eNPS platform

PENSION FUND REGULATORY AND DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

PRESS RELEASE

Online Subscriber Registration and contribution under NPS using eNPS platform In light of Hon’ble Prime Minister’s “Digital India” campaign on promoting e governance for providing last mile connectivity through extensive use of ICT (Information and Communications Technology) platforms, PFRDA has been pursuing the development and operationalization of online transaction facilities for the prospective as well as existing subscribers of NPS.

2. PFRDA introduced eNPS online portal whereby PAN (Permanent Account Number) and savings bank account of new subscribers to NPS who are already customers of the banks are accepted as KYC with active participation of the banks acting as POPs for opening of accounts under NPS.

3. PFRDA has received feedback from prospective subscribers and other stakeholders that those who voluntarily seek to use Aadhaar as their document of identity for availing of the eNPS online platform to join NPS should not be deprived of this eNPS facility.

4. As the identity and address for such account holders is established through eKYC facility with the express consent of the subscriber through One Time Password (OTP) and as Aadhaar is a unique number, its use as a KYC document rules out the possibility of opening duplicate retirement (PRAN) accounts. PFRDA has accordingly revisited the issue and believes that enabling eAadhaar in addition to PAN and bank account based KYC for the eNPS platform can reduce the cost and time of operation and ensure wider coverage to the citizens of India under the old age income security schemes and thus help in fulfilling the mandate given to it under the provisions of the PFRDA Act, 2013.

5. PFRDA has accordingly modified the eNPS functionality to accept PAN and bank account or eAadhaar as the KYC document for online registration of subscribers under NPS. With the operationalization of this modified eNPS platform, the subscriber will now have the following options for opening of account:

a) Opening of account through any of the Points-of- Presence- Service Provider (POP-SP).

b) Opening of account online using PAN and net banking of the selected bank. In this case KYC verification is done by the Bank. The PRAN gets activated only
after KYC verification by bank.

c) Opening of account online using Aadhaar No. and OTP received from UIDAI. In this case, the subscriber can instantly get their PRAN generated and can
contribute.

6. The eNPS platform using Aadhaar based KYC verification is one of the options for any prospective subscriber to join NPS and it is optional and purely voluntary on the part of the prospective subscriber.

7. To register under NPS through eNPS using Aadhaar, the prospective subscriber needs to have Aadhaar Number/Card with access to the mobile number registered with Aadhaar.

8. With the use of this Aadhaar based KYC verification, the subscriber would be able to open his NPS account online. The Prospective subscriber will require to follow the undernoted process for opening of NPS account:

 The prospective subscriber will go to eNPS platform hosted on NPS Trust website www.npstrust.org.in and enter Aadhaar and validate the same using OTP (Sent on the mobile number registered with Aadhaar).

 Then he will be required to fill up the mandatory details like choice of Pension Fund, Investment Scheme, nominations etc.

 Address and Date of Birth details will be auto-populated from details available with Aadhaar.

 He will be required to provide a mobile number and email ID (Mandatory requirement).

 He will be required to Scan and upload the signature. Subscriber may also upload a scanned photograph, in case he/she wishes to replace the photo
obtained from Aadhaar, if the Aadhaar photo is blurred or hazy.

 He will be required to make online payment (Minimum amount of Rs 500/-).

 After completion of this process, the PRAN will be generated instantly.

9. Subscriber will be required to print the form, paste photograph, affix signature and submit the physical form to CRA within a specified period of time while continuing contributing online.

10. A prospective subscriber can visit NPS Trust website www.npstrust.org.in and select NPS Online menu to register and contribute to NPS.

11. The complete information about eNPS is available on PFRDA website www.pfrda.org.in and also on NPS Trust website www.npstrust.org.in .

Through this facility, it is expected that the subscriber will have multiple advantages like seamless onboarding experience where he need not visit a Point of Presence and can register from anywhere through an internet connection, contribution with minimum cost of transaction and reduction in errors resulting from various manual
activities.

Place: New Delhi
Date: 17.02.2016

Forces seek new pension formula based on last pay

Even as the retired veterans from forces are asking for one-rank-one pension (OROP), the ‘joint services’ memorandum submitted to the 7th pay commission has recommend a pension formula that is based on the last pay drawn.

Sources told the Tribune that the memorandum submitted on behalf of the three services, the Army, the IAF and the Navy, to the commission has suggested that 75 per cent of the last pay drawn should be the benchmark for calculating pension for jawans. In case of officers, 60 per cent of last pay drawn be the benchmark for calculating pension.

This demand has been put forward as the government is yet to implement the one rank-one pension (OROP). On its part, the government has accepted the OROP. Its modalities are being worked out over the past 12 months.

The Rajya Sabha Petitions Committee chaired by Bhagat Singh Koshyari in December 2011 stated that clubbing the defence personnel with the civilian employees for pension purposes was not a considered decision.

The committee laid down the definition of OROP: “It implies that uniform pension be paid to Armed Forces personnel retiring in the same rank with the same length of service, irrespective of their date of retirement, and any future enhancement in the rates of pension to be automatically passed on to the past pensioners.

This implies bridging the gap between the rate of pensions of the current pensioners and the past pensioners and also future enhancements in the rate of pension to be automatically passed on to the past pensioners.”

Three weeks ago, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had promised “OROP will be implemented....it has a lot of financial implications which are being worked out”. On the civilian side, the pension is 50 per cent of the last pay drawn and the same formula was applied for the forces in the last pay commission.

The forces have argued that 50 per cent of the last pay drawn was more in tune for civilians. People in forces retire early and only 2 per cent of them make it to the rank of Major General or equal in the IAF and Navy that is at a par with Joint Secretary.

The memorandum also says the Military Service Pay (MSP) amount is very small and suggested it be fixed at 30 per cent of basic pay for jawans and 15 per cent of the basic pay for officers.

In case of disability pension, a minimum 10 years of service is required to be eligible. And if a person is injured critically within 10 years and cannot continue further in the forces, he cannot get pension. This 10-year period should be waived, the memorandum suggested.

E-Ticketing System for Rail Travel of the Armed Forces

Existing System of Rail Travel

Bulk of the transportation of Soldiers and Officers, in the country takes place through Railways. 100% cost of travel in case of Govt duties & 40 - 50% cost of travel in case of personal moves is borne by the Govt of India.The rail tickets are issued by the Railways against an instrument called Railway Warrant. Railway warrants are issued by the unit concerned against Movement Order notified by the unit for travel of various types. Books of Railway warrants are accountable and auditable documents and blank books containing numbered warrants (foil and counterfoil) are provisioned by units directly from the Stationary Depots. Books are printed by the GOI press Nasik. Foils of Railway warrants of various types are presented by defence functionaries at PRS (Passenger Reservation System) and against these warrants which are retained by PRS of Railways, tickets for rail journey are issued.

Liability of the state for providing concessions ranging from 50% to 100% is borne by the Railways initially. Subsequently after zone-wise consolidation of these used Railway warrants, references are made by Zonal Railways to RBI Nagpur and Defence Accounts Department (DAD) for debiting the defence budget. In addition to amount of railway ticket, railways also levy some amount as departmental charges (Rs. 50 per transaction) and this also gets loaded on defence transportation budget. Final classification of rail travel expenditure out of defence budget is made by DAD after scrutiny of the used Railway warrants received by them from 16 zones of Ministry of Railways.

The payment and accounting system is followed for the existing arrangements, through DAD. Railways follow their own procedures as laid down in their manuals for handling of the used Rail warrants and for obtaining reimbursement from Defence Accounts Department through RBI Nagpur. Ministry of Railways are not able to computerize this area of their functioning as the main input i.e. Railway warrant flows to them from our Defencesystem in manual format.

New System

Considering the cost and time involved in the existing system of railway ticketing through warrants and taking into account the recent development in Information Technology and e-governance initiatives taken by the railways, it was decided to initiate action to replace existing cumbersome, costly and time consuming system of warrants with cost-effective efficient and less time consuming system, which is based on the modern technology available.

E-ticketing system in lieu of Railway warrant is being developed via web services integration offered by IRCTC. Railway tickets can be booked by any unit over the internet through a centralized portal being developed by the CGDA. A predefined amount will be deposited in the Revolving Account at the central level with IRCTC. Tickets booked by any unit will be debited against this revolving account. The money will be recouped in the Revolving account periodically.

To ensure the proper audit of tickets being purchased, including the entitlement audit as per the Travel regulations and the accounting of the same, a software is being developed. The data will be stored in the central server of the CGDA. The requisite MIS in soft data will be generated by the system. The exception reports/MIS generated from the system will be analyzed in detail to support the decision making process.

Benefits of this system are as follows:-

• Audit & Accounting of the travel entitlement will be automatically carried out the time of booking itself.
• No wrong claim can be made by the Railways;
• Cash handing will be nil.
• Precious time of officer and PBORs being wasted in the Railway station as is happening in the presentsystem will be avoided.
• No extra work load at the unit level.
• No involvement of postal Department.
• Unit will be saved from the complicated task of handling accounting of warrants/Form'D'/CVs etc.
• Proper budgetary control can be exercised and MIS for decision making will be available centrally.
• No hassle in getting the refund for cancelled tickets
• Minimum manual intervention, hence saving in manpower & administrative cost
• Financial saving as the recurring processing charges to railways will be done away with.

Pilot Project

Pilot project for the E-ticketing was sanctioned by the Government of India on 8th June 2009. The proposed date of completion of the pilot project is December 2009. The pilot project will be implemented in 19 sites all across the country covering all the echelons of the Armed Forces.

Once the pilot project is implemented the same will be rolled out in a phased manner to all the units and formations of the Indian Defence Forces.

Finance Ministry invites NJCA to discuss over 7th pay commission recommendation on 19.2.2016

It is informed that Convener, 7th Pay Commission Implementation Cell has fixed Meeting with NJCA on 19th February 2016 at North Block to discuss about the matters pertaining to 7th CPC recommendations and Charter of Demands of NJCA. The timing of the meeting scheduled itself has reveals its importance.

It is expected that, since the Meeting is scheduled before the Budget Session, some news about implementation of 7th pay commission may be announced in Budget or at least we are able to know the latest development about 7th cpc implementation after the Meeting.

An internal meeting of NJCA will also be held on 18.2.2015 before they attend the meeting with Finance Ministry.

7th Pay Commission report placed before group of secretaries, says Venkaiah Naidu

: Acknowledging that the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission will be a drag on the union government's finances, union minister for Urban Development, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation and Parliamentary Affairs M Venkaiah Naidu said the government is yet to form a final view on it. The commission headed by Justice A K Mathur submitted commission's report to Arun Jaitley, union finance minister in New Delhi in December last.

Interacting with reporters on the sidelines of a talk organized by Citizen's Council, Mangaluru chapter Naidu said the recommendations will be a drag on the government's finances. "It is definitely. But we have to take care of welfare of employees also. It (the report) is being studied by a group of secretaries. They will study all the aspects," he said adding that since the report is the recommendations from a commission, the government will consider it.

When pointed that the government employees form a minority compared to rest of the population, Naidu said, "I don't want to say anything because it is referred to a group of secretaries and it (the report) has to be studied in all its aspects (including the above view brought to his attention)." The government will take a final view based on outcome of suggestions that the group gives. They will keep all aspects in mind before going ahead with final implementation of report, he said.

Trade bodies such as ASSOCHAM, recent Deutsche Bank report have pointed that implementation of the 7th Pay Commission recommendations is likely to exert pressure on the government's fiscal finances and take forward the inflation trajectory. The Deutsche Bank report pointed, "It will be difficult for the government to absorb the likely 0.5% of GDP worth incremental increase in wage bill and also attempt to bring fiscal deficit down to 3.5% of GDP in FY17."

Secretaries Panel on 7th CPC Poised to double the percentage of pay hike

There is good news for the central government employees who are waiting for the implementation of Seventh Pay Commission.

Empowered Committee of Secretaries processing the recommendationsof 7th Pay Commission(7thCPC) in an overall perspective, are likely to double the percentage of pay hike recommended by the pay commission.

As per reports, central government employees are likely to expect basic pay hike of around 30%, which will be effective January 1, 2016.

The 7th central pay commission in its report submitted in November 2015 had recommended a pay hike of 23.55% for central government employees, with the highest basic salary at Rs 250,000 and the lowest at Rs 18,000.

The employees have been protesting that the hike in totality is only 14.27%, the lowest in 70 years., and are mulling over to go on an indefinite strike from 11 April.

Reportedly, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has ordered officials to speed up review process so that it could be implemented soon. Modi has asked Committee of Secretaries to provide maximum benefits to central staff.

Arguably, even the 6th CPC had recommended a 20 percent hike on the basic pay, which was revised to 40 percent at the time of implementation in 2008.

Recently, the Defence Ministry also sought a fresh analysis of the concerns raised by the Army, Navy and the Air force- over the recommendations of the seventh pay commission.

The government has studied representations from the armed forces vis-a-vis the 7th Pay Commission and their concerns will be addressed “in the near future”, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said.

The notification to announce the pay commission award is expected in the budget.

Source: Zee News

Pay Commission Award For Central Govt Employees Soon: PMO

The government will issue the Seventh Pay Commission award notification soon to facilitate central government employees salaries with regard to inflation, the Prime Minister’s office (PMO) official said on Monday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

“But in case it’s not issued this month, it will be issued after budget. Usually it takes around two or more month to issue a notification,” he added.

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) asked the Empowered Committee of Secretaries to process the review of the Seventh Pay Commission recommendations as soon as possible for taking cabinet nod, the PMO officials also said.

The committee directed to address the genuine concerns raised by stakeholders and accommodate their demands as much as possible.

The first meeting of Nodal officers of different ministries was held on February 2 in the Secretariat of the Empowered Committee for discussing the relevant issues in connection with the processing of the recommendations of Pay Commission.

According to the minutes of the of first meeting, the employees’ associations through ministries can raise afresh the demand for pay hike which were rejected by the Seventh Pay Commission but it will be done in short time as the government intend to implement pay commission award soon.

Although, there is indication that the Empowered Committee is also positively mulling the demand of central government employees for hiking the minimum pay, which was recommended very low by the Seventh pay commission.

The notification of One Rank One Pension (OROP) for ex-servicemen has been issued on February 3.

“One Rank One Pension (OROP) is now going to be implemented after notification. Hence government will issue the notification of ‘Pay Commission award’ soon,” the PMO official told our reporters.

The Seventh Pay Commission headed by Justice A K Mathur recommended the minimum basic pay of central government employees is Rs 18,000 per month while the maximum is Rs 2.25 lakh per month, its increased the pay gap between the minimum and maximum from existing 1:12 to 1: 13.8.

“All pay commissions made up pay gap between employees and higher officers from second Pay Commission 1:41 ratio to Sixth pay commission 1:12, except it,” said sources.

Sources also said the cell wants to make up pay gap between employees and higher officers and to recommend to hike Basic salary at least Rs 20,000 from Rs 18,000 recommended by the Seventh pay commission.

Government may address armed force's hardship allowance concerns on 7th pay commission

The prominent issues are of disparity in risk and hardship allowance recommended by the seventh pay commission and also the disability pension.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Sunday told reporters on the sidelines of the International Fleet review in Vishakapatnam that he had an interaction with the three service chiefs – of Army, Navy and the Air force- over the concerns on recommendations of the seventh pay commission. He said the ministry has sought a fresh analysis of those concerns raised by them.

The prominent issues are of disparity in risk and hardship allowance recommended by the seventh pay commission and also the disability pension. Moreover, the death of 10 soldiers of the Indian Army at Siachen last week after their post was hit by an avalanche has brought the issue of armed force's entitlement under the allowance to the fore.

Forces that find it discriminating to have lesser entitlements as against their civilian counterparts as recommended by the latest pay commission, have demanded re-evaluation of the prescribed 'Hardship Matrix' for deciding allowances.

While Rs31,000 is the prescribed hardship allowance per month for officers and Rs 21,000 per month for jawans posted at Siachen, the pay commission recommended new salary slabs will work out the tough area allowance for IPS and IAS officers to be nearly Rs 55,000. The same for other civilian officer ranks will be Rs 30,000, even if their postings are in a lesser risky areas than Siachen.

In a meeting with Parrikar last week, the service chiefs raised this issue besides the seventh pay commission's report questioning the increase in the number of disability pension claims. A senior army official at the service's headquarters here argued that no logic can justify lesser hardship allowances to armed forces posted at a glacier in comparison to a civilian officer posted in a place like Srinagar or Andaman Nicobar islands.

7th CPC - National Joint Council of Action (Railways, Defence, Postal, Confederation) to commence indefinite strike from 11th April 2016.

NJCA DECIDED INDEFINITE STRIKE FROM 11th APRIL 2016

Meeting of the National Joint Council of Action (Railways, Defence, Postal, Confederation) held on 08th February 2016 unanimously decided to serve indefinite strike notice on 11th March 2016 and to commence indefinite strike from 11th April 2016.

Further details will follow.

M.Krishnan
Secretary General
Confederation of Central Govt. Employees & Workers
e-mail:mkrishnan6854@gmail.com
Mob:09447068125

7th pay commission proposal should be submitted to the implementation cell in two weeks

TO ALL AFFILIATED ORGANIZATIONS OF CONFEDERATION

Please read the following minutes of the Implementation cell of the Finance Ministry which is acting as the Secretariate of the Empowered Committee constituted by the Government under the Chairmanship of Cabinet Secretary for processing of 7th CPC recommendations for submission to the cabinet for approval. Please ensure (1) that your department has nominated a nodal officer and try to interact with him (2) that your organization has submitted a memorandum or letter to your departmental head seeking modifications to the department-specific recommendations of the 7th CPC (3) that your departmental head held consultations with your organization on the department specific modifications submitted by you, before finalizing the proposals for submission to the Implementation cell (4) that proposal as per the demand of your organsiation for modifying the proposal of 7th CPC is submitted to the Implementation cell within two weeks (i.e before 16.02.2016) by your department.

Please note that this is the only stage when the Unions/Associations/Federations in each department shall get an opportunity to present their demand for modifications on department – specific recommendations of the 7th CPC. If we fail to Intervene effectively at this state, we may not get another chance to present our case before the Government.

Regarding common demands JCM (NC) Staff side had already submitted its memorandum to Cabinet Secretary and two stages agitational programmes are organised and is preparing for indefinite strike. Regarding Department-specific issues Confederation National Secretariat held last month had given a clear direction to all affiliated organizations to organize departmental level agitational programmes by each organsations (if possible jointly with other organizations in that department) on department- specific modifications submitted to each Departmental head. Unless we build up pressure by organizing struggle the departmental heads may not consider our demand for modification seriously and may not even submit any proposal for modifications to the Implementation cell.

Please note the following decisions of the Implementation cell.

(1) Nodal officers to take net of any representation or demand of the staff side Association under the administrative purview of their Department. Nodal officers to ascertain the views/comments of the concerned office in the light of the representation/demands raised by the staff Association.

(2) In case, there is any need for consultation with the staff Association at the level of the Department, the same may be done as per the assessment of the Department.

(3) In case, the Department is of the view that any recommendation which are specifically related to their Department, need any modification, adequate justification in clear-cut terms should be brought out while sending the comments to the implementation cell

(4) In case of any modification, the extra financial implication (per annum) over the recommendations of the commission should be clearly indicated.

(5) If any modification is suggested approval of the Minster (of the concerned department should be obtained.

All the above formalities are to be completed within two weeks and proposal should be submitted to the implementation cell within two weeks i.e., before 16.02.2016.

(M. Krishnan)
Secretary General

Confederation

source-http://confederationhq.blogspot.in/

Advances to Central Govt Employees : Rate of Interest during 2015-16

F.No.5(2)-B(PD)/2015
Government of India
Ministry of Finance
Department of Economic Affairs

New Delhi, the 3rd February, 2016

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject : Advances to Government servants – Rate of interest for purchase of conveyances during 2015-2016.

The undersigned is directed to state that the rates of interest for advances sanctioned to the Government servants for purchase of conveyances during 2015-2016 i.e. from 1st April, 2015 to 31st March, 2016 are as under:

Rate of interest per annum

(i) Advance for purchase of conveyance other than motor car (viz. motor cycle, scooter etc.) – 9%

(ii) Advance for purchase of motor car – 11.5%

The rates remain unchanged from those applicable for the financial year 2014-15.

sd/-
(A.K. Bhatnagar)
Under Secretary (Budget)

Authority: www.finmin.nic.in