I-T officials seek corporate salaries from Sixth Pay Comm

NEW DELHI: Encouraged by an unprecedented growth of around 40 per cent in direct tax collections, the income tax officials have sought salaries at par with corporate sector from the Sixth Pay Commission.
   
"In order to have the best minds in public sector the pay scales and perquisites should be at par with private sector," income tax employees said in their presentation to the pay commission, which is expected to submit its report to the government by early next year.
   
The sources said the pay commission has received separate representations from Income Tax Employees Federation, New Delhi and IT Appellate Tribunal Bar Association, Mumbai besides from other associations.

On the question whether Commission should persist with fixing maximum-minimum ratio in the salary of officials and other employees, the tax officials said it should ensure efficient administration rather than determining minimum-maximum ratio.
   
Referring to high salaries of tax officials at international level, the I-T department officials said though a well-paid bureaucracy may not eradicate the greed-based corruption, it will certainly remove the perceived feeling of discrimination.

Pointing out high cost of housing especially in metros, the taxmen said the present rates of house rent allowance are far less compared to the prevalent rates of house rents, especially in urban agglomerations.
   
"There is no full neutralisation in respect of HRA anywhere in the country," the I-T officials said while replying to a questionnaire of the pay commission.