Before the Lok Sabha Elections, the Centre was in talks with senior officials regarding the demands, but it hit a roadblock after the Model Code of Conduct came into force.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was briefed about the 7th Pay commission recommendations and demands of Central Government employees after she assumed office.
The employees aren’t satisfied with recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission regarding minimum pay and have been demanding a hike of Rs 8000 and increase in the fitment factor up to 3.68 times. The minimum pay currently stands at Rs 18,000 and with the increase will rise to Rs 26,000.
Before the Lok Sabha Elections, the Centre was in talks with senior officials regarding the demands, but it hit a roadblock after the Model Code of Conduct came into force.
Now with the return of the Modi government with a thumping majority, talks can begin again. However, some media reports state that it’ll take some time to fulfil the demands of the Central Government employees, and if the government has to provide immediate relief, the increment won’t be particularly high.
1. Five-fold increase for some CG employees
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Meanwhile, the government has also declared a five-fold increase in the incentives for CG employees who have got higher education degrees during their period of service.
CG employees who have PhD degrees will be given Rs 30,000 under current recommendations while those who have a PG degree or Diploma will get an equivalent of Rs 25,000. Those with diplomas that took less than a year will get Rs 20,000 as incentive.
2. One-time incentive
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The Seventh pay commission panel announced that it would provide a one-time incentive to the Central Government employee of up to Rs 30,000 if they obtain a higher degree. This was introduced based on the suggestions made by the commission, following which a notification was issued from the Department of Personnel & Training under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions (MoPPP).
The employees who get a PhD or equivalent degree will be given Rs 30,000 as an incentive, whereas, employees who get a PG Degree or Diploma certificate of a year duration are entitled to Rs 25,000.
3. Who all will be eligible to claim incentive?
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Employees who pursue a Diploma of less than a year will get Rs 20,000. And employees who have a degree or diploma of more than three years in any subject are entitled to receive an incentive of Rs 15,000. Employees who have a degree or diploma of a three year or lesser than that, they would get an incentive of Rs 10,000.
How to claim incentive?
The employees have to submit their education qualification details and documents to their departments, in order to receive the incentive. The departments have fixed guidelines for the same.
4. Sitharaman takes charge
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Sitharaman took charge of ministries allotted to her on May 30.
Also, she has been roped-in for six Cabinet committees reconstituted by the Centre i.e. Cabinet Committee on Accommodation, Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs, Cabinet Committee on Security, Cabinet Committee on Investment and Growth, Cabinet Committee on Employment and Skill Development.
Sitharaman, who was the Defence Minister in Modi's previous cabinet, took off the charge of Finance Ministry from her predecessor Arun Jaitley who opted out of a role in the central government citing health problems. She is also heading the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
She is the second woman in the country to helm the Finance Ministry, the first one being former prime minister Indira Gandhi.
