7th Pay Commission: Higher allowances likely from July, employee forum says ‘no confirmation’ on arrears

"Why can't things be implemented in a timely manner? The unprecedented delay has distressed the employees. We hope that finally it is implemented as soon as possible," NJCA chief said.

New Delhi, June 9: As wait grows for the implementation of higher allowances for central government employees, the employee forum said the long-awaited demand would most likely be fulfilled in July. The National Joint Council of Action (NJCA), leading the 7th Pay Commission negotiations with the government, said the Union Cabinet would give the final approval on pending allowances before the conclusion of this month.

“Higher allowances should most likely be implemented from July. I think the Cabinet would give the final nod in any of its meetings in this month,” NJCA chief Shiv Gopal Mishra told India.com. The next meeting of Union Cabinet is scheduled on Wednesday.

The NJCA, however, said there is no confirmation from the government whether arrears on allowances would be provided to the employees. “We have been given no confirmation in this regard,” Mishra said, further adding that arrears on allowances are due right of the employees since government has caused an unprecedented delay.

“Why can’t things be implemented in a timely manner? The unprecedented delay has distressed the employees. They are agitated. We hope that finally it is implemented as soon as possible,” added Mishra, who is also the general secretary of All India Railwaymen Federation (AIRF).

7th Pay Commission, originally scheduled to be implemented from January 1, 2016, was delayed by six months. The Rs 1.02 lakh crore bonanza was approved for employees in July last year. However, only the basic component of their salaries were hiked, as unions had raised anomalies over the pay commission’s recommendation in relation to allowances.

The 7th Pay Commission report prepared by Justice (retd) AK Mathur had recommended the abolition of 53 and subsumption of nearly 36 allowances into larger ones. Aggrieved by the abolition of allowances, the NJCA threatened a stir last year. Centre switched into damage-control mode, forming a high-level under the chairmanship of Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa to address the matter.

The Lavasa committee on allowances, despite being given the time period till November 2016, took nearly 10 months to submit its report. Following the submission of the Lavasa panel’s recommendation, the Empowered Committee of Secretaries was tasked to screen his report. The E-CoS, after reviewing the report on allowances, submitted it to the Cabinet for approval. As of now, the contents of Lavasa committee report have not been made public.