News From TOI, ( Delhi Edition on 20/02/08 )
The long wait of lakhs of central government officers and staff is about to end as the Sixth Pay Commission is expected to finalize its report ‘‘very soon,’’ well before its term ends on April 4.
Even before the pay panel submits its recommendations to the government, the first indication of what is in store for officialdom could be available in 10 days’ time when finance minister P Chidambaram makes his Budget speech. Since the employees’ fortunes are almost certain to be touched upon, the commission is keeping its recommendations a closely guarded secret, although speculation on the quantum of salary hike have ranged from a moderate 30% to a highly optimistic 165%.
Apart from his speech itself, the actual allocation by the finance minister under the head: salaries and pensions, may well be another indicator of what is in store for employees. But even before the February 29 Budget, the Rail Budget, commission sources said, could come as an eyeopener as well as the ‘‘profitmaking’’ railways is looking for ways to meet its expected salary and pension bill of Rs 9,000 crore in the light of possible salary changes and a tight-fisted finance ministry.
A pre-Budget meeting of the commission is being awaited and this could be scheduled to consequently enable the finance minister to make a mention of possible hikes for lakhs of employees, including those in defence and paramilitary forces. Sooner or later, the state governments across the country revise salary structures of their employees in accordance with what is accepted at the Centre.
Commission sources did not rule out a pre-Budget formal presentation before Chidambaram but added that the panel was ‘‘unlikely’’ to make a mention of any change in the present retirement age of 60 years.
‘‘There are two distinct processes — the commission recommending a salary structure and the government accepting the proposals. The commission has interacted with a large range of players, held wide-ranging meetings, received petitions and paid visits to different parts of the country. The outcome of this prolonged process would be reflected in the recommendations,’’ the sources said.
‘‘There are two distinct processes — the commission recommending a salary structure and the government accepting the proposals. The commission has interacted with a large range of players, held wide-ranging meetings, received petitions and paid visits to different parts of the country. The outcome of this prolonged process would be reflected in the recommendations,’’ the sources said.
@Sixth Pay Commission News
Sixth Pay Commission News - Dainik Jagran 29-01-08
केंद्रीय कर्मियों का वेतन हो सकता है तिगुना
नई दिल्ली [टी. ब्रजेश]। सरकार पर आर्थिक बोझ बढ़ने की आशंका दरकिनार करते हुए छठा वेतन आयोग केंद्रीय कर्मचारियों के लिए तीन गुना से भी ज्यादा वेतन वृद्धि की सिफारिश करने की तैयारी में है।
इसी तरह उच्च पदों पर काबिज नौकरशाहों का आयोग खास ख्याल रखने वाला है। निचले स्तर के कर्मियों के पदनाम भी बदले जा सकते हैं। सूत्रों के मुताबिक छठे वेतन आयोग के पिटारे से कर्मचारियों की तनख्वाह में सवा तीन गुना बढ़ोतरी की सिफारिश निकलने के पूरे आसार हैं। यह वृद्धि संयुक्त सचिव से नीचे के स्तर पर पदस्थ सभी केंद्रीय कर्मियों के वेतन के लिए लागू होगी।
इसी तरह संयुक्त सचिव और उससे ऊपर के स्तर के अधिकारियों को भी आयोग खुश करने में लगा है। आयोग नया वेतनमान जनवरी 2006 से लागू करने के पक्ष में है। वेतन आयोग की सिफारिशों पर अगर सरकार ने अमल किया तो संयुक्त सचिव स्तर के अधिकारी का मूल वेतन 60 हजार रुपये प्रतिमाह होगा।
इसी तरह अतिरिक्त सचिव का मूल वेतन 70 हजार तक पहुंच जाएगा। आयोग की सिफारिश के मुताबिक सचिव स्तर के अधिकारी का मूल वेतन 75 हजार रुपये प्रतिमाह होने के आसार हैं। वहीं कैबिनेट सचिव का मासिक वेतन 80 हजार कर दिया जाएगा। इसके अलावा इन अधिकारियों के लिए मकान किराया भत्ता समेत अन्य तमाम सुविधाएं भी देने की सिफारिश आयोग ने की हैं। इनमें सीसीए और परिवहन की सुविधा शामिल हैं। इन पदों पर काबिज अधिकारियों के लिए एचआरए उनके मूल वेतन का 40 प्रतिशत से भी ज्यादा हो सकता है। इन पदों के लिए मौजूदा वेतनमानों के अनुसार संयुक्त सचिव से लेकर सचिव स्तर तक के पदों पर वेतन 40 हजार से 60 हजार तक है।
इसके अलावा वेतन आयोग केंद्र सरकार के तमाम विभागों में छोटे स्तर के कर्मचारियों के पदनाम बदलने की भी सिफारिश देने पर गंभीरता से विचार कर रहा है। निजी क्षेत्रों की तर्ज पर ऐसा प्रयोग करने का मूड आयोग ने बनाया है। सरकारी दफ्तरों को निजी क्षेत्र की तरह मुस्तैद करने पर जोर दे रहा वेतन आयोग चाहता है कि चपरासी पद पर बैठे व्यक्ति को लोग कार्यालय सहायक (आफिस असिस्टेंट) कहें। इसी तरह आयोग निम्न श्रेणी लिपिक (एलडीसी) पद का नाम बदल कर जूनियर एक्जीक्यूटिव और उच्च श्रेणी लिपिक (यूडीसी) पद नाम बदल कर एक्जीक्यूटिव रखने के पक्ष में है। आयोग की सोच है कि पदनाम बदलने से निश्चित रूप से कामकाज के ढंग पर कुछ सकारात्मक असर होगा।
Sixth Pay Commission News - The Financial Express
Pay panel estimates 150% civil service salary hike
New Delhi, Feb 8 Government salaries may literally give India Inc a run for its money, if one of the latest estimates of salary revisions by the Sixth Pay Commission is to be believed. Basic salaries are likely to rise by over 150%. However, the actual payout may be more moderated, as inclusive of all allowances, existing salaries are not far below the new slabs.
Section officers will get a starting basic salary of Rs 20,000, while their department heads, joint secretaries, would get a fixed basic salary of Rs 60,000 a month. Basic pay for section officers currently begins at Rs 8,000 a month.
Secretaries to the government would earn a fixed salary of Rs 75,000 a month. A cabinet secretary’s monthly salary would also be fixed at Rs 80,000. At each grade, the 5.5 million central government employees would earn an inflation-neutralising dearness allowance (DA) of 6% of basic. The minimum scale for non-executives is likely to be hiked to Rs 6,500 a month, from the present Rs 2,550 a month.
The buzz around the Sixth Pay Commission has grown louder with the panel headed by Justice BN Srikrishna expected to submit its report next week. The good news, however, may just stop here. Contrary to expectations, government officials will continue to retire at 60 years. The plan to increase the retirement age has been shelved, according to the Pay Commission estimates, a copy of which is with FE. The Commission, though, is expected to recommend that officials will now retire on December 31 of the year they reach age 60.
Other allowances—including DA, house rent and travel benefits, linked to basic pay—would also increase. DA would be hiked by 6% retrospectively from January 1, 2007 and 14% from this year, according to this estimate. House rent is proposed to be hiked by 30% of basic for metros, but with a cap of Rs 12,000. While the recommendations are effective from January 1, 2006, arrears would be given only from January 1, 2007