New Delhi, December 13: Almost 18 months have been passed and there are no proper updates on an increase in minimum wage under 7th Pay Commission. The 7th Pay Commission has done nothing but has sour the relationship between the government and its employees. The government employees – around 48 lakh employees and 52 lakh pensioners – have been eagerly waiting for the minimum wage to be increased but with no pay hike coming their way the employees are locked in a face-off with the government.
What has made the matter worse is that Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has not lived up to his promise which he made to Central government employee unions 16 months back.
Now the government has further added more salt to the injury by saying that pay hike and fitment factor is not an anomaly and hence won’t come under the purview of the National Anomaly Committee.
With this, the employees are getting increasingly frustrated as there is no further sign of any pay hike coming their way. They feel that the government is coming up with excuses either to delay the minimum wage or not to give it at all. Since last couple of days, the employees have threatened to launch a nationwide agitation in this regard.
The employees are left with only hope in the high-level committee. The government also said that a committee would be set up to study the grievances, but in reality, there is absolutely no confirmation on the same.
Since last several months rumours are floating around about the high-level committee, but the fact is that for now, the government is not at all thinking about a pay hike.
The government employees have expressed their willingness to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to resolve the issue. Some say that he will be unable to help them as he will take his advise from Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.
