Around 50 lakhn government employees waiting for a minimum salary hike of Rs 26,000 might have to wait longer as the recommendations of seventh pay commission are likely to get delayed due to unearthing of bank frauds.
A report by Sen Times suggested that revelation of several bank frauds in recent days was delaying the salary hike.
The government had approved the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission in June 2016, it raised the minimum pay from Rs 7,000 to Rs 18,000 per month with fitment factor 2.57 times.
However, the employees have been asking to raise minimum basic pay to Rs 26,000 and fitment factor 3.68 times.
There had been reports that the government was planning to hike minimum pay to Rs 21,000 with fitment factor 3.00 times, beyond the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission.
Meanwhile, another report in the Sen Times suggested the government employees, who receive salaries from pay matrix level 1 to 5, are expected to receive hike in minimum pay scale to Rs 21,000 from Rs 18,000 from April 1, 2018.
These employees will reportedly see an increase in their fitment factor from 2.57 times to 3.00 times of the basic pay of 6th Pay Commission. An official told the newspaper that FM Jaitley will prefer to pick and choose lower-level employees and pay hike accordingly rather than salary hike for middle-level employees.
Currently, the Central government employees are getting basic pay according to the fitment formula of 2.57 of the basic pay and if this big step is taken, it will come as a massive news for the Central government employees.
Fitment factor is a figure used by 7th CPC with which the basic pay in 6th CPC regime (i.e Pay in Pay band Grade pay) is multiplied in order to fix basic pay in revised pay structure (i.e 7th CPC). Fitment factor formulated by 7th CPC is 2.57.
It is expected that the proposal would be sent to the Cabinet at the start of next financial year.
The Seventh Pay Commission had earlier recommended Rs 18,000 as the basic salary but the employees are demanding it to raise further to Rs 26,000.
Arun Jaitley in 2016 in Rajya Sabha promised to hike pay of the central government employees beyond the suggestion of the 7th Pay Commission.
