Business News
7th Pay Commission: Govt Saved Around Rs 26,000 Crore By Delay in Pay Hike
New Delhi, November 15: Since last 18-months the government has kept almost 48 lakh central government employees waiting for their pay hike under the 7th pay Commission and according to a rough estimate in these days the government has saved around Rs 26,000 crore, a source within the union said to India.com.
The source further said that the decision to delay was an intentional one and the government wanted to save a big chunk from its exchequer. Some reports suggest that Union Government will hike the minimum wage of central government employees by April 1, 2018. And if it is true then the government will save an additional Rs 7,200 crore in the coming days.
“Eighteen months ago the government had assured us to increase the minimum wage from Rs 18,000 per month to Rs 21,000. According to a rough calculation the government, every month is saving Rs 3,000 per month on each employee and if the figure is calculated with 18 months and 48 lakh central government employees, the figure reaches close to Rs 26,000 crore. This much has been saved by the government in last 18 months,” the source further added.
The delay has also caused a great deal of anguish and frustration to the central government employees. Most of the employees believe that the government has been playing a negative role by delaying the issue of the pay hike.
Earlier this month, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley promised to raise minimum pay beyond the recommendation of the 7th Pay Commission and formed the National Anomaly Committee (NAC) to look into the matter.
The NAC is likely to submit its report on pay hike by December 15 and the central government employees would receive higher minimum pay from April next year.
The NAC meeting was scheduled in October but due to Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat assembly polls, it got postponed.
The government is likely to raise the minimum pay to Rs 21,000 from Rs 18,000, which has been earlier recommended by the 7th Pay Commission and approved by the Cabinet.
