The 8th Pay Commission for central employees and pensioners is currently the biggest topic of discussion. On the basis of inflation, rising cost of living and increase in the cost of health services, various employee organizations have put forward demands before the government and the commission to fix a new fitment factor. This time, the unions have given proposals for fitment factors up to 3.61, 3.833 and 4.00.
If the government accepts these recommendations of the employee unions, then there may be a bumper increase in the basic pay of central employees. At present the minimum basic pay under the 7th Pay Commission is ₹18,000.
How much fitment factor did which organization ask for?
The Ministerial Staff Association (MSA) of the Survey of India has proposed a fitment factor of 3.61. With this formula, the minimum basic pay of Level 1 employees will be ₹64,980 (approximately ₹65,000).
On the other hand, the National Council JCM (Staff Side) and Bharat Pensioners' Society (BPS), representing around 10 lakh pensioners, have proposed a fitment factor of 3.833. Accordingly, the minimum basic pay will reach around ₹ 69,000.
Bharatiya Praksha Mazdoor Sangh (BPMS) has demanded the highest fitment factor of 4.00. If this is approved then the starting basic salary will directly become ₹72,000.
Big difference of Rs 7,020 between demands
There is a direct difference of approximately ₹7,020 per month between the offers of ₹3.61 and ₹4.00 on the Level 1 pay scale. It is also worth keeping in mind that the change in basic pay is not limited only to the current salary of the employees, but it also directly affects the retirement benefits like pension (Pension Revision) and gratuity.
The government had implemented a fitment factor of 1.86 in the 6th Pay Commission and 2.57 in the 7th Pay Commission, due to which the basic pay increased from ₹7,000 to ₹18,000.
Commission's work and round of meetings
The talks of the 8th Pay Commission constituted under the chairmanship of Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai have now reached an important juncture. The commission team is touring across the country. Important meetings are to be held with various stakeholders and employee unions in Jaipur, Chandigarh, Puducherry and Bengaluru in the coming months.
The commission is preparing its detailed recommendations under the 18-month deadline given by the Cabinet. However, all these figures are currently proposals of employee organizations. What will be the final fitment factor and what will be the structure of the pay matrix, it will become clear only after the final report of the commission and the decision of the government.