The implementation of the seventh Central Pay Commission (recommendations may not happen in the forthcoming calendar year 2016 and there is a likelihood that it could be delayed by six months to even a year, owing to differences on pay parity between IAS and non-IAS lobbies and difficulties being faced by states to bear the financial burden.
According to sources close to the development, though the finance minister Arun Jaitley had in November at the time of receiving the seventh CPC’s report claimed that the government will try and implement these at the earliest (mainly the government was looking at the January 1, 2016 deadline), it may seem unlikely as the Centre has been receiving a lot of representations from various sections of the workforce, suggesting a relook at many of the aspects.
A panel headed by the cabinet secretary is presently reviewing the recommendations and discussing these with various stakeholders including the states.
No hike suggested by the CPC in transport allowance is one of the key issues of concern of the central government employees, while non-IAS officials like the IPS (Indian Police Service) and the IRS (Indian Revenue Service) have for long been seeking pay parity with their IAS colleagues and have conveyed their concern to the government.
While empanelment at joint secretary level within the IAS cadre happens after 11 years of service, for others like the IPS and the IRS, the empanelment at the same rank requires 13 years of service. In other words IAS officers enjoy a lead of two years over their non-IAS colleagues in terms of higher salaries and perks, sources pointed out.
Though the seventh CPC has suggested over a 100 per cent hike in house rent allowance to compensate for the unchanged transport allowance, sources said that it is one of the major source of discontentment.
