7th Pay Commission: Central Govt employees to discuss allowances at JCM meeting on October 24 and 25

The Central government employees are apparently upset with the Narendra Modi government abolishing seven allowances hitherto paid to them, and are planning to discuss the issue in about 10 days. It may be recalled that the union finance ministry had issued a notification recently announcing the abolishment of seven allowances as recommended by the 7^thCentral Pay Commission (CPC).

The Confederation of Central Government Employees said that a meeting scheduled on Thursday (October 13) to take up the issue between the secretary (personnel), government of India and the Staff Side, National Council JCM, will now be held on October 25.

"I am directed to inform you that, the meeting under the Chairmanship of Secretary (Personnel) with the Staff Side, National Council JCM, to firm-up views of the Staff Side (JCM) on various allowances pertaining to DoP&T and also meeting of the Standing Committee, which were scheduled to be held on 13.10.2016 have been postponed.

"They will now be held at 3.00 p.m and 4.30 p.m respectively on 25.10.2016 vide Dy. Secretary (JCA) letter No. 6/8/2016-JCA 2 dated 5.10.2016 (already mail on 10.10.2016)," the Confederation of Central Government Employees said in a communication addressed to Standing Committee Members of the National Council (Staff Side) JCM.

A day prior to that, an Internal Meeting of the Standing Committee Members of the National Council (Staff Side) JCM will be held in New Delhi to discuss the matter, the Confederation of Central Government Employees said.

The abolished allowances include festival advance, bicycle advance and advance of leave salary among others, while those that have been retained are advances for medical treatment, travelling allowance for family of deceased, travelling allowance on tour or transfer and leave travel concession (LTC).

In its report, the pay commission had recommended abolition of 51 allowances and subsuming 37 others after examining 196 allowances.

A study by Tata Strategic Management Group had estimated the quantum of allowances at Rs. 34,000 crore. This could change if the committee differs from the hike proposed by the 7th CPC.

The recommendations of the 7th CPC cover 47 lakh Central government employees and 53 lakh pensioners, of which 14 lakh employees and 18 lakh pensioners are from the defence forces.