Employee associations of Jammu and Kashmir seek meeting with Governor

 In a joint consultative meeting, KAS Officers Association, Employees Joint Action Committee (Q), Employees Joint Action Committee (K) and Civil Secretariat Non-Gazetted Employees Union Wednesday sought an appointment with Governor for the implementation of Sixth Pay Commission and increasing of the superannuation age from 58 to 60.
According to a joint statement issued here, it was unanimously decided in the meeting that the Joint Consultative Committee will seek an appointment with Governor Narender Nath Vohra for the resolution of problems of employees.
It would include the implementation of the sixth pay commission and the increase in the superannuation age from 58 to 60.
The meeting was attended amongst others by Farooq Ahmad Renzu, President KAS Officers Association; Abdul Qayoom Wani, President Employees Joint Action Committee (Q); Khurshid Aalam, President Employees Joint Action Committee (K) and Nazir Ahmad, President Civil Secretariat Non-Gazetted Employees.

Teachers’ team meets Arjun Singh

The All India Federation of University and College Teachers’ Organisations has, in a 17-point charter on modifications in the sixth University Grants Commission (UGC) pay review report, demanded placement of readers/selection grade lecturers in pay band four, assured ‘third promotion’ for all teachers, professorship in undergraduate department and full parity between teachers and librarians/directors of physical education.

The organisations delegation led by its president Thomas Joseph and general secretary Asok Burman presented the demand to the Union Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh in New Delhi the recently.

According to a press release, Mr. Singh assured the delegation that the pay review report’s recommendations would be implemented soon.

Source : The Hindu.

Teachers may have to wait for revised pay

University teachers may have to wait to get their revised pay packet as the government is likely to consult the Election Commission for such a step in view of the announcement of Assembly polls in six States.

Top HRD Ministry sources said the government may seek the EC's advice before implementing the new pay structure for academics in view of the 'model code of conduct' coming into force.

However, the sources made it clear that the government was keen on implementing the Chadha Committee report at the "earliest" with adequate modifications.

The ministry has set up a committee to consider the recommendations of the committee which has suggested over 70 per cent hike in pay scale of varsity teachers.

The committee is also considering the concerns expressed by teachers' bodies and the modifications done by the UGC.

Meanwhile, the Federation of College and University Teachers Association (FEDCUTA) has decided to hold a march to Parliament on November five to press for their demands.

Nearly 2,000 teachers of 24 central universities across the country last week boycotted classes for two days demanding an early decision on their pay revision and consideration of their demands.

Their demands include restoring the existing four-tier structure — Lecturer, Lecturer in Senior Scale, Reader and Professor — instead of creating seven-tier structure as recommended by the Chadha Committee.

Besides, the teachers are also demanding restoration of professor's promotion in colleges as an avenue for third promotion.

Source : The Hindu

In protest against ‘step-motherly’ treatment by govts, ex-servicemen observe Black Diwali

e ex-servicemen from Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula observed a “Black Diwali” on Tuesday to protest against the alleged “step-motherly” treatment meted out to their demands by the successive governments at the Centre.

These ex-servicemen from the tricity, had earlier, observed a chain hunger strike under the banner of “Punjab chapter of the Indian Ex-servicemen Movement (IESM)” in Mohali between October 20 and 25.

IESM coordinator Lt Col (Retd) Sadhu Singh Sohi said, as part of the protest, the ex-servicemen observed Diwali as a “black day” without lighting any candles or fireworks.

Sohi rued that the government has de-linked ex-servicemen pensions’ increase in the Sixth Pay Commission while keeping them at the old scale of the Fifth Pay Commission.

“The last three Pay Commissions have been unfair to us and have neglected our interests. With every war victory, we have been harmed and downgraded because none of our representatives was included in the Central Commissions.”

The IESM coordinator said the soldiers were still deemed as unskilled workers and a Naib Subedar, who is a Class II officer, receives lesser pension than a civil peon.

Demanding a separate Pay Commission for the Defence Forces, ex-servicemen and their widows, Sohi said that a national level delegation of the IESM had recently gone to meet the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson and Congress president Sonia Gandhi to apprise her of their decision and give the UPA-led government a last chance to fulfill their genuine demands.

As she was not available for the meeting, the agitators were forced to resort to the nationwide stir,  added Sodhi.

Source : Indian Express.

CBDT has taken up the upgradation of IT Inspectors and others to Dept. of Expndture.

As per Income Tax Employees Federation, the Board {CBDT} has already taken up the upgradation of the pay scales of the following Categories/Cadres with the Deptt.of Expenditure.

 Inspector of Income Tax, Administrative Officers Gr.III, Private Secretary, AD (O.L), DPA Gr.B.

Full minutes of the said meeting is reproduced here for information. See Agenda No. 3 {In Italics} for the particular matter.

ITEF/ 49/2008                                                                            Dared: 21st October,2008

 

Dear Comrade,

 

CWC meeting and decisions

 

The Central Working Committee meeting of the ITEF was held at New Delhi (C.R.Building, Canteen Hall) on 18.10.2008 as per the notice issued  on 14.09.2008. The CWC meeting was inaugurated by Com.S.K.Vyas, President, Confederation of CGEs and Workers at 11.30 AM. The meeting was also addressed by Com.M.S.Raja, Secy. Confederation and Com.K.Raghavendran, Secy. General, National Federation  of Postal Employees, New Delhi. The meeting was attended by all Units except the following:

                        ITEF    Pune Circle

                        ITEF    Orissa Circle

                        ITEF    North Eastern Region Circle

                        ITEF    Bihar Gr.D Circle

                        ITEF    NWR Gr.D Circle

                        ITEF    Western and Eastern UP Gr.D Circles

 

Com.P.V.Ramchandran, Vice President had intimated his inability to attend the meeting. Com. Amitava Dey, Finance Secy. and Com.D.P.Acharya, Asst.Secy. were not present. Before the formal agenda items were taken up for discussion, Com. Secretary General apprised the house of the efforts and timely trade union action of the ITEF Delhi Circle on 23^rd  due to which only the Examination rules were ultimately relaxed. The entire house in appreciation thereof expressed their gratitude through a standing ovation.

 

Agenda No.1 : Minutes of the earlier meeting was confirmed. 

 

Agenda No.2 : After hearing the President and Secy. Of the Confederation and the presentation made by the Secretary. General ITEF the house unanimously endorsed the suggestion of the National Executive of the Confederation to organize indefinite strike action in pursuance of the 20 point charter of demands. The house decided to go in for a strike ballot in the first week of Dec.2008 in view of the impending State Assembly elections at Rajasthan, MP, Delhi, Chattisgarh, Jammu & Kashmir. The format for the strike ballot will be separately communicated by the CHQ in consultation with the Confederation.

 

Agenda No.3 : The house approved the submission made by the CHQ in this regard to the Board. It was clarified by the Secretary General that the upgradation of the pay scales of the following Categories/Cadres have already been taken up by the Board with the Deptt.of Expenditure.

1.      Inspector of Income Tax

2.      Administrative Officers Gr.III

3.      Private Secretary

4.      AD (O.L)

5.      DPA Gr.B

 

To the specific query raised by the Comrades from Delhi Com.General Secretary stated that the case of DPA Gr.B being in the pre-revised scale of pay of Rs.6500-10500/  has been included in the proposal sent to Dept. of Expenditure for upgradation of the pay scales.

 

Com. Secy. General also informed the house that the ITEF Secretariat have discussed the said issue with the DG(HRD) on 17^th and as per his request a detailed note on the proposal pertaining to Tax Assistant/Steno Gr.III and restructuring of AO Gr.III, II and I would be submitted shortly. The need for assigning higher Grade pay for LDC, he said would be taken up with the Govt. as it is a common category. He also informed the house that the DG has been apprised of the necessity  to impart training to those Gr.D employees who are not matriculate, within the stipulated time frame of six months. The Note as and when submitted to the DG, he assured the house, would be placed on the Website of ITEF.

 

Agenda No.4: The house reviewed the ongoing programme of action under the auspices of the JCA. The house noted that the ITGOA Units of Western UP and Tamilnadu, have not been participating in the actions. The AP unit of ITEF has not yet commenced the action.. In certain other units, the programmes, though begun have not picked up momentum. The meeting reiterated the need to ensure that the programme as decided upon is carried out in all charges to make possible for a meaningful negotiation. It is only after the commencement of the programme of action that the Board has taken up the issue of providing Mobile phone to all employees. The house asked the Secy. General to monitor the implementation of the programme by interacting with circle General Secretaries. The house also decided that the Central JCA must be requested to convene a joint working committee/managing committee of the two organizations. The house was informed that the Central JCA is slated to meet on 3rd November 2008.

Agenda No. 5 :   The following issues were  taken up for discussion –

a.                            Verification of Membership: the Circles were asked to collect declaration forms from all members and submit the same to the CCIT immediately.

b.                           To immediately make the payment on a/c of renewal fees, donation and Aayakar dues as indicated in the list circulated.

c.                            Extension of  time for holding conference at MP  and Vidharbha: ITEF MP & CG Circle will conduct the conference before 20^thDec.2008 and Vidharbha by 10th Jan.2009

d.                           To take up with Board that TA recruitment to be based regional level as earlier.

e.                            Bengal Circle may chalk out independent agitational programme for allocation of 52 posts and transfer of CIT charges.

f.                             The Secy. General will take up of regularization of daily rated workers as per the DOPT notification with the Board to issue necessary instruction to CCITs.

 

Com. Ashok Salunkhe proposed Vote of thanks and expressed gratitude for the excellent arrangements made by ITEF Delhi Circle for the conduct of the CWC meeting at a very short time on behalf of all members of the CWC.

 

With greetings,

 

Yours fraternally,

 

K.K.N. Kutty

Secretary General

UGC asks universities to pay arrears

The University Grants Commission has directed all central universities and deemed universities maintained by it to make an ad hoc payment towards the first instalment of arrears accruing on account of the implementation of the sixth pay commission recommendations. 

In a communication to registrars of central universities and UGC maintained deemed universities, UGC joint secretary Renu Batra requested that this instalment of arrears should be paid by Deepavali. “In view of the procedural requirement, it may take more time to get approval from the union ministry of human resources development for implementing the recommendations of the sixth pay commission. Therefore, the universities can pay the arrears on an ad-hoc basis,” she said. 

“Till the non-plan additional grants are released on account of implementation of the sixth pay commission or due to immediate non-availability of funds under non-plan, the university may make the payments towards ad-hoc arrears of first instalments from grants available with the universities from other schemes and the same may be recouped once the additional non-plan grants are released by the UGC for implementation of the sixth pay commission,” she added.

Source : The Times of India

Govt accepts Pay Panel proposal for deceased soldiers

This is one proposal of the 6th Central Pay Commission which is likely to bring cheer to the ruing armed forces personnel. 

The government has accepted a CPC recommendation that the state exchequer bear the travel cost of deceased personnel's family members from the place of death to his village or funeral site. 

"The government has accepted the 6th CPC recommendation that travel by fastest means including air shall be authorised for onward and return journeys to dependents of deceased armed forces personnel for conducting customary social rites for all ranks," Defence Minister A K Antony told Rajya Sabha yesterday.

In his action taken reports relating to the Standing Committee on Defence, Antony said the Service headquarters had moved a proposal with the CPC on conveyance of "dead bodies" and relatives of deceased Service personnel by air or the fastest means of travel. 

The Committee had in its report noted that during the members' visit to Andaman and Nicobar Island and North Eastern States, they had observed that in case of casualties or death of soldiers, the body was sent to their native place by flights, but the family members were not allowed to travel in the same flight because it was not mentioned in the guidelines. 

"This is a sorry state of affairs. Therefore, the Committee strongly feels that appropriate financial delegation at the lower level should be given to incur travelling expenditure of the family members along with the body of the deceased soldiers," the committee had said. 

In its reply, the government said travel regulations formulated in 1991 applicable on armed forces personnel already contained provisions for one of the family members to accompany the deceased by air, steamer, rail or road. 

The regulations provided that one family member of the personnel, who died while in service in peace or field station, including those killed in action be allowed to perform journey by the fastest mode of transport between the place of death and place of last rites, it said. 

In addition, the dead personnel, killed in the border or line of control, operations and counter-insurgency operations in India and abroad were also transported by the fastest mode pf transport available, accompanied by a person, who may either be a family member or a person deputed by the family or a unit representative from the place of occurrence to his home town. 

"In this regard, the powers have also been delegated to the lowest level of commanding officer of the unit or formation to sanction expenditure on transportation of the dead personnel accompanied by an attendant," the reply said. 

Antony said Indian Airlines was allowing transport free of charge on its domestic sectors of dead officers and personnel of the armed forces. However, the airline does not provide free transportation of family members. 

"Service headquarters have also moved a proposal to the CPC on conveyance of the dead soldiers by air. It will be appropriate if the government pay for the transportation of the dead soldiers, rather than the airlines granting it a concession," Antony said. 

Source : Zee News.

Railway engineers resent anomalies

The East Coast Railway Engineers Association (ECoREA) has protested anomalies in the Sixth Central Pay Commission and discriminatory attitude of the Railway administration.

The members sported black badges and took out a rally as part of the All India Railway Engineers Federation’s Protest Day observance recently.

Submitting a memorandum to the chief personnel officer on behalf of General Manager, ECoR, the association lamented that the engineers are directly involved in maintaining safety and economic prosperity of Indian Railways but are being neglected.

While engineers of Central and State governments have been given assured promotions from JE to executive engineer level, the subordinate engineers continue to languish in Group C cadre throughout their career, they alleged.

Concern in RS over anomalies in pay scale of armed forces

Sharing the concerns of armed forces over pay anomalies, BJP today made a strong demand in the Rajya Sabha for setting up a statutory commission for welfare of ex-servicemen and representation of retired personnel in pay panels.

Raising the matter during Zero Hour, Leader of Opposition Jaswant Singh said it was "unusual" for service chiefs to voice discontent in public, but added that it was done because of unusual circumstances.

While also demanding one rank one pension and resettlement scheme for ex-servicemen, he said the Prime Minister and the Defence Minister should consider the demands of the armed forces very sympathetically and address the concerns raised by them.

Singh, himself an ex-serviceman, said if this was not done, military personnel would lose their morale. "If you do not give them self-respect, you will be robbing the central impulse of military morale," he said.

He said government should also consider the demand for inflation-indexed pension to neutralise the impact of price rise and must attempt to eliminate the anomalies in the Sixth Pay Commission.

Yashwant Sinha (BJP) expressed concern over pollution of the Damodar river by public sector units located in the river basin. Effluents from coal and steel plants are dumped into the river, making its water unfit for consumption, he said.

He said though there were stringent laws to check pollution, these were not enforced effectively.

Recommendation of the Parliamentary standing committee on Defence on DRDO

During the last 10 years (July 1998-June 2008), 1794 scientists, mainly at junior level, have resigned from Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO).
This information was given by Defence Minister Shri AK Antony in a written reply to Dr. Gyan Prakash Pilania and Shri Lalit Kishore Chaturvedi in Rajya Sabha today.


Full details at http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=44018

Pay parity row : Ex-servicemen stage hunger strike

Haemorrhaging under the onslaught of an ever-mounting number of  officers seeking premature retirement, coupled with the sheer inability to attract bright youngsters to their fold, the armed forces continue to simmer with anger over their new revised pay scales. 

While serving armed forces personnel certainly cannot take to the streets in protest, veterans are not bound by any such restriction. Even as defence minister A K Antony told Parliament that there was a shortage of 13,830 officers in Forces, scores of ex-servicemen and their wives were detained by the police on Monday for trying to stage a hunger strike at India Gate against the 6th Pay Commission just a kilometre away. 

"The pay commission has done grave injustice to the Forces. It is not the question of money but that of our status, izzat and self-esteem,’’ said Lt-Gen (retd) Raj Kadyan and Maj-Gen (retd) Satbir Singh, who were among the scores detained by the police. The veterans, incidentally, are also demanding the implementation of the 'one-rank, one-pension' principle. 

All this comes even as the three-member ministerial committee, headed by foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee, is yet to finalize its recommendations about the "core concerns" raised by the armed forces about their revised pay scales. 

The forces hold their extant parity with their civilian and paramilitary counterparts had been "destroyed" by the new pay scales, with the committee of secretaries actually introducing ‘‘far more serious anomalies’’ rather than resolving the ones present in the 6th Pay Commission report.

Source : The Times of India.

UGC Pay hike in the backdrop of model code of conduct

The model code of conduct for elections may affect education minister Mr.Arjun Singh’s plans to announce a raise for university and college teachers by Diwali. 

Top officials in the ministry went into a huddle today to discuss the likely delay amid fears that it could hurt the UPA in the elections. 

Sources said, on October 8, Mr.Singh had asked his department to finalise the pay hikes proposed for over five lakh college and university teachers in time for Diwali. 

But any announcement of a raise now may be described as a measure against the model code of conduct which is in force, officials said. 

The model code came into effect when elections to five states — Delhi, Mizoram, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh — were announced. It will remain in force till December 4, the last day of polling. 

Mr.Singh was hauled up by the Election Commission in 2006 for promising OBC quotas in central higher education institutions just ahead of state polls that year. He is unlikely to risk a repeat, 

Source : Not wanted to be named.

Govt Press Release regarding Armed Force Pay Hike Implementation.

The Services had submitted a detailed representation to the Government bringing out certain issues arising out of the report of the Sixth Central Pay Commission. The Government has decided on most of the issues. Subsequently, few more issues have been raised by the Services viz. grant of higher grade pay to Service officers, placement of Lt. Col. and equivalent in PB-4, reinstatement of pensionary weightages for Personnel Below Officer Rank (PBOR), providing HAG + Pay Band for Lt. Generals and equivalent holding post of Principal Staff Officer, Director Generals, Controllers, etc. 

No officer of Navy, Air Force has sought pre-mature retirement (PMR) on the ground of dis-satisfaction with the Sixth Central Pay Commission Report. However, in the Army, since March, 2008 a total number of 584 officers (less Army Medical Corps/Army Dental Corps & Military Nursing Service) have applied for pre-mature retirement/resignation on ground of non-empanelment, compassionate ground, low medical category, failure to acquire minimum technical qualification and better employment in civil life. However, from this it cannot be ascertained that they have sought an exit due to resentment against Sixth Pay Commission Report. 

The Government have decided that the Minister of External Affairs will look into the issues raised by the Services and give recommendations, in consultation with the Defence Minister and the Finance Minister. 

This information was given by Defence Minister Shri AK Antony in a written reply to Prof Vijay Kumar Malhotra and Shri Santosh Gangwar in Lok Sabha today. 

http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=43881

Sixth pay panel triggers hike for PSU employees

he government has finally decided to revise the pay scales of employees working in 69 public sector undertakings  {PSU} on the lines of the Pay Commission offered to central government staff.

The benefit of pay revision will be allowed only to employees of those CPSUs that are not making losses and are in a position to absorb the additional expenditure from their own resources without any budgetary support.  The PSUs include Mahanagar Telecom Nigam (MTNL), Indian Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC), NHPC and North-Eastern Electric Power Corporation (Neepco) among others. These PSUs follow the central dearness allowance pattern and are governed by a separate high power pay committee.  “The pay scales of the employees will be revised with effect from January 2006. It will be now up to the board of directors of the respective public sector company to consider the pay revision, keeping in mind the affordability and capacity of the CPSU. They’ll have to submit a proposal to their respective administrative ministry, which will approve the proposal with the concurrence of its financial advisor,” a department of public enterprise official said.  As per the recommendations, there will also be a revision in city compensatory allowance, house rent allowance and dearness allowance (DA).  Already in April this year, the government had increased the DA for PSUs by 6% with effect from January this year.  “This will make a stronger case for the early implementation of the second pay revision committee report for the companies following the industrial dearness allowance pattern. However, not all companies following the CDA pattern will be able to adopt the new pay revisions as some of them are sick or loss-making units,” the official said. Source : The Economic Times.

Retired defence personnel set for nationwide strike

With the government yet to announce pensionary benefits of the 6th Central Pay Commission, over 15 lakh retired defence personnel from across the country would sit on a relay hunger strike from Monday onwards.

A release on Sunday stated that the relay hunger strike will be carried out by representatives of the Indian Ex Service Men (IESM) movement.

The hunger strike would be carried out in over 500 districts of the country with massive participation from the states of Punjab, Haryana and the four southern states. In Delhi region it will be conducted at the India Gate lawns.

Earlier in a press conference here, defence service veterans had announced that if their demands are not accepted by the government they will proceed on a countrywide relay hunger strike from October 20.

"We are beginning the hunger strike to press for our genuine demands and this will intensify to a hunger strike till death. Barring the J&K and North eastern states we are conducting the movement everywhere," Vice Chairman of the IESM movement, Major General Satbir Singh told PTI.

Military veterans had demanded for sanctioning of 'one rank, one pension' for protecting the interest of older pensioners.

The Parliamentary standing committee on defence too had been recommending a similar structure for defence pensioners. Currently defence pensioners are receiving pensions based on cost calculation of the 1950s, 60s and 70s.

source : The Hindu

Pay panel: Central police forces against raising Lt Col rank above commandant

Continuing their tug-of-war on recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission report, central police organisations (CPOs) have strongly opposed some of the demands being made by the Armed Forces, including a proposal to elevate the rank of a Lieutenant Colonel above that of a commandant in central paramilitary forces (CPMFs).

In a memorandum submitted to Minister of External Affairs Pranab Mukherjee, who heads the committee to look into the grievances of the Armed Forces on the pay commission recommendations, the CPOs have argued that the demand of the Armed Forces was entirely unjustified and would result in operational difficulties if acceded to.

A delegation comprising officials from BSF, CRPF, ITBP and CISF met Mukherjee on Wednesday and explained why they were opposed to certain proposals, sources said. The delegation told the minister that the Armed Forces were using pressure tactics to get their demands met.

The Armed Forces have openly expressed their dissatisfaction with the pay commission recommendations and one of their demands has been to elevate the rank of a Lt Colonel above that of a commandant in a central police force. Both Lt Colonel and a commandant are placed as the commanding officer of a battalion but during times of joint operations, the Armed Forces commander takes precedence. The Armed Forces have used this to argue that a Lt Colonel should be treated as a higher rank.

However, the CPOs have pointed out a number of discrepancies in this argument. Sources said the delegation brought to the notice of the minister that while there were usually more than one Lt Colonel in a battalion — with the senior most being the commanding officer — only one commandant was present in a CPMF battalion.

The delegation argued that the work profile of a commandant was completely different and his promotion was based on his performance unlike that of a Lt Colonel who gets time-bound promotions. Sources said it was only after considering these that the Sixth Pay Panel had recommended a higher rank for the commandant but the Armed Forces want it reversed.

Source : Indian Express

 

Agitation defered on governor’s ‘assurances’ in Jammu and Kashmir

Srinagar, Oct 16: The Jammu and Kashmir Employees’ Joint Action Committee (Q) today deferred its agitation on the “assurance” of the state governor over the implementation of 6th pay commission recommendations. 
 President EJAC, Abdul Qayoom Wani told Greater Kashmir that the employees’ demands were genuine and should be accepted at an earliest. He said the EJAC had recently called on chief sectary apprising him of their demands. “The chief secretary assured us all possible support,” Wani said.
 President EJAC said in their meeting with the governor, they had been assured of the implementation of the recommendation of the 6th pay commission. 
 President, Civil Secretariat Employees’ Union, Nazir Mir said, “Besides seeking the implementation of 6th pay commission, we are demanding financial package for the unemployed and regularization of the ad hoc employees.”       
 He said no discrimination should be done among the state and central employees.  To mention the centre has already implemented the recommendations of the 6th pay commission and the pay scales of the central employees have been increased. 
 The employees are also demanding increase in the retirement age from 58 years to 60 years, release of cost of living allowance (COLA), regularization of the services of ad-hoc, consolidated and contractual employees, and change in helpers’ designation.
 The employees are demanding that there should be a minimum wages of Rs 5000 to the daily wagers, and revival of sick PSUs should be the priority of the government.
 Wani said the government had been dilly-dallying to solve the employees’ problems. “Over the years, government has made scores of promises and entered into many agreements with us, but none of them has been fulfilled so far,” he said. 
 “But this time, we would go for massive agitation across the valley should the government fail to accept our demands. We would wait for 20 days for the committee decision,” Wani threatened.
 Meanwhile, in view of the governor’s “positive” response, the EJAC has appealed all its volunteers to attend their respective offices as usual and wait till the future programme is announced.

Pay Panel Report modified by UGC and forwarded to HRD. University teachers may get fatter pay packets

UGC has made modifications in 6 PRC report and forwarded to HRD with recommendation of Rs 37400-67000 with grade pay of Rs 8700 to Assist. professor (SG) & Deputy Librarian/Physical education Reader. UGC has also recommended grade pay of Rs 10000 with pay Band IV (37400-67000) to Senior Associate professor.

Source : Nababharat Times.

University teachers are likely to get fatter pay packets soon with the HRD Ministry expected to take a final view on the UGC Pay Review Committee recommendations by the end of this week. "A deadline has been fixed by the Ministry to complete the whole process by October before the proposal is sent to the Cabinet for approval," a senior ministry official told the news agency on Wednesday.He said next week, the cabinet note is expected to be ready and it will be sent to Health, Finance and Agriculture ministries for their views as certain institutions come under these.To expedite the new pay package, senior ministry officials have held intense discussions on the issue during the past two days.The UGC had sent the report of the G K Chadha Committee which recommended over 70 per cent hike in the salary structure of university teachers.Allaying fears that implementation of new pay scales could amount to violation of the Model Code of Conduct which has come into force in five poll-bound states, the official said a similar situation had cropped up during 2006 when the superannuation age of central university teachers was raised though Uttar Pradesh was in election mode."Moreover, this in not a new announcement. It is just the completion of the process of pay revision initiated long time back," he said.

Gujarat Government staff to go on mass leave in protest

Anger against delay in implementation of pay panel’s recommendations

Over eight lakh Govt. employees across Gujarat will go on a day’s mass casual leave on November 5, to protest against the government’s delay in announcing the implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission’s recommendations to hike employees’ salaries.

“We have already served an ultimatum to the government that the employees will go on a mass CL on November 5. We have also decided to intensify our agitation if the government fails to make an announcement on the Commission’s recommendations before Diwali,” said Girish Raval, Convenor of the Gujarat Rajya Karmachari Mahamandal.

Raval told Newsline today that a five-member Cabinet sub-committee, set up to study the implications of the Commission’s recommendations, had on Monday last, submitted its report to the government, suggesting that it could be implemented in the state.

Despite the “positive” report submitted by a sub-committee headed by Finance Minister Vajubhai Vala, the Modi government was dilly-dallying in announcing the implementation of the Commission’s recommendations, he said.

The Mahamandal leader said that apart from the Central government, six other state governments had announced that they will implement the recommendations in toto. But, the Gujarat government continues to keep its employees on tenterhooks, he said.

The various government employees’ bodies in the state expected that the government would take a decision on this issue at the weekly Cabinet meeting on Wednesday. But, the Cabinet failed to take a decision on this, causing a great deal of disappointment among lakhs of its employees, Raval said.

Meanwhile, a senior official in the state Finance Department said the government would have to entail an additional burden of about Rs 3,000 crore in the first year when it decides to implement the Commission’s recommendations for its employees with retrospective effect from January 2006.

Later, the government would have to shoulder an additional burden of Rs 1,000 crore annually if the recommendations hiking the employees’ salaries were implemented in toto, at par with the Central government employees, the official said.

There are over eight lakh government employees, including those serving in the state-owned Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) in Gujarat. Besides, there are over two lakh pensioners in the state, who will also benefit from the Sixth Pay Commission’s recommendations.

Source : Indian Express

Mukherjee discusses armed forces pay issue with Chidambaram

Efforts to resolve the alleged "anomalies" in the new pay scales for armed forces gained momentum with External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday discussing the matter with Finance Minister P. Chidambaram.

Mukherjee, who is heading a three-member ministerial committee looking into the issue, held discussions with Chidambaram after holding consultations with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Mukherjee and Chidambaram were together for about an hour during which they are understood to have explored ways to address the issue to the satisfaction of the forces.

The Defence Services, led by their Chiefs, are up in arms over the 6th Pay Commission recommendations, alleging that it compromised their status and honour.

Emerging from the meeting at the External Affairs Minister's South Block office, Chidambaram refused to comment on the deliberations, saying it was his first meeting with Mukherjee on the issue.

Mukherjee on Monday said he had discussed the matter with the Prime Minister and that he hoped the issue would be settled shortly.

The committee, which also includes Antony and Chidambaram, was set up by the Prime Minister on September 25 in the wake of deep resentment in the armed forces, who complained that there were "anomalies" in the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations and that it had lowered the status of their officers.

Source : The Hindu.

Puducherry Update

The Sixth Pay Commission recommendations has created problem for the Puducherry administration, as different sections of the Government employees started stir on the issue, demanding early implementation of the recommendations.

However, a one-man commission was constituted by the administration to look into the issues. The Governemnt teachers on a sit-in-strike for the last six days, were disrupting classes in all government schools and were planning to go on a mass casual leave tomorrow.

The teachers would resort to a dharna in front of the Chief Secretariat and observe fast before the education department.

The nurses, who had boycotted their duty for two hours and held a demonstration in front of theGovernment GeneralHospital, had warned of intensifying their agitation.

The daily-wagers and part-time employees of the Territorial Administration today held a demonstration for 

implementation of the recommendations. The employees of the Krishi Vigayan Kendra(KVK) would also resort to a dharna to press their demand.