Air India staff are going to be paid salary on 3rd July.

Seventy per cent of Air India’s 31,000 employees will get their June salaries by July 3 after the threat of a strike forced the airline to drop a planned a 15-day delay in payment.

Today’s decision covered lower-level staff.

Officials said a meeting would be held after July 3 to decide when to pay the other employees.

The carrier is struggling with a loss of Rs 4,300 crore in 2008-09.

“The management has told us that we would get our salaries on July 3,” said J.B. Kadian, the general secretary of the Air Corp Employees’ Union, which had threatened a strike if there was a delay in payment of salaries.

The announcement followed talks between the unions and Air India chief Arvind Jadhav.

A move to cut salaries and allowances has been dropped, along with a proposal asking top managers to forego a month’s pay.

Source : The Telegraph.

WB state organizations, including public sector undertakings' pay is going to be hiked.

The fifth pay commission for the state govt employees has submitted the second part of their report to the state govt. on yesterday, the 29th June, 2009. This report recommended a revised pay structure for all 36,000 employees of state organizations, including public sector undertakings and 15,000 retired employees.
The grade pay applicable to state government employees has been recommended for all categories of employees of 53 of the 61 state organizations, including public sector undertakings. For the remaining eight organizations, grade pay has been recommended for those categories of employees who are now on government scale.

State finance minister Asim Dasgupta said the commission has proposed a substantial increase in the quantum of a number of allowances, like conveyance and travelling allowance. The commission also says that the promotional quota from Group-D to Group-C may be increased from 10% to 20%.
The state government will scrutinize the recommendations and decide on the revised pay structure in a month.

Pay relief for govt officers on deputation in PSUs

Government officers on deputation as executives in public sector undertakings (PSUs) can heave a sigh of relief. After a series of representations from administrative ministries, the department of public enterprises (DPE) has tweaked pay commission recommendations for government officers serving as executives on deputation in PSUs.

The Pay Revision guidelines issued in November 2008 barred such officers on deputation from taking PSU grade salaries and perks. However, a new order issued recently, reverses the guideline to the extent that it will not apply with retrospective effect. This means that government officers appointed on deputation to PSUs before the Pay Commission Recommendations notification came into force on November 26, 2008 will continue to draw their existing salaries and perks till the end of their tenure. However, officers appointed on deputation to PSUs after 26.11.2008 will not be eligible for the salaries and perks of the PSU they are with.

“A number of administrative ministries including the Railways had representations to the department of public enterprises over this issue. Ministries had said that there were difficulties in implementing these with retrospective effect as not all perks can be exactly valued,” a senior DPE official told The Indian Express. The DPE had set up an anomalies committee to address the issues. The new memorandum has been issued after taking their views.

In addition to this, board level officers appointed by the PSUs on recommendations of the Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB), will also be allowed to continue with the Industrial Dearness Allowance (IDA) pay scale. IDA is linked to the performance of the PSU and is enhanced if the company does well.

source : Indianexpress.com

PFUCTO demands implementation of full notification on UGC pay scales

Punjab Federation of University and College Teachers Organizations (PFUCTO) in its meeting held at Punjab University Chandigarh, welcomed the decision of Punjab Cabinet to implement the UGC pay scales in the Universities and Colleges of the State.

Punjab Cabinet had taken the decision to this effect in its meeting on June 18. The meeting, presided by its president Dr. S.S. Dhillon discussed the decision of the Punjab Cabinet and issues emerging out of it. The meeting was attended by leaders of PUTA, GNDUTA, PAUTA, GADVASUTA, GCTA, PCCTU and Punjabi University. The meeting demanded that the Government should take a decision on “allowances and other benefits” at the earliest, so that MHRD notification of December 31 2008 could be implemented in Toto. Punjab Government has constituted a committee headed by the Chief Secretary for the purpose.

Dr. Jagwant Singh General Secretary, PFUCTO, informed the press that the meeting was unanimously of the opinion that, “ Since their pay scales are determined by the Central Pay Commission, the State Government should take a policy decision to implement its recommendations as accepted by the Government of India, in the present and in the future.” Dr. S.S. Dhillon said that, “University and College teachers have always stood for this position even if, they were at a disadvantage when compared with the benefits granted to employees under Punjab Pay Commission.”

Meeting also examined the announcements made by the Union HRD minister Kapil Sibal yesterday. PFUCTO expressed the opinion that although the education sector calls for changes, it will be desirable that the Govt. allows at least ‘100 days’ foe discussion and debate by the academia and other stake holders to evolve a broad consensus on the proposals as was done by Late Shri. Rajiv Gandhi while evolving New Education Policy of 1986 to avoid controversies and wrong decisions. An example of this was proposal to set up one Board for school Examination for whole country, which under the present Constitution will be encroachment on the domain of states as the subject of school education is on the State List of the Constitution. The proposal will require constitutional amendments. Dr Jagwant Singh said that, “PFUCTO will frame its stand after going through the Yashpal Committee Report, once it becomes available and will hold a seminar to obtain view point of teachers.

Source : Punjabnewsline.com.

Centre working on next-best option to one-rank, one-pay

A committee looking into the defence personnel's demand for pay review Thursday made a presentation before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, an official release said.

The government seems all set to upwardly revise pension of of ex-servicemen to bring them closer to the long-demanded ‘‘one-rank, one pension"mechanism.

Though holding that full OROP is neither financially nor administratively possible, the government promises to resolve the existing anomalies in the pension structures of ex-servicemen which have been accentuated by the 6th Pay Commission.

On Thursday, cabinet secretary K M Chandrasekhar, who heads the committee of secretaries (CoS) looking into the issue, made a presentation to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. He is also said to have discussed the pros and cons of granting the OROP demand based on the nearly two-month study that the committee carried out on the subject.

Others present during the presentation included finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, defence minister A K Antony, home minister P Chidambaram and minister of state (personnel) Prithviraj Chavan. The UPA government has already committed itself to taking a decision on the subject by the end of June in President Pratibha Patil’s address to the joint sitting of Parliament on June 4.

Just before the crucial fourth phase of polling on May 7, the defence ministry had declared that a committee headed by the cabinet secretary had been constituted to ‘‘reduce the gap in the pensionary benefits to officers and jawans, bringing it as close to OROP as possible’’.

Source : Inputs from Times of India and The Hindu.

Assam Govt to implement 6th Pay Panel report

With the State employees turning the heat on Assam Government, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today decided to convey to the Union Finance Ministry the decision to hike the salaries of the State Government employees according to the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission. The Chief Minister was slated to meet Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and discuss about a number of proposals being worked out by the State Government to ease the impact of the financial crisis.

After completing his health check-up yesterday, Gogoi today called on a number of Central Ministers including Union Water Resources Minister, Pawan Kumar Bansal, Union Minister of State, Vincent H Pala, Union Minister for Tourism and Housing Kumari Selja, besides Mukherjee. In the evening he called on ailing Governor Shiv Charan Mathur at Escort Heart Institute.

Gogoi said that his main agenda for the meeting with Mukherjee was to discuss about the implication of hiking pay of government employees on the States finances. “We have decided to hike the salaries of the employees and we will face the situation arising out of the decision,” the Chief Minister told this newspaper.

The Chief Minister hinted that the Government was looking at an additional burden of Rs 5000-6000 crore. “Initially, we expect to face hardship, but if we overcome that then in the long run, we hope to get some relief from the Central Government to plug the gap in the resources,” he said.

However, the State Government is still in the process of working out the period from which the hike would be made effective. The arrears may be high and some of the States have given retrospective effect only since 2008, he added.

A formal announcement of the details is likely to be part of the State Budget.

Gogoi reasoned that non-implementation of the Pay Commissions recommendation by the State Government may lead to lot of heartburn among the employees. For Gogoi the stakes couldn’t be higher given that he faces an election in about two years time and hostile government employees might wreak havoc to his party’s prospects. Sadou Asom Karmachari Parishad has already started issuing threats.

There is no option for the Government of Assam but make similar pay revision for its employees also, he said.

The State Government has called for 100 per cent Central assistance to the Special Category State to meet the additional burden on this count.

Source : The Assam Tribune.

Revised pay for IIT, IIM faculty may go to Cabinet this week, Better deal expected than their counterparts in universities and colleges

Teachers in IITs and IIMs may expect fat pay packages, better than their counterparts in universities and colleges, as the government is likely to take the issue of their revised salary to the Cabinet this week.

The Pay Review committee, headed by Prof Goverdhan Mehta, set up for faculty members of central technical institutes like IITs and IIMs had submitted its report to the HRD Ministry in February this year.

The government then set up another committee to study the recommendations and make final suggestions on salaries and perks for the teachers of 53 Central Technical Educational Institutions, including IITs and IIMs.

The committee had suggested a better package for these teachers as against the faculty members of universities and colleges.

"A cabinet note has been prepared and the matter may be moved to the cabinet this week,"according to a top official in the ministry.

Source : PTI

The next Cabinet Meeting is scheduled today [02.07.2009] evening at 5.30 P.M.

The Goverdhan Mehta committee will also submit another report on salary package for faculty of AICTE-affiliated institutes.

The committee, which was supposed to submit the report by May end, has been given extension till June 30.

Punjab Govt. formed cabinet sub-committee for pay revision of contractual teachers

he Punjab Government has constituted a cabinet sub committee to revise the pays of 14000 contractual teachers as per the recommendations of 5th pay commission, who were recruited in this year by the education department on contract basis.

Stating this Dr Upinderjit Kaur, Education Minister Punjab said that these teachers were recruited as teaching fellows in elementary directorate and educational service providers in the secondary directorate in this year on contractual basis. The matter was placed before the cabinet meeting held recently who has approved the suggestions which were fully endorsed by the Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal also.

During deliberations the Punjab Chief Minister has constituted a sub committee to consider the recommendations of 5th pay commission for fixation of pays to these teachers she said.

The minister added that education department would recruit about 11000more teachers in the next month on the same wages to be fixed by this cabinet sub committee. She said that after these recruitments the department would be able to provide the teachers in all the schools.

She reiterated her commitment that she would put her best efforts to streamline the education department with fresh recruitments and promotions to the teaching facility and by fulfilling the genuine demands of the teachers associations for the betterment of the department.

source : Punjabnewsline.com.

Maharashtra Govt. employees to go on strike from August 4, AGVKS threatens to go on strike

Maharashtra Govt. employees to go on strike from August 4

Over 23-lakh employees of the Maharashtra Government, local self-government bodies and teachers would go on an indefinite strike from August 4 to demand parity with Central government staff in allowance as per the Sixth Pay Commission report.

"We are going on an indefinite strike from August four and our main demand is parity with Central government staff in allowance as per Sixth Pay Commission report," State Government employees federation functionary G D Kile told PTI.

The strike would cover state government staff, zilla parishad employees, gazetted officers, Kulthe said adding the teaching and non-teaching government staffs would also observe a day's strike on July 14.

Source : PTI/The Hindu.

AGVKS threatens to go on strike if Pay Panel recommendations not implemented

The All Gujarat Vidhyut Kamdar Sangh (AGVKS) has threatened to go on an indefinite hunger strike from July 1, 2009 if the government doesn’t act on the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in the first week of June with all the eight associations to implement the hike in salary as per the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission.

AGVKS is the largest association of the Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Ltd (GUVNL). The eight associations of GUVNL approved the MoUs with GUVNL management to implement the Pay Commission’s recommendation for the employees. It is now the government’s turn to approve the MoU.

AGVKS general secretary Girish Joshi said: “The government had last month assured the hike in salaries from June onwards based on the new MoU. The government also promised to provide them with 30 per cent of the arrears in June. But till now, the salary being paid to the Class IV, V and VI employees continue to be the old one.”

He added: “Despite repeated assurances and promises by the top brass of the government, nothing has materialised,” even though the chairman of the association is state BJP president Purshottam Rupala.

According to the association, the file is lying with the Finance Department.

AGVKS was the first association to sign the MoU with the state government over the recommendations of the Pay Panel. Other associations followed suit and signed the MoUs with the state government on June 4.

GUVNL has already sent the MoU to the state government’s Finance Department for approval.

Source : Indianexpress.com

Tamilnadu Govt. Employees' Association not happy, will agitate statewide from 2nd July.

Not content with the 30 per cent pay hike announced by the state govt. for its employees in the wake of pay hike in the Sixth Central Pay Commission, Tamil Nadu Government Employees Association (TNGEA) has warned of agitations if the "anomalies" are not rectified.

R Muthuraman, Secretary TNGEA, told reporters here that they would launch a campaign from June 22 and subsequently agitations if the Govt. did not invite them for talks to rectify the "anomalies" in the pay scales between the Central and state government staff.

He said "consolidated pay employees", anganwadi workers, and panchayat workers were not satisfied with the provisions.

The technical staff were not provided medical allowance, conveyance and house rent allowance (HRA) on par with Central staff, he alleged, and added a state level agitation would be launched on July two.

However, he welcomed the state government's announcement on increasing the ceiling of gratuity to Rs 10 lakh from the current Rs 3.5 lakh and providing HRA to bottomline employees.

While the Centre was giving arrears from January 1, 2006, the state government was providing arrears from January 1, 2007. "The employees would be losing Rs 15,000 to Rs 80,000 on arrears alone," he claimed.

Further, minimum pension for Central government staff was Rs 3,500 while for the state government staff it was fixed at Rs 3,050 only.

During the previous revision pay was hiked by 40 per cent, while it was only 30 per cent this time, he said.

Source : ChennaiOnline News.

State Bank officers against merger, seek 30% pay hike

The All India State Bank Officers Federation has said merger and consolidation of public sector banks would harm the expansion of banking activities in the country and nullify the financial inclusion concept of the government itself.

The federation also pressed for a 30 per cent increase in salaries of bank officers, saying that a 15 per cent increase that is being offered is not enough.

The officers also want one more pension option and are prepared to contribute up to Rs 1,800 crore of the Rs 6,000- crore additional fund needed for the purpose, federation general secretary G D Nadaf said at a press conference in Agra yesterday.

TN Goel, president of the Federation, said the earlier salary agreement with the Indian Banks Association (IBA) had expired on October 31, 2007, and a new one was due on November 1, 2007.

All the four bank officers' organisations had submitted a common charter of demands to the IBA and the government on October 29, 2007, but nothing had been done in the matter of revision so far.

The officers organisations would not agree to anything less than 30 per cent increase in salary, he added.

Source : PTI/Business Standard.

Judicial Pay commission report is to be submitted in time.

More than 16,000 trial court judges battling to ease the pressure of over 2.6 crore pending cases in a gloomy atmosphere - low pay and inadequate infrastructure -- have something to cheer about. For the new judicial pay commission appointed by the Supreme Court in April this year will submit its recommendations in a month's time.
Given the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations for central government babus, a proportionate increase in salaries of judicial officers, who had demanded a three-fold increase, is on the cards.

But, Justice E Padmanabhan heading the new judicial pay commission, the second one after the first one under Justice Jagannath Shetty, said there would be no delay on his part in meeting the deadline for submitting the recommendations. The Supreme Court had posted the hearing on the matter concerning the pay of subordinate court judges for July 28.

"I am at present doing a day-to-day hearing of concerned parties. The hearing would be complete in another 10 days. All that I can say at present is that I will not seek extension of time for submission of the report recommending new pay-scales for the subordinate court judges," Justice Padmanabhan told TOI from Chennai.

The petition seeking increase in the salary of the trial court judges was filed in the Supreme Court shortly after the Chief Justice of India and judges of the SC and the high courts got a three-fold salary hike earlier this year.

The logic for seeking appointment of a new pay commission was that the first judicial pay commission headed by Justice Shetty had said that whenever there was an upward revision of salaries of HC judges, the salaries of lower court judges should also be proportionately revised.

After getting respectable salaries for judges in the higher judiciary and himself, CJI K G Balakrishnan had expressed concern over the low salaries of the lower court judges. "Their monthly take home is even lower than their counterparts in the executive," he had said.

The first NJPC headed by Justice Jagannatha Shetty was constituted on March 21, 1996, and it gave its recommendations in November 1999. It had recommended a salary hike that entitled a civil judge (junior division) a starting salary of Rs 11,775, civil judge (senior division) Rs 15,200, District Judge (entry level) Rs 20,800 and District Judge (super time scale) Rs 23,850.

But, this was recommended keeping in view the then salaries of the HC judges which was fixed at Rs 26,000 and that of HC CJ Rs 30,000, SC judges Rs 30,000 and CJI Rs 33,000.

The salary structure for the higher judiciary changed earlier this year with the government agreeing to revise the salary of an HC judge to Rs 80,000, HC CJ Rs 90,000, SC judges Rs 90,000 and CJI Rs 1 lakh.
Source : Times of India.

Bank Wage Revision[Update on 17th June] : IBA reduce offer to 15% hike,UFBU may go for agitation.

The managements of state-owned banks have offered to hike wages by 15%, but the employees’ unions want a revision of at least 17.5%.
A 15% wage hike will mean an extra payout of Rs 4,200 crore annually for the banking industry. When contacted by ET, Indian Banks Association (IBA) chairman and Union Bank of India CMD MV Nair declined to comment. “The negotiations are on and it will take a couple more meetings for both parties to arrive at a decision,” he said.

Every five years, the managements of public sector banks, represented by IBA, negotiate a wage revision with the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU). Under the last agreement that expired on October 31, 2007, IBA had agreed on a 13.3% hike.
Almost all government-owned banks have set aside some capital to absorb the wage-hike impact that will be implemented with effect from the last fiscal. State Bank of India has kept a provision of Rs 1,380 crore for payment of arrears, Punjab National Bank Rs 600 crore and Bank of India has provided for Rs 187 crore.

Other issues like appointment on compassionate grounds, outsourcing of jobs and offering employees an option for pension are yet to be discussed by the unions and IBA. Earlier, the trade unions had demanded a 40% hike in salaries of clerical staff and a 25% hike for officers. This, however, was unacceptable to the managements.
Source : Economic Times.
In the light of the latest offer made by the IBA, a meeting of the UFBU was held yesterday (17-6-09) in Bangalore. Comrade K.S. Shetty (President, AIBOC) presided over the meeting. While the meeting was discussing the issue, the IBA informed the UFBU that their offer of 17.5% increase stands reduced to 15% in view of the advice received from the Government of India. In view of this unacceptable and provocative situation, the UFBU decided to take organizational decisions to achieve our demands.

Arising out of yesterday’s meeting, a letter has been addressed to the Chairman, IBA in this regard. The letter is reproduced hereunder which our members will find explicit. All our units and members are advised to keep in readiness to implement any programme that will be decided upon by the UFBU, should the IBA and the Government of India choose to persist with their provocation and confrontation with the bank employees and officers.

Text of the letter addressed to the Chairman, IBA by the Convener, UFBU.

Dear Sir,

This has reference to the last round of discussions held on 9.6.09 between IBA & UFBU on our current demands of wage revision and pension option.

You will appreciate that the discussions were held in the background of the strike call given by UFBU and arising out of conciliation proceedings held by the Chief Labour Commissioner, Govt. of India and his advice to both the parties to sit together to find amicable and acceptable solution to the issues involved.

During the discussions held on 9.6.09, you would have observed that there were earnest efforts from the side of UFBU to find mutually acceptable solutions. Similarly we also felt that IBA was willing to resolve the demands amicably and expeditiously.

On the issue of sharing the additional cost of pension, it was agreed that out of the total cost of Rs. 6,000 crores, Banks would take a share of Rs. 4200 and employees / officers would bear a cost of Rs. 1800 crores. Thus one important issue was mutually sorted out.

As regards IBA’s demand that Unions should agree for implementing the New Pension Scheme for the newly recruited employees/officers, IBA came forward not to insist on this condition and would agree for continuance of the provisions of Pension Settlement to be available for all existing employees as well as for the new recruits joining the Banks upto 31.3.2010. From UFBU we expressed the view that the cut-off date should be 31.10.2012 i.e. co-terminus with the expiry of the proposed wage revision settlement. The issue was to be further discussed and sorted out.

Regarding wage revision, to our demand for a minimum of 20% increase in wage bill, IBA was willing to increase their offer from 15% to 17% subject to the approval of the Managing Committee

In view of this positive climate from both sides to work out some acceptable positions, we offered to defer our strike action and continue the discussion with a request to the IBA to expedite the settlement in view of the growing anxieties of the bank employees and officers.

IBA agreed to discuss the matter and inform us of their view on our demands. On 10th June, as assured, IBA contacted us and we were informed as under:

1. IBA is agreeable to offer an increase on 17.5% over the wage bill as of 31.3.2007
2. IBA confirms that pension cost sharing would be Rs. 4200 & Rs. 1800 crores respectively by the Banks and employees/Officers.
3. Existing pension scheme would continue to be in operation upto 31.3.2010.
4. Other issues of IBA including outsourcing would have to be discussed and resolved.

We had informed you that UFBU would meet immediately and submit our reactions to the IBA.

For this purpose, UFBU meeting was held today in Bangalore to discuss the revised offer of IBA and take a view.

But we are now surprised and shocked to be informed by IBA that as per the advice of the Government, the IBA cannot offer anything more than 15% increase.

While the bank employees and officers are anxiously awaiting early conclusion of the discussions and arriving at a final settlement on their demand for a fair wage revision and an option for PF optees to join the pension scheme and while UFBU was looking forward to clinch a broad understanding on these demands in the background of the positive discussions held on 9.6.09, the IBA’s present stand point comes as a bolt from the blue and is very surprising and shocking. It is equally unfair since it amounts to going back on the offer made by IBA.

UFBU, from its meeting in session now, rejects this offer of IBA as the same is totally unacceptable to us. UFBU also feels that this approach of the IBA/Government would constrain the UFBU to go back to its status-quo-ante position of agitation and strike which was deferred due to the positive approach of the IBA in the discussions held on 9.6.09.

The UFBU feels that before we take any decision to react organizationally, we should meet the IBA Chairman to sort out the issues amicably on the basis of the discussions held on 9.6.2009.

In view of the above, we shall thank you to provide us an early time convenient to you to enable us to meet you in person and submit our view points.

Since IBA’s going back on its offer has created an extraordinary situation of provocation, we desire an urgent meeting with you.

We await to hear from you before proceeding further.

Thanking you,

Yours faithfully,

Sd/-

C.H. Venkatachalam

Convener.

Source : All India Bank Employees Association.

Punjab cabinet clears UGC pay scales for college and university teachers

The Council of Ministers Thursday approved the implementation of UGC pay scales of teachers and equivalent cadres in universities and colleges in Punjab in the wake of the recommendations of Sixth Central Pay Commission.

A decision to this effect was taken here at a meeting of the Cabinet chaired by Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal this morning.

Giving the details Chief Minister’s Media Advisor Harcharan Bains said that this decision would be applicable to the teachers and equivalent cadres of Panjab University Chandigarh, Punjabi University, Patiala, Guru Nanak Dev University Amritsar, Punjab Agriculture University Ludhiana and Guru Angad Dev University of Veterinary Sciences Ludhiana along with Government colleges and government aided colleges. The concerned administrative department in the case of Punjab Agriculture University Ludhiana and Guru Angad Dev University of Veterinary Sciences Ludhiana would issue a separate notification in accordance with this memorandum. In case of any anomaly that arises in the notification to be issued for PAU and GADVASU, Ludhiana would resolve it at its own level. The state government would be liable to pay the total liability of about Rs.215.11 crore annually due to enhanced scales.

In another significant decision, the Council of Ministers also approved the creation of 10,710 new posts in the government schools, of which 5287 would be filled in 351 newly upgraded senior secondary schools under NABARD scheme and remaining 5423 in the schools upgraded under rationalization policy. Of 5287 newly created posts, included 77 Principals, 1902 Lecturers, 2106 Vocational Masters/Mistresses, 500 Senior Laboratory Attendants, 351 Librarians and 351 Library Restorers would be filled involving an expenditure of Rs.35.29 crore per annum for the schools upgraded under the NABARD scheme.

Likewise, the Council of Ministers also accorded approval for creation of 5423 posts including 73 Principals, 150 Lecturers in Physical Education, 600 Science Masters, 1700 Math Masters, 1600 Punjabi Masters, 950 Hindi Master and 350 Art & Craft teachers in 200 schools which had been upgraded from elementary to middle, middle to high and high to senior secondary level due to rationalization policy in 2001. The total annual expenditure involved in the creation of these 5423 posts was expected to Rs.27.05 crore per annum.

Source : Punjabnewsline.com

NITs want same pay as IITs, meets Sibal.

he National Institutes of Technology have demanded pay parity with faculty of Indian Institutes of Technology under a proposed salary regime that will enable them to compete for top teachers.

NIT directors rejected a differential pay structure between their institutes and the IITs proposed by a central pay panel at a meeting with human resource development minister Kapil Sibal last week, officials said.

The meeting was slated as a courtesy call on Sibal, HRD ministry sources said. “But it transformed into a forum for the directors to demand that their faculty are not ready to accept lower pay than the IITs,” an official said.

The demand follows recommendations of the pay panel for central technical institutes, headed by former Indian Institute of Science director Goverdhan Mehta. It suggested continuing with the different pay structures.

The IITs, India’s premier engineering schools, have traditionally enjoyed better pay for their faculty than the NITs and other top central engineering institutions, including four Indian Institutes of Information Technology.

But the NITs, which also hold the tag of “Institutes of National Importance” like the IITs, argue that the government must no longer discriminate between different institutions it funds.

“Jawaharlal Nehru University may have a better reputation than some other central varsities, but the same pay scales hold for all central universities. There is no reason why the system should be different in technical education,” an NIT director said.

The NITs also argue that lower pay scales prevent them from competing with the IITs for top teachers, propelling them into a “vicious cycle” where they can never hope to catch up with the IITs in quality.

The NITs had asked for equal pay during discussions with the Mehta committee on the salary review, according to the panel’s report.

Panel members point out that their report has recommended a hike in pay for faculty of all institutes, including the NITs. “It is natural for people to differ in their opinions on our report, but we believe we have given teachers across all institutions a wonderful deal,” Mehta said.

Another member argued that the different faculty structures at the IITs and the NITs make it “impossible” for their pay structures to be common.

The IITs have a four-tier faculty structure, with lecturers at the bottom of the rung followed by assistant professors, associate professors and professors.

The NITs have a three-tier structure. The Mehta panel has recommended that entrants to the NITs be called assistant professors, with associate professors and professors above them.

The panel has recommended identical salaries for IIT lecturers and NIT assistant professors. It has suggested that NIT associate professors receive pay that falls in between the salaries of IIT assistant professors and associate professors.

Professors at the NITs are placed on a par with associate professors of the IITs, according to the suggested pay structure.

Source : The Telegraph, Kolkata.

Punjab CM to seek higher recruitment of Sikhs, Rajputs in Army

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal Wednesday announced that he would soon take up the issue with the Ministry of Defence, GoI for giving higher representation to the Sikhs and Rajputs both martial communities in the Indian armed forces as had been given earlier prior to the criteria of population as the basis of recruitment.

Addressing a mammoth gathering of Rajput Community from all over the state on the 470th Birth Anniversary of Maharana Partap at a state level function organized here, Badal also announced that a suitable memorial would be soon erected in the memory of great warrior and freedom lover, the great son of the motherland Maharana Partap.

Paying rich tributes to Maharana Partap, Badal said that Maharana Partap was one of the great patriots, which the country had ever produced. He said his unprecedented selfless sacrifice would not only keep him alive this great legendary hero but his rich legacy of patriotism would ever inspire our future generations for times to come. Maharana Partap had not only sacrificed his life but every thing for the freedom of our motherland. The valour of this great king was not only admired by his friends but his foes also.

Former Governor of Goa Maharaja Bhanu Parkash Singh, who presided over the function lauded the efforts of Badal for maintaining peace, amity and communal harmony in the state. He also called upon the leaders of the country to follow the footprints of Maharana Partap for imbibing the spirit of patriotism and selfless sacrifice for our motherland.

Prominent amongst others who spoke on the occasion included Maharaja Raghbir Singh Sirohi, Kunwar Vikram Singh, MLA Morinda Ujagar Singh Wadali, Ex-Minister Madan Mohan Mittal, Dr.RS Parmar and Rana Gajinder. Advisor to Chief Minister Dr.DS Cheema, MLA Chamkaur Sahib Charanjit Singh, Seelam Sohi and former Minister Satwant Kaur Sandhu were also present on the occasion.

Source : Punjabnewsline.com

Budget : Standard Deduction may come again. Rail Budget :Tatkal rates, booking time may be cut

Ahead of the annual budget, here’s some cheer for salaried employees and pensioners. The finance ministry is considering bringing back standard deduction of up to Rs 20,000 in individual taxable incomes.

According to revenue department officials, the government may be willing to take a small hit in return for a spike in spending that it hopes will result from a bigger disposable income with the salaried classes.

Till the budget for 2005-06, a standard deduction of Rs 30,000 or 40 per cent of income, whichever was lower, was allowed to salaried employees with an annual income between Rs 75,000 and Rs 5 lakh. For those earning more, the standard deduction was fixed at Rs 20,000.

The standard deduction was meant to compensate salaried people for the fact that self-employed small businesspersons or entrepreneurs paid tax only on their net income after deducting business expenditure.

Industry has been demanding the re-introduction of standard deduction so that individual taxpayers are able to spend more and stimulate domestic demand. As Indira Gandhi’s finance minister, Pranab Mukherjee had in fact, raised it from Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000 in the budget for 1983-84.

SOURCE : INDIAN EXPRESS

RAIL BUDGET
Officials in the railway ministry are discussing a proposal by Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee to cut the premium on Tatkal (instant) tickets and reduce its booking period to give the railway budget an aam aadmi touch.

According to sources in the railway ministry, the new minister has reportedly received several appeals about the Tatkal scheme and has asked her officers to examine these aspects.

Tatkal berths come at a premium of Rs 75 to Rs 300, depending on the nature of the train and demand, and the booking windows are open five days before departure.

By reducing the booking time-frame further, the argument runs that people will have a bigger opportunity to access more non-premium tickets and rid the Railways of the stigma that Tatkal was legalised touting.

A section of the ministry, however, thinks the Tatkal premium is valid because the Railways has not increased basic passenger fares despite a steep increase in operating costs.

Some officials point out that a longer booking window for Tatkal actually makes it more convenient for the passenger to buy tickets and reduces the proclivity to access the black market.

During the last three years of his tenure, Lalu Prasad had more than doubled the number of Tatkal seats. These additional Tatkal seats were taken out of the berths available under normal reservations, making it harder for passengers to buy cheaper tickets in advance.

In 2005-06, the daily average number of berths in the Tatkal quota was 43,000. The following year, Prasad increased it to 57,000 and in 2007-08 he raised it to 98,000.

Revenue for the Railways from Tatkal almost doubled from Rs 200 crore in 2006-07 to Rs 396 crore in 2007-08 and around Rs 500 crore in 2008-09.

Currently, passengers can also book wait-listed tickets under the Tatkal quota. When the final reservation chart is prepared, the Railways distribute the vacant berths between the general quota and the Tatkal in 1:1 ratio.

Since the general waitlist is much bigger than the Tatkal waitlist, the chances of a Tatkal waitlisted passenger getting a confirmed ticket are higher. While this planning also encourages passengers to buy Tatkal tickets, Banerjee has not yet decided to change this ratio.

Source : Business Standard.

Tamilnadu employees not happy with "Pay Hike", Declare mode of stir on thursday.

The Tamil Nadu Government Employees Association (TNGEA) will announce its agitation programme on Thursday against the anomalies in the Sixth Pay Commission report, after consulting with other unions.The Association’s State president K Rajkumar and general secretary R Muthusundaram told Express that there exist a lot of anomalies in the implementation of Sixth Pay Commission report, including the non-payment of arrears for one-year till January 1, 2007.Chief Minister M Karunanidhi has assured to enforce the Central pay revision in toto they noted and sought clarification from him on 30 per cent pay hike.“While the city compensatory allowance was doubled for State staff by granting Rs 150 to Rs 350 for those residing in cities no such sop is given for staff in small towns,” they said. “In HRA, a last grade Central government staff in Chennai would get 30 per cent of basic pay, subject to a ceiling of Rs 1,500. Even though the HRA was doubled, the State government staff will get only Rs 325,” they said.When a Central government staff would get Rs 1,000 as educational expenses of one child and Rs 3,000 as hostel fee for a student per month a state employees would get no such sops, they rued.“As per our recommendations, there would be periodical promotions in the 4th, 9th and 13th years of their service,” said Secretary of the Association Dr K Senthil in Chennai. “Presently, our first promotion only comes after 18 years,” he clarified.
Source : Express Buzz

Sharp hike in salaries on cards for Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation staff.

The 8,000-odd employees of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation in Maharastra are in for a windfall as the civic body has decided to implement the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission for them. While the salaries of the employees will go up by nearly 21 per cent, it will put a financial burden of Rs 28.32 crore on the corporation every year.

The employees will get the benefits with retrospective effect from January 1, 2006, from when the state government has implemented the recommendations of the pay panel. The difference in salaries will be paid in five instalments over the next five years.

The decision to implement the sixth pay commission recommendations was taken at the civic standing committee. Earlier, the salary restructuring committee of the PCMC had held meetings to discuss the issue.

The committee also decided to pay Rs 15 lakh as consultancy fee to an independent agency for preparing the tender to buy 650 buses under a public-private partnership (PPP).

Meanwhile, various civic organisations opposed to the PPP model have decided to hold an agitation on Tuesday at the office of the divisional commissioner Dilip Band.

Source : Times of India.

New Insurance Scheme for Central Govt Employees.

As per the recommendations of the sixth CPC, the Misnistry of Health and family Welfare, Govt. of India has come up with a detailed plan of a health insurance scheme in lieu of the CGHS.
Government of India, therefore, proposes to provide inpatient health care services to their all personnel of the Central Government including All India Service officers, serving and retired, and others who are covered under the existing CGHS (Central Government Health Services) and under CS (MA) Rules [Central services (Medical attendance) Rules] through a Health Insurance Scheme catering to their health care requirements. The proposed scheme shall be on voluntary basis for current set of employees & pensioners but compulsory for future employees & pensioners. The existing CGHS beneficiaries will have an option to avail CGHS facilities for OPD requirements and the insurance scheme for inpatient treatment.
With the introduction of health insurance scheme, the Central Government Employee (existing/ retired) will have the choice to select the best available health facilities for meeting their health care and can get best available treatment in areas in the close proximity.
All personnel of the Central Government including All India Service officers, serving, newly recruited, retired and retiring and others who are covered under the existing CGHS(Central Government Health Services) and under CS (MA) [Central Services (Medical Attendance) Rules] Rules shall be offered Health Insurance Scheme on voluntary or on compulsorily basis . This could be:
1. CGEPHIS shall be compulsory to new Central Government Employees who would be joining service after the introduction of the health Insurance Scheme.
2. CGEPHIS shall be compulsory to new Central Government retirees who would be retiring from the service after the introduction of the Insurance Scheme.
3. CGEPHIS would be available on voluntary basis for the existing Central Government Employees and pensioners serving in CGHS area/ covered by CGHS. In this case such serving Central Government Employees and Central Government existing Pensioners shall have to opt out of CGHS scheme. They will also have the option of choosing both CGHS and Insurance policy. In such case the total premium has to be born by the beneficiary.
4. CGEPHIS would also be available on voluntary basis for the existing serving employees and pensioners in non-CGHS areas not covered by CGHS. In this case such serving Central Government Employees and existing Pensioners (who have opted for CGHS facility) shall have to opt out of CGHS scheme. They will also have the option of choosing both CGHS and Insurance policy. In such case the total premium has to be born by the beneficiary.
The scheme shall provide coverage for meeting all expenses relating to hospitalization of beneficiary members up to Rs. 500,000/- per family per year subject to stated limits on cashless basis through smart cards. The benefit shall be available to each and every member of the family on floater basis i.e. the total reimbursement of Rs. 5 .00 lac can be availed by one individual or all members of the family. The sub-limits mentioned herein form part of the overall annual, family limit.

See details here.

Air India to delay salary by 15 days.

Air India will delay paying salaries to its 31,000 employees by 15 days in July as it struggles with a cash crunch.

The state-run airline, likely to report a loss of Rs 4,300 crore for 2008-09, could also defer buying some of the Boeing 777s it has ordered this year.

“We, like the rest of the aviation industry, are passing through a temporary cash flow imbalance and will be paying June salaries on July 15 instead of the first of the month,” airline director Jitendra Bhargava said.

Salary payments are expected to be on schedule from the month after, officials added.

Airlines in the country are likely to post a combined loss of Rs 9,000-10,000 crore in 2008-09. Air India is India’s biggest airline. Unlike some of the others, it has not cut pay.

An inter-ministry committee has recommended that Air India, which has sought a Rs 4,000-crore bailout from the government, delay its purchases.

The airline inducted 10 Boeing 777s and 12 Boeing 737-800s over the past two years to feed international routes but the economic downturn has meant that many of the planes are flying less than half-full.

This year, Air India was to buy 7 Boeing 777s. In all, the airline had plans to buy 111 new aircraft by 2012. But officials now say it might take at least another four years to complete the fleet expansion, which will cost Rs 44,000 crore.

In this financial year alone, it needs Rs 8,165.44 crore for new aircraft, unless it immediately defers purchases.

“It does not make sense to buy too many new planes now.... Let the market recover,” officials said.

The airline could consider selling or leasing out older aircraft. “The only problem is the market for old aircraft has also crashed,” a source said.

Air India has been seeking Rs 1,231 crore in equity infusion from the government and Rs 2,750 crore in grant or soft loans. While the request for investment is expected to be granted, officials said, that for soft loans is unlikely to be met.

Last year, private airlines, including Kingfisher and Jet, were allowed to pay their fuel dues of over Rs 2,900 crore in six interest-free instalments.

Source : The Telegraph. Kolkata.

UP Teachers angry with step-motherly treatment of state govt

Resentment is brewing among higher education teachers due to delay in implementation of the sixth pay commission report. Though ministry of HRD has authinticated Fitment Table for fixation of pay, the state Govt it yet to start the process of implementation. Most interestingly, the pay hike has been implemented to the employees and as a result, the non teachin staff in state universities are getting higher salary than the teachers.

Both Lucknow University Teachers' Association (LUTA) and Lucknow University Associated Colleges Teachers Association (LUACTA) have threatened to take to war path, if pay commission report is not implemented soon. LUTA has called a general body meeting on June 18 at 11 am in the Staff Club to decide future course of action. LUTA president Anil Shukla said that teachers are angry with the step-motherly treatment given to them by the state government and would not hesitate in stalling the admission process, if their demands were not met.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) had approved salary scales for higher education teachers at par with the sixth pay commission report last year. In case of higher education, 80 per cent of the increased salary is given by the UGC for five years and 20 per cent has to be borne by the state government. In February, the statement government announced that it would provide the hiked salary scales to teachers as per the recommendations from January 2006. But the order also said that arrears for the period between January 2006 and December 2008 would be imaginary.

Later, following protests by teachers, the state government agreed to provide full arrears. However, by then elections were announced and government could not implement the decision because of election code of conduct. Earlier, this month `fitment tables' (salary scales as per the post) were released. Now, the state government needs to sanction money and send `fitment tables' to the state universities and director higher education for calculation of revised scales to be paid to teachers of state universities and government/government-aided degree colleges.

However, LUACTA president Moulindu Mishra told TOI that the government has neither sent fitment tables nor issued any order so far. He also said that government has also not released order for payment of arrears between 2006 and 2008 as it has agreed earlier. Orders related to payment of revised house rent allowance, family planning increment and pensions are also pending. "I fail to understand why there is a delay in issuing of orders when the state government has to pay only 20% of the amount for the revised scales," he said.

* The HRD ministry has issued nine fitment tables for the purpose of segregating assistant professors, associate professors, professors, librarians, principals, registrars, finance officers, controller of examinations and director physical education.

* The fitment tables carry the academic grade pay from Rs 6000 to Rs 10,000 for teachers, while grade pay of Rs 7600 to Rs 10,000 has been approved for administrative staff.

* The incumbent readers, now designated as associate professors with three years of service as on January 1, 2006 have been placed in the pay band of Rs 37,400-67000 with academic grade pay of Rs 9000.

* With the enhancement of pay scales, the UGC has also directed the state universities and colleges to observe 30 weeks of actual teaching in a six day week and fixed a period of 12 weeks for admissions, examinations and sports etc.

* The UGC has also curtailed the period of vacations and holidays in a session by over two weeks in a session.

* The UGC has also issued elaborated academic performance indicators and weightage points tables required to develop performance appraisal for teachers in regard to career advancement.

* Under performance appraisal scoring system (PASS) the teachers would be required to achieve minimum 100 to 300 points to move from one academic grade pay to another.

Source : The Times of India.

AIFUCTO PRESS RELEASE ON FITMENT TABLE

AIFUCTO PRESS RELEASE

11.06.09

AIFUCTO President Prof. Thomas Joseph and General Secretary Prof. Asok Barman have welcomed the issue of the pay revision fitment table by MHRD,Govt. of India and expressed their strong reservations against the provision of the fitment table which is at variance with the notification of MHRD dated 31-12-2008. The fitment table order has denied one bunching benefit to all teachers in selection grade/reader designation. AIFUCTO has demanded that the anomaly be corrected immediately, failing which AIFUCTO will be compelled to respond by direct action.

AIFUCTO also demanded that all state governments immediately implement the new pay scales in accordance with the MHRD notification dated 31-12-2008. The leaders pointed out that the scales have already been implemented in central universities and that state level implementation is already long overdue .AIFUCTO warned that the teachers would resort to agitational action if there is any further delay in the implementation of scales in the states.

The National Executive Committee of AIFUCTO which is scheduled to meet at Shillong on 6.6.2009[?] will review the status of implementation and decide on the appropriate form of action to be resorted to at the central and state levels for the rectification of anomalies and implementation of the scales.

Source : AIFUCTO Website.

Andhra Pradesh state university faculty memebers' pay to be hiked soon.

Here is a good news for the faculty of the State universities. Soon they will draw salaries on par with their counterparts of Central universities.Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy has assured all the State university faculty members that a committee would be constituted within a week to revise their salaries as per the revised University Grants Commission pay scales proposed in 2006.Addressing the members of the AP University Teachers Federation on the sidelines of the Vice-Chancellors’ meet here today, the Chief Minister said: “A committee would be formed within a week and would soon finalise the revised pay scales.’’ Earlier, president of APUTF Butcha Reddy along with other members submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister stating that the UGC has given directive to all the State councils in the country to hike the salaries as per their guidelines.Initially, the UGC has given directive only to the Central universities and later extended to the State universities last month. Higher Education Minister D Sridhar Babu said that they have already received the fitment formula to revise the pay scales and there was formal work that needs to be done before implementing the new scales.The members of the APUTF also gave a representation about the super-annuation of the faculty members in the State universities on par with the Central university faculty, which the Chief Minister promised to look into.

Source : Indian Express.

States urged centre to bear cost of pay hike implementation

State governments, in a unanimous decision, have asked the Centre to bear 50 per cent of the cost from implementing Sixth Pay Commission recommendations in the backdrop of the economic slowdown, which has depressed revenue collections.

In addition, the states also sought relaxation of fiscal deficit targets by another 2 per cent of their Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) for at least two financial years, from the current level of 3.5 per cent of GSDP. If implemented, this would mean additional borrowing of nearly Rs 1,20,000 crore over the next nine months of fiscal 2009-10.

“There was a consensus among states that 50 per cent of the expenses arising out of implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission should be borne by the Centre,” said Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, after emerging from the first ever pre-Budget meeting between states and the Union finance ministry.

Chief Ministers Prem Dhumal (Himachal Pradesh), Digambar Kamat (Goa) and Finance Minister of Chhattisgarh Amar Agarwal also toed the same line after the meeting. “States are facing difficulty in revenue generation. The Centre should bear the cost of the Sixth Pay Commission to help us,” Kamat added.

Though Sixth Pay Commission is applicable only for central government employees, many states benchmark their pay revision based on central pay commission.

The Sixth Pay Commission recommendations were accepted by the Union Cabinet on August 14. The recommendations lead to an average increase of 21 per cent in salaries of 5 million government central government employees. The central exchequer’s annual cost went up by Rs 17,798 crore because of the new wage structure. Moreover, the recommendations also cost the government Rs 29,373 crore on account of arrears from January 2006 and August 2008.

Source : Business Standard.

Jammu and Kashmir pay hike : CM firm to meet August 1 deadline

The Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is set to discuss the implementation of 6th Pay Commission with Home Minister P Chidambaram on Friday when State finance team will meet him and seek central assistance.
Financial Commissioner, Planning and Development, S L Bhat told Rising Kashmir that a team of officials of Finance and Planning departments will meet Home Minister on Friday and discuss various developmental plans with him. “We will discuss the developmental plans of State with the Home Minister and seek financial assistance from the centre to complete different developmental projects,” he said.
Bhat said the Chief Minister would discuss the implementation of 6th Pay Commission with Home minister.
“Omar would brief him about the promise that he has made to over 4.5 lakh government employees about implementation of 6th Pay commission recommendations from August 1,” officials of State planning department said.
The State’s exchequer will have to face additional burden of Rs 2000 crore annually in case the Pay commission recommendations are implemented. “For first year, managing such huge revenue will be very difficult task but since 13th Finance Commission will have kick-started next year, State will receive enough funds to meet the requirements,” the officials said.
They said Chidambaram would apprise the Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee about the financial requirement of the State especially after the implementation of revised pay scales for employees.
“We have to receive the nod from New Delhi before the budget session of Assembly, which will commence from July 15,” the officials said, adding, “It was must to get the signal from New Delhi about the sanctioning of amount under the plan and non-plan section”.
Meanwhile, employees have warned of mass agitation in case government failed to implement the revised pay scales from August. “All the recommendations made by the two committees formed by the Governor— S L Bhat and Hasseeb Drabu Committees should be implemented in letter and spirit,” said EJAC-Q chairman Abdul Qayoom Wani.
He said following the Shopian incident, they could not build pressure on the government for their other demands like conversion of COLA into DA and enhancement in the retirement age from 58 to 60. “After the things cool down, we will sit and chalk out future course of action,” added Wani.
The State will have to clear the arrears of employees since January 2006, amounting to Rs 3800 crore. However, the amount will be credited in the accounts of employees in equal yearly instalments.

Source : The daily Rising Kashmir.