West Bengal employees blessed with 10% Interim Relief

After coming to power for the second time, the Mamata Banerjee led government on Friday announced a grant of interim relief to state government employees amounting to 10 percent of their band pay.

"In our first cabinet meeting, we have decided to provide a grant of interim relief to state government employees amounting to ten percent of the band pay drawn by them," said state Finance Minister Amit Mitra.

"This will be effective from July and will cover state employees, teachers, local government employees and pensioners," he said.

"The interim relief is small in nature but the net impact to the state exchequer will be around Rs.3,000 crore," said Banerjee.

The difference in dearness allowance for state employees compared to their central counterparts stands at 50 percent.

Banerjee had announced a 10 percent hike in dearness allowance for the state employees from January reducing the difference to 44 percent. Later in March, the centre hiked the allowance by another six percent.

The government in its first stint had announced the Sixth Pay Commission to review the pay structure of state government employees.

Media reports : Govt likely to table the 7th pay commission report before Cabinet next month

Central government employees can expect to get some good news trickling in from government sources towards the end of June.

As per reports, the Finance Ministry is likely to table the 7th Pay Commission report to the Cabinet for approval in the last week of June.

The 7th pay panel headed by AK Mathur had recommended the minimum salary for central government employees at Rs 18,000 and maximum salary at Rs 2,50,000. As employees protested against the wage hike calling it the "lowest ever" raise, the government set up the Empowered Committee of Secretaries group to review the AK Mathur-panel's recommendations.

The Empowered Committee of Secretaries on the Seventh Central Pay Commission is expected to soon wrap up its report on the remuneration of government employees.

Crucial and decisive meeting on 7th pay commission likely on 11th June

The Empowered Committee of Secretaries (CoS) headed by Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha processing the report of the Seventh Central Pay Commission is expected to meet on June 11 to finally wrap up its report on the remuneration of government employees.

It is reported that the secretaries panel will finally hear out all the stakeholders, including the Central ministries and Departments, and finalise its report, which will be handed over to the government on June 30.

Sources added that even the Prime Minister's Office is keen on a favourable pay hike for the central government employees, so the panel is likely to recommend a minimum salary at Rs 24,000 and the highest salary at Rs 2,70,000.

New pay for central employees from July, Arrears likely in August

As per "The Sen Times", a popular website for Central Govt. employees, indicated that new pay for central employees will be disbursed from July and arrears to be paid in the month of August.
The text of the news published in The Sen Times is reproduced below.
" The central government is going to start payment of salaries to its 48 lakh officials and employees according to 7th Pay Commission award from July and six months’ arrears are to be paid in August.

As per official calculation, no huge amount will be required for the payment of arrears.

Catering charges in Rajdhani/Shatabdi/Duronto Express admissible in LTC

In a recent clarification, DOPT made it clear that catering charges levied by Railway in these trains are fully reimbursable while claiming LTC for Central Govt. Employees.
"The matter has been examined in consultation with Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance and it is clarified that if the Government servant has to compulsorily avail the catering facility and the cost is included in the rail fare for Rajdhani/Shatabdi/Duronto trains, the fare charged shall be reimbursable in full as per the entitlement/eligibility of the Government servant."
Download the clarification

DOPT Minister of State assures better deal in 7th CPC

 "This is to inform you that today (07.05.2016), a meeting held with Hon’ble MoS, DoP&T Dr. Jitendra Singh, attended by Shri Sadhu Singh, Shri Virendra Sharma along with other office bearers of Railways, Postal, Autonomous Bodies under the leadership of Shri Pawan Kumar, Regional Organizing Secretary Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh."
"Hon’ble MoS has assured that the Government of India is considering positively to enhance the minimum pay, multiplying factor of 07th CPC. But exact amount / number would be decided / declared by the Cabinet Committee."
"For payment of Bonus arrears to Central Government employees, he is going to write a letter to finance Minister, Govt of India to issue necessary directives. "
Source : BMS unit of defence workers

Clarification on fare paid for child ticket in LTC

"As per Railway Board's circular No. 71 of 2015, Ministry of Railways have decided that in case of children above 5 years and under 12 years of age, for whom full berth/seat is sought at the time of reservation, full fare shall be charged. It is mentioned that if berth/seat is not sought for the children of age 5 years and under 12 years of age at the time of reservation, then half of the adult fare shall continue to be charged subject to minimum distance for charge. This would be effective for the travel w.e.f. 10.04.2016.
 2. In this regard, several references have been received in this Department from various Ministries/ Departments seeking clarification as to whether the full fare charged by the Railways for reservation of berth for children between 5 years and 12 years shall be reimbursable while availing LTC facility. 3. The matter has been examined in consultation with Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance and it has been decided that for the family members of the Government servant, aged between 5 yrs and under 12 yrs, the actual rail fare shall be reimbursed for LTC, as per the choice of rail tickets purchased by the Government servant.  "
Click here for the O.M. dated 29.05.2016

Secretaries panel to submit pay report in June, Better scales likely

The central government employees' wait to get higher pay package under the 7th pay commission is nearing its end.

As per reports, The empowered committee of secretaries reviewing the 7th pay commission's recommendations will not delay submitting it report beyond June.

Cabinet Secretary PK Sinha, who is also heading the empowered committee of secretaries, is reported to have told a delegation of Indian Public Employees Federation that the secretaries panel would submit its report latest by June 30. It would that the panel would have given its report to the Centre in May, but the ongoing budget session has delayed the submission of the report.

According to another report, the minimum salary of the employees is likely to rise to Rs 21, 000 with maximum salary touching Rs 2,70,000 mark.

Bank D.A. to decrease 7 slabs for May to July 2016

Now CPI for all the three months has been announced for relevant months and the same is as follows:-

Month	CPI
January 2016	6140.17
February 2016	6094.52
March 2016	6117.34

Based on the above calculations the  revised  DA is to be @ 41.90%, for the months of  May, 2016 to July 2016.   [The DA for February 2016 to April 2016 was  42.60%] i.e. decrease  of  0.70%. (decrease of 7 slabs) 

Odisha announces 6% increase in dearness allowance

The increase would come into force with retrospective effect from January 1, 2016.

Odisha government on Saturday announced 6% hike in Dearness Allowance (DA) and Dearness Relief (DR) for its employees and pensioners which would cost the exchequer an additional Rs 676.90 crore annually.

The increase, which would come into force with retrospective effect from January 1, 2016, has raised the rate from 119% to 125%, Finance Minister Pradip Amat told reporters.

The DA was increased following approval by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, he said.

While total annual implication on enhancement of DA and DR comes to Rs 676.90 crore, the additional requirement of fund during 2016-17 towards the hike with effect from January 1, this year, including arrear, comes to Rs 789.72 crore, the Finance minister said.

The hike would benefit about four lakh employees and three lakh pensioners of state government, Amat said.