West Bengal issued ROPA 2019 for higher pay but No Arrears

Salient Features :

They shall be deemed to have come into force on the first day of January, 2016. 
Application  ‐ (1) Save as otherwise provided by or under these rules, these rules shall apply to persons appointed to civil services and posts under the rule making control of  the  Government  of  West  Bengal  except  members  of  All  India  Services,  the  West  Bengal  Judicial Service and members of the services to whom the University Grants Commission, the  All India Council of Technical Education and Indian Council of Agricultural Research scales of  pay apply.  (2)   Unless  specifically  extended  under  express  order  of  the  State  Government,  these rules shall not apply to  ‐   (a) Subordinate executive staff of the Police Forces in West Bengal,  (b) Officers and staff of the West Bengal National Volunteer Force,   (c) Officers and staff of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly Secretariat,  (d) ) Officers and staff of the Public Service Commission, West Bengal,  (e) Officers and staff of the High Court at Kolkata  (3)  These rules shall not also apply to :  (a) Government employees appointed on contract,  (b) Government employees not in whole time employment,  (c)  Government  employees  paid  otherwise  than  on  a  monthly  basis,  Including  those paid at piece‐rates,  (d)  Government  employees  who  have  retired  in  the  afternoon  of  the  31st December, 2015, and  (e) Government employees re‐employed after retirement. 
 From the date of commencement of these rules the Level of  posts shall be determined in accordance with the various Levels as assigned  to  the corresponding existing Pay Band and Grade Pay as specified in the Pay Matrix.  5.   Drawal  of  pay in  the  revised  pay  structure  ‐ Save as  otherwise  provided in  these  rules,  a  Government  servant  shall  draw  pay  in  the  Level  in  the  revised  pay  structure applicable to the post which he is holding as on 01.01.2016 or to which he is  appointed on or after 1st  day of January ,2016 : 
Payment  of  arrears.‐  Notwithstanding  anything  contained  elsewhere  in  these  rules, or in any other rules for the time being in force , no arrears of pay to which a Government  Servant may be entitled in respect of the period from the 1st day of January,2016 to the 31st day  of December,2019, shall be paid to the Government employee. 
House Rent Allowance – With effect  from the 1st January, 2020, the house rent allowance  admissible  to  a  Government employee  shall  be  12%  of  his  revised  basic  pay,  subject  to  a  maximum of Rs. 12,000/‐ per month. The ceiling of house rent allowance drawn by husband  and wife together shall also be raised to Rs. 12,000/‐ per month. 
No mention of D.A. in this ROPA 2019, so it can be assumed that as on 1.1.2020 , there will be no Dearness Allowance payable.
Click here to download ROPA 2019
Click here to download Memorandum for Pensioners

NO PLAN TO REDUCE CENTRAL EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT AGE

A fake news is being circulated in social media that Centre is mulling to reduce retirement age of Central Govt. employees. A fake whatsapp message is being circulated as under  :

"DOPT has finalized proposals for implementation of 33 years service or 60 years age whichever is early for retirement on superannuation for all Government employees. File sent to finance ministry for implementation w. e. f. 1.4.2020"

Some websites and blogs related to Central Employees are also backing the propaganda.
 Official sources, however, said: “The rumours circulating in the social media about DoPT having given clearance to a proposal for reducing the age of superannuation of central Government employees with effect from April 1, 2020, are unfounded and baseless. It has been clarified that there is no such proposal”.

A number of leading newspaper reported that this is a rumour and there is no such move. One can go through the newspaper reports by clicking the following links.
The Tribune
Times of India
Hindustan Times

Bank Strike withdrawn on assurance on amalgamation and wage revision

Trade unions of public sector banks (PSBs) on Monday decided to withdraw a two-day nationwide strike slated to begin from Wednesday.

The unions called off the strike after holding a meeting with Finance Secretary Rajiv Kumar in which they were assured that a committee will be set up to address issues arising out of the proposed amalgamation of 10 PSBs into four.

“The finance secretary was positive in formation of a committee consisting of all concerned to address the issues arising out of the proposed merger of 10 banks, including preserving the identity of all the banks. An appeal was made to us to revisit our strike call in view of the discussions,” a statement issued by four unions, which had given the strike call, said.

The All India Banks Officers’ Confederation, the All India Banks Officers’ Association (AIBOA), the Indian National Bank Officers’ Congress and the National Organisation of Bank Officers had called for a two-day strike opposing the amalgamation of banks.

WB cabinet approved pay hike

The West Bengal cabinet on Tuesday approved the implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission with a revised pay. It must be noted that it will come into effect from January 1, 2020.

In what could bring cheers to the government employees, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee approved hikes more than what was suggested by the pay panel in some cases, without any arrears.

“The Cabinet today approved recommendations of the Pay Commission and it will be effective from January 1, 2020. The state government will be paying its employees a notional effect calculated from 2016,” state Finance Minister Amit Mitra said.

Raiway employees to get 78 days' bonus

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the payment of Productivity Linked Bonus (PLB) equivalent to 78 days wages to over 11.52 Lakh eligible non-gazetted railway employees (excluding RPF/RPSF personnel) for the Financial Year (FY) 2018-19, for maintaining industrial peace and motivation of railwaymen. This entails an expenditure of Rs. 2024.40 crores to the exchequer.

This is the sixth consecutive year that the Government led by Mr Narendra Modi has maintained a bonus of 78 days wages. It has never lowered it.

Bank Bipartite : Unions reject 12% increase offer

Bank trade unions on Tuesday said the improved offer of a 12 per cent increase in the pay slip cost by bank managements is unacceptable to them. The earlier offer was at 10 per cent.

“The nine trade unions, under the aegis of the United Forum of Bank Unions, welcomed this improvement, but informed that this offer is not acceptable, as the offer has to be at least more than 15 per cent, which was settled under the 10th settlement from 2012 to 2017,” said CH Venkatachalam, General Secretary, All India Bank Employees Association.

West Bengal Pay Commission report submitted

West Bengal Pay Commission report submitted. Likely to be implemented from 01.01.2020.
Details awaited.

Cabinet may approve hike in central D.A. tomorrow

As per sources, Central employees and pensioners will have reason to cheer tomorrow. Cabinet likely to take up the issued of Dearness Allowance hike tomorrow. 
After the cabinet nod  central employee and pensioners will get D.A/D.R. at enhanced rate, up by 5% with effect from 1st July 2019.
So wait for cabinet meeting and the possible announcement thereafter.

Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers (CPI-IW) — July, 2019

The (AICPIN) All-India CPI-IW for July, 2019 increased by 3 points and pegged at 319 (three hundred and nineteen).