RBI employees on warpath for wage settlement

 

RBI staff wages are decided through a bipartite settlement once in five years through negotiations between management and employee unions. The current round of wage revision is pending since November 2017.

The United Forum of Reserve Bank officers and employees has threatened to go for mass agitation seeking urgent resolution of wage settlement issue. The agitation plans include mass casual leave for all staff coming under current wage settlements on November 30, 2021.

"Our patience is wearing thin, you will please appreciate. Our members are very restive and are in highly agitated mood," said the United Forum office bearers in a letter to RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das on November 12.

"We, as their accredited representatives, are therefore, constrained to call upon our members to mobilize themselves and express their grievances appropriately, in organized and disciplined manner, including cessation of work through Mass Casual Leave, which we sincerely tried to avoid but an inordinate delay on Bank’s part on such a very sensitive matter compels us," the letter said

RBI staff wages are decided through a bipartite settlement once in five years through negotiations between management and employee unions. The current round of wage revision is pending since November 2017. The RBI has different unions for lower-level employees (mainly class 3 and 4 employees) and officers.

The wage settlement applies to all central bank staff although officers typically get slightly higher revision compared with lower-level employees. The Indian central bank has around 12,500-13,000 employees.

According to the union, the representatives of AIRBEA (All India Reserve Bank Employees Association) were asked to come to Mumbai for a physical meeting with RBI’s negotiating team on September 22, 2021 in presence of Executive Director in-charge of Administration.

Accordingly, AIRBEA invited its leaders from various centres to Mumbai. However, on September 24, 2021, though the AIRBEA representatives waited for the whole day for RBI's draft settlement which did not come, the Union officials said. “In the evening we were informed by the HRMD (Human Resource Management Department) officials that because of some constraints, Bank was not enabled to give us the draft and we were asked to come on Monday, the 27th September, 2021,” the officials said, adding due to this, about twenty-five AIRBEA representatives had to prolong their stay in Mumbai in anticipation of the draft.

Source : Money Control

Central employes and pensioners get 3% additional D.A./D.R with effect from 01/07/2021

 As informed in this blog a few hours ago, Cabinet approved 3% D.A/D.R. to Central Govt. employees and pensioners with effect from 1st July 2021. With this hike total D.A./D.R. reached to 31% of Basic Pay / Pension. Earlier in July, Govt. cleared pending 11% D.A. which was kept in abeyance from January 2020 onwards due to corona outbreak and necessary expenses thereof.

This will benefit about 47.14 lakh Central Government employees and 68.62 lakh pensioners Impact on the exchequer on account of both Dearness Allowance and Dearness Relief would be Rs.9,488.70 crore per annum (As per PIB Press Release)

Centre may announce 3% D A today

 As per sources, Cabinet likely to announce 3% D A to Central Govt employees and pensioners wef 01/07/2021 today.

Adhoc Bonus for 2020-21 declared for Central Govt. employees

 Non-Productivity Linked Bonus (Ad-hoc Bonus) for Central Government Employees: The Central Government has approved the grant of Non-Productivity Linked Bonus (Ad-hoc Bonus) equivalent to 30 days emoluments for 2020-21 to some Central Government employees.

To calculate Non-PLB (Ad-hoc bonus) for one day, the average emoluments in a year will be divided by 30.4 (average number of days in a month).
This will, thereafter, be multiplied by the number of days of bonus granted.

For example, taking the calculation ceiling of monthly emoluments of Rs. 7000 (where actual average emoluments exceed Rs. 7000), Ad-hoc Bonus for thirty days would be Rs 7000×30/30.4 = Rs 6907.89 (rounded off to Rs.6908.

Click here for the Order

Central employees waiting for D.A. hike and bonus declaraton

Central Govt. employees and pensioners are eagerly waiting for announcement of D.A./D.R hike with effect from 1st July 2021. The possible hike is 3% over and above the existing 28% after release of long pending dues.

After announcement of 78 days' productivity linked bonus for railway employees, other central employees are looking forward their turn.

Click here for PIB Press Release for Railway Bonus

Click here for Railway Bonus Order

It is expected that this twin announcement will come very soon, before the fast approaching festival days.

Central DA/DR to be hiked by 3% again with effect from 01/07/2021

 As per the release of AICPI-IW data for June 2021 by labour bureau (Click here to view the release), it has increased by 1.1 points and stood at 121.7.

Based on the data available for the last six months it can be calculated that central employees and pensioners to get a hike of 3% in D.A./D.R. with effect from 01/07/2021.

Recently Govt unfreezed the DA/DR and implemented a 11% hike which was pending for long. Let us wait and see when Govt. takes a call to increase the July installment which as per convention usually declared in the month of September.

New portal - "Utsashree" launched for mutual transfer of teachers and teaching staff in Bengal

 A new portal naming Utsashree launched by West Bengal Govt for online application for mutual transfer of teachers and teaching staff.

Eligibility for transfer through this portal

According to sources, you are eligible to request for transfer through the Utshashree portal under the following conditions:

• You must be a West Bengal government/government aided school teacher/teaching staff (primary, high, upper primary school teacher).
• You must have complete 5 years of service at your present school and post.
• You must not have taken any transfer recently, if taken, you can’t apply for 5 years.
• You must not have rejected any previous transfer order, if done, you can’t apply for 7 years.
• You must not be suspended at present.
• You must not have any school related ongoing court case.

A complete list of eligibility will soon be announced by the West Bengal government.

Teachers and teaching staff from all over West Bengal can request for the transfer through the Utshashree online portal from midnight of 1st August 2021.

Karnataka likely to release 11% D.A. soon

Update : Order Issued

The State Government has decided to increase the Dearness Allowance (DA) for its employees and pensioners by 11 per cent with effect from July 1 this year. The order will be issued by Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa in two to three days, said the Karnataka State Government Employees Association on Tuesday.

The Association stated that after their memorandum, the Chief Minister directed the Finance Department to issue an order and to approve the increase in DA that had been held up since the beginning of this year due to the Covid pandemic. The Association had appealed to the Chief Minister to release the DA hike in three instalments. Association president CS Shadakshari said the new order will help six lakh state government employees and 4.5 lakh pensioners along with three lakh staffers working with various boards and corporations.

Source : The Indian Express

Know your gross salary for July 2021 after D.A. hiked to 28%

One of a similar website (Govt Employees News) has published a detailed chart for all pay levels in it's YouTube channel. For the benefit of our viewers, we are reproducing the chart in pdf format.

Click here to view the full chart

Original video in You Tube can be viewed in the link provided below.

View in You Tube

(Disclaimer : This blog did not check the accuracy of calculation)

Central Govt issued D.A order wef 01.07.2021

 Click here for Central D.A. order wef 01/07/2021

With this, central Govt. employees will get D.A @ 28% from 01/07/2021, a hike of 11% after one and half year.

Rajasthan hiked DA/DR of Govt employees, pensioners from July 2021

Update : Click here for Order for employees

                Click here for order for pensioners

 Perhaps Rajasthan is the first state Govt.in the country to follow the centre's decision to release DA/DR. 

Rajasthan hikes dearness allowance for govt employees to 28% from July 1, pensioners to benefit

Dearness allowances for central government employees have also been increased from 17% to 28%. The much-awaited announcement came as a major relief to lakhs of central government employees and pensioners after DA and DR were put on hold last year in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In what comes as a relief for Rajasthan government employees amid the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic, the state's chief minister Ashok Gehlot has allowed an increase in the dearness allowances of government employees from the existing 17% to 28%. The increase in dearness allowances was made applicable from July 1, an official notification said, adding that an amount around ₹4,000 crore per annum has been allotted to support the government employees during this difficult time.

D.A. and HRA hiked for central employees

 Finally central employees and pensioners long wait for DA/DR increase comes to an end. Cabinet approved 11% increase in DA/DR with effect from 1st July 2021.

With this increase, central employees and pensioners will get DA/DR @28% from this month.

Cabinet approves increase in Dearness Allowance and Dearness Relief

Posted On: 14 JUL 2021 4:03PM by PIB Delhi

The Cabinet Committee chaired by the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today has approved increase the Dearness Allowance to Central Government employees and Dearness Relief to pensioners with effect from 01.07.2021 to 28% representing an increase of 11% over the existing rate of 17% of the Basic Pay/Pension.

In view of the unprecedented situation which arose due to the COVID-19 pandemic, three additional instalments of Dearness Allowance (DA) to Central Government employees and Dearness Relief (DR) to pensioners, which were due from 01.01.2020, 01.07.2020 and 01.01.2021, had been frozen.

Now, the Government has decided to increase the Dearness Allowance to Central Government employees and Dearness Relief to pensioners with effect from 01.07.2021 to 28% representing an increase of 11% over the existing rate of 17% of the Basic Pay/Pension.  The increase reflects the additional instalments arising on 01.01.2020, 01.07.2020 and 01.01.2021.  The rate of Dearness Allowance/Dearness Relief for the period 01.01.2020 to 30.06.2021 shall remain at 17%

With the total D.A crossing 25%, HRA will be revised to 27%, 18% and 9% respectively for X,Y and Z class cities as per O.M. No. 2/5/2017-E.IIB Dated 07/07/2017 of Dept. of Expenditure.

Central employees and pensioners' D.A./D.R likely to get 3% increase in July installment

 In a good news for lakhs of Central government employees and pensioners, they are expected to receive a Dearness Allowance (DA) hike of 3% in July. According to the data released by All India Consumer Price Index (AICPI) from January to May, it is likely that the DA of Central government employees and pensioners may increase by 3% in July.

Under the 7th Pay Commission, Central employees currently get 17% DA and when the DA hike of the last three installments will be restored then it will jump to 28%.

It may be recalled that DA was increased by 4 percent in January 2020, followed by 3 percent increase in the second half i.e. July 2020 and it has increased by 4% in January 2021. Now if it will increase by 3 percent in July 2021, then the central government employees will get DA hike of 31 percent (17+4+3+4+3).

Source : DNA India

Latest on Central Employees' D.A. / DR (which was scheduled to unfreeze from July1, 2021)

 The Staff Side meeting of the National Council JCM was held on 25/06/2021 to discuss about the issues to be raised in the introductory remarks during the National Council – JCM meeting on 26/06/2021. After finalizing the points to be raised in the meeting and also after discussion on the 29 Agenda Points the following decision were taken unanimously:-

Only the relevant portion of the meeting is reproduced below)

Withdrawal of orders of DA/ DR freeze.

Decision:-Cabinet Secretary stated that Department of Expenditure would process the matter for getting the Cabinet Approval for restoring the frozen DA / DR from 1/7/2021. The Staff Side demanded that they are eligible for arrears from 1/1/2020 and the mode payment can be discussed separately with the Staff Side. The Staff Side also demanded to extend the benefit to those employees who retired / expired between 1/1/2020 and 30/06/2021.

Click here to view full minutes from AIRF website.

Major shift in vaccine policy : Centre to provide free jabs to all

 In a recent U turn, P.M announced that Central Govt. will provide free vaccine to all citizens over 18 and state Govt. will not have to pay for vaccine anymore.

Govt. announced that 75% of total production will be purchased by Central Govt. and will provide states for free vaccination.

Remaining 25% will be sold to private facilities where citizen can take jabs if they desire. Private facilities can not charge more than Rs 150 over and above the cost price.

The new policy will take effect after two weeks, the 21st June 2021. PM said.

Following heavy criticism from the country as well as Supreme Court prompted the paradigm shift, sources indicated.

DA hike to be at least 4%

 Amid COVID pandemic, here comes a piece of good news for the Central government employees. As per a report by Zee News, the Central government employees can finally breathe a sigh of relief as the government is going to increase their dearness allowance (DA) from July 1, 2021. If everything goes well and they get their DA hike, then dearness allowance will be increased by 28% from 17%, leading to an impressive hike in the salaries. Notably, over 50 lakh permanent central government employees and 65 lakh pensioners across India will be benefitted from the move of the government.

The DA is likely to be hiked to at least 4 per cent of the basic salary of a central government employee. With this hike, the total DA will reach 21 per cent. The hike in full DA could be announced on July 1, 2021.

In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the government had suspended the disbursement of DA at increased rates along with DR for pensioners. Suspending DA hikes for one and a half years helped the government save a total of Rs 37,530.08 crore.

(with inputs from business today and India.com/zee News)

Centre likely to announce DA hike in June

 Due to the second wave of Covid-19 in India, the central government employees may have to wait a bit longer as the announcement for Dearness Allowance (DA) hike due since January 1, 2021 may get further delayed. According to the National Council of Joint Consultative Machinery (JCM) - Staff Side, the center may announce a DA hike in June 2021. The JCM office-bearer mentioned that the DA hike would be to the tune of at least 4 per cent of the basic salary of a central government employee.

Read More at Business Today

West Bengal announces ad hoc bonus, exgratia

 West Benagl Govt. announced ad hoc bonus for employees upto Rs 36,000/- pay an amount of Rs 4,500/-

Click here for order

Click here for orders for public undertakings

It also announce ex gratia grant of Rs 2,500 to pensioners whose pension plus D.A. does not exceed Rs 31,000/-

Click here for the order

The payment of bonus and ex-gratia as sanctioned hereinabove should be made before the festival of ld-Ul- Fitre of 2021 for the Muslim Employees/Pensioners/Family Pensioners and other than Muslim Employees/ pensioners/Family Pensioners the benefits should be disbursed in between 27th September, 2021 to 5th October,2021. 

Punjab pay panel recommends 20% salary hike

 The revised scales will be implemented with retrospective effect from Jan 1, 2016. Some key recommendations are increased of minimum pay to ₹18,000 from ₹6,950 per month; abolition of all types of special pay and any add-ons in basic pay; fixed medical allowance ( ₹1,000 per month for employees and pensioners); max limit of death-cum-retirement gratuity to be raised to ₹20 lakh from 10 lakh and DA system on central pattern to continue.

hough finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal after presenting his budget for financial year 2021-22 had stated that he factored in ₹9,000 crore for the pay and pension hike, there are serious questions about the ability to state to raise resources for bearing such a huge financial implication, particularly amid the Covid-19 pandemic. 

CHANDIGARH NEWS

6th Punjab pay panel recommendations: 20% salary hike on cards for govt staffers

The revised scales will be implemented with retrospective effect from Jan 1, 2016. Some key recommendations are increased of minimum pay to ₹18,000 from ₹6,950 per month; abolition of all types of special pay and any add-ons in basic pay; fixed medical allowance ( ₹1,000 per month for employees and pensioners); max limit of death-cum-retirement gratuity to be raised to ₹20 lakh from 10 lakh and DA system on central pattern to continue

By HT Correspondent, Chandigarh

UPDATED ON MAY 05, 2021 03:51 AM IST

The 6th Punjab Pay Commission has recommended a two-fold increase in salaries of all employees over the previous pay panel, with increase in minimum pay from ₹6,950 to ₹18,000 per month, with retrospective effect from January 1, 2016.

LiC employees to cheer, 25% wage hike and 5 days' week

 The government has finalised a hike of more than 25 percent and a five-day week policy for the 1.14 lakh LIC employees, a top union leader told news agency IANS on Friday.

"The employees are happy with the wage revision that has come at a difficult situation. The pay hike for the employees is expected to be over 25 percent a month," Shreekant Mishra, General Secretary, All India Insurance Employees Association (AIIEA) told IANS.

This will mark an overall increase of Rs 2,700 crore in LIC's total wage bill, said the report.

The hike includes a loading of 15 percent given after 100 percent neutralisation of dearness allowance (DA) at 6,352 points of the consumer price index (CPI).

Along with this, the government has introduced an additional Special Allowance ranging between Rs 1,500 to Rs 13,500 per month for all cadres. This shall be computed for the calculation of DA only, not for any other purpose like house rent allowance, city compensatory allowance, privilege leave encashment, gratuity, or other benefits, said Mishra.

The wage revision will be effective from August 1, 2017.

According to Mishra, officials arrived at this hike after several rounds of negotiations. While the AIIEA had demanded a 40 percent wage hike, after negotiations, it came down to over 25 percent.

The Union will now focus on concluding the wage revision rounds for employees in the general insurance sector. The management of the four government-owned general insurance companies are yet to invite a meeting with the Union on the subject, Mishra told IANS.

Central employees to get three installments of D.A. from July 2021

 Good times likely to come for central Govt. employees and pensioners. As per sources, Govt. is going to release D.A./D.R for employees and pensioners from July 2021 onwards.

Earlier in early 2020, Govt. freezed D.A. and installment payable on January 2020, July 2021 and January 2021 kept on hold. But it promised to pay the installments once the ban is lifted and there will be no arrears.

January 2020 installment was 4%, announced earlier but the other two installments were non announced. The other two installments are calculated based on labour bureau data are 4% each (as calculated by our team).

So the govt employees are likely to get a hike of 12% in total from July 2021, if sources are to beleive.

Let us keep finger crossed for official announcement.