Pay review panel set up for IIT, IIM faculty

The faculty members of central technical institutions like IITs and IIMs can hope for a better pay package soon with the government setting up a committee for review of their salary and emoluments.

The committee is headed by former director of Indian Institute of Sciences, Bangalore, Prof Govardhan Mehta.

"The committee will make a comprehensive study of the 6th pay commission recommendations. It will speak to the faculty members of the IITs, IIMs, IIITs and NITs and consider their views and recommend an ideal pay package for the faculty members in these institutions," a senior official in HRD Ministry told PTI.

The committee has been given three months time to complete the report, so that the government could implement it before the general elections.

Source : The Hindu.

Govt likely to increase allowances of paramilitary

The government is likely to increase "substantially" the allowances given to personnel of the paramilitary force in an effort to bring the amount "on par" with that of the armed forces.  

"We will have allowances of our men raised substantially in the next 60 days. We are trying to bring it on par with the personnel of the armed forces," newly appointed Director General of BSF M L Kumawat today said.    

 Kumawat, who is also holding the post of Special Secretary (Internal Security), said since the paramilitary forces were not happy with the recommendations of the 6th Pay Commission, the Home Ministry and the Finance Ministry were working to raise the allowances.    

"Our men do similar work like any other army person. They guard the border to fight terrorism and Naxalism. They need to be given allowances on par with the army," he said.     

Interestingly, the armed forces have shown their resentment over the recommendations of the pay commission and the government has now appointed a special committee headed by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee to look into their grievances.

'Don't read too much, no differences with Army' - A.K. Antony

Defence Minister A K Antony on Wednesday said there were no differences between the Government and the armed forces over the 6th Central Pay Commission (CPC) report.
His statement comes in the wake of the defence forces' signal to its 1.5 million personnel on the ‘anomalies’ in the CPC, asking them to ‘be patient in the larger interest of the Services,’ which was seen as an act of defiance of the Cabinet decision to implement revised pay scales from September 1.

"There is no difference between the government and the Services, because they are also part of the government. Don't read too much (into the forces' signal)," Antony said after the Defence Accounts Day function.

Pointing out that the government had taken a decision in the Cabinet to implement the pay commission report after amendments, Antony said the additional burden on the exchequer due to the changes in the approved CPC is Rs 6,000 crore.
"After the decision of the Cabinet, Services' chiefs noted some of the problems and anomalies, specifically regarding the defence forces, which is but natural. The government is examining it at the appropriate level. Meanwhile, you are reading too much. It is not correct," he said.
Stating that the armed forces had already submitted the details for revised pay scales, the Defence Minister said the government had issued a notification for paying ad hoc arrears to the personnel, due to the delay in calculating their revised pay for October.

"Also, the Prime Minister has appointed a committee headed by my senior colleague Pranab Mukherjee. So there is no problem. As far as we are concerned, there is no difference," he added.

After the defence forces' decision not to accept the ‘discriminatory’ CPC, the government had acted swiftly with Antony doing some tough talking to the Services' chiefs, asking them to accept the revised pay scales temporarily.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also set up a high-level ministerial committee headed by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee last Friday to look into the defence personnel grievances over the CPC.

Antony and Finance Minister P Chidrambaram were named as the other two members of the three-member committee.

Moreover, the government ordered release of an interim amount as part payment of the 40 per cent arrears under the CPC to be given to the defence personnel this week to enable them to celebrate Diwali.

The rest of the 40 per cent arrears would be paid to the services in November.

Source : Indian Express

Service chiefs discuss pay panel report with Antony

The armed forces on Tuesday submitted their revised salary vouchers ending a month-long deadlock over their decision to withhold "discriminatory" pay commission report, paving the way for the personnel to receive part arrears just in time for Diwali.

Simultaneously, the three services chiefs discussed the ways for moving forward on the issue at their regular weekly meeting here with Defence Minister A K Antony, Defence Ministry sources said.

"The meeting today was a regular weekly meeting of the Defence Minister with the Services chiefs. But pay commission issues were top on the agenda of the meeting," sources said.

The developments come after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh set up a three-member ministerial committee headed by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee last Friday to consider their four core issues.

Also, Antony had taken a tough stand and asked the defence chiefs to accept the 6th Central Pay Commission (CPC) recommendations temporarily, after their decision to withhold its implementation.

Though the defence forces submitted their revised salary bills, the personnel would receive their first pay under the CPC scales only in their November salaries. But this would enable the government to pay the part arrears to the personnel before this weekend, sources said.

The Defence personnel's salaries at old pay scales for October were already credited into their bank accounts, as the armed forces agreed to submit their revised pay vouchers only now, the sources said.

TDS will be on 40% of arrear

The Central Board of Direct Taxes(CBDT) today clarified that tax will be deducted at source (TDS) on the 40 per cent of the arrear to be paid to central government servants in 2008-09.

On the balance 60 per cent arrear, tax would be deducted in 2009-10 during which these pay arrears will actually be paid.

Following the Sixth Pay Commission’s recommendation, the central government has revised the pay scales of its employees from January 1, 2006. Accordingly, the government has decided to pay 40 per cent of the arrear for the period January 1, 2006 to August 31, 2008 in 2008-09 and the balance in 2009-10.

A number of representations have been received by the Board seeking clarification as to whether TDS need to be deducted on 40 per cent of arrear to be paid during 2008-09 or on the entire arrear payable to the government servant.

Source : Business Standard.