Punjab to get pay commission benefit from February

With the General Election round the corner, the Congress government in Punjab is all set to implement recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission, headed by former Chief Secretary Jai Singh Gill.

The new pay scales are expected to be announced in February. The state has 3.5 lakh government employees, 1.5 lakh semi-government employees and around four lakh pensioners.

The financial provision is likely to be made in the state Budget to be presented in the first half of February.

West Bengal made it mandatory to attend office on strike days

West Bengal Govt. maintains it's stand on strike. It has taken a no tolerance stand against strike called by trade unions and political parties. As usual Govt. has issued circular to that effect the all state Govt. employees must attend office on 8th and 9th January and no leave will be granted in these days.
Absence will be treated as diesnon and no pay will be admissible for that period. Except some extra ordinary situations, presence will be a must.
Click here for the Memorandum dated 4th Jan'19.

Central, Bank employees to observe two days' strike

Confederation of Central Govt. employees, the umbrella organization of different unions in Central Govt. has called for a two days' nationwide strike on 8th and 9th January 2019. Some of the key demands are restoration of old pension scheme, revision of minimum pay and fitment factor, five promotions in service life, stop outsourcing, filling up of vacant posts.
Bank employees also to cease work in this two days.
Different trade union and left parties supported the strike and it may turn to a general strike as well.

The Strike Poster (From Confederation site)

Probable Central D.A. from 01.01.2019

Labour bureau released AICPIN data for November 2018 and it remains at the same level of 302. Assuming that it will remain close to 302 in December also. the prediction of D.A. can be done based on these numbers.
As per calculation, Central employees and pensioners are going to get a 3% hike in D.A. / D.R. with effect from 1st January 2019.

Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers (CPI-IW) — November, 2018

The All-India CPI-IW for November, 2018 remained stationary at 302 (three hundred and two). On 1-month percentage change, it remained static between October, 2018 and November, 2018 when compared with the increase of (+) 0.35 per cent for the corresponding month of last year.