New Delhi, Feb 13: Concern grows among central government employees over the non-implementation of hike in allowances as the per the 7th Pay Commission report. Although employee union leaders claim that the allowances could be hiked by April 1, a latest report states that higher allowances could be delayed by two to three months. The delay in allowance hike is attributed to the apathy shown by top bureaucrats.
“The top-level bureacrats living in East Moti Bagh area of Delhi, they are not concerned about our plight. Since they don’t take House Rent Allowance (HRA), they are not interested in the allowance hike. Since there is no pressure from their side, the government is showing apathy towards our plight,” a central government employee said on condition of anonymity.
The central government employees, falling in the lower rung of pay scale, are eagerly awaiting the hike in HRA. As per the 7th Pay Commission report, the HRA is set to be hiked in the range of 106 per cent to 122 pc. ALSO READ: Will launch protest if Centre hikes allowances with no arrears, says NJCA chief
“Naturally, the common central government employees are more affected by the delay in allowance hike. The top bureacrats don’t take higher allowances, therefore, they are not interested in the hike,” National Joint Council of Action (NJCA) chief Shiv Gopal Mishra said while speaking to India.com.
On being asked whether the government could further delay the hike in allowances, Mishra said, “Let’s see. They have not indicated anything so far. We still believe that the higher allowances could be implemented from April 1.”
The NJCA convenor further added that the employees could launch a massive strike if government fails to hike the allowances. “We will take massive action,” he said, further recalling that nearly 33 lakh central government employees were set to participate in the strike on July 11. On being asked whether he still has the support of such large number of central government employees, Mishra replied, “Why not? We will launch protest. We will strive for our rights.”
The 7th Pay Commission report was scheduled to be implemented from January 1, 2016. Upon being approved by the Union cabinet in July last year, the central government employees were paid hiked basic pays, along with arrears of six months. However, the hike in allowances was deferred as the central government employees raised anomalies over the abolition of 51  and subsumption of 37 existing allowances.
The Committee of Secretaries, formed under Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa, to look into the anomalies, is expected to submit its report to the government by February 22.