7th Pay Commission: Lavasa committee takes positive view on allowances, HRA

7th Pay Commission: Lavasa committee takes positive view on allowances, HRA

The meeting on allowances as per the 7th Pay Commission will be held on June between the Empowered Committee of Secretarites (E-CoS) and Arun Jaitley. With central government employees waiting for a key update on allowances, sources say that the Ashok Lavasa committee has taken a favourable view on sticking points such as House Rent Allowance and other allowances.

The central government employees have been complaining about an inordinate delay on an announcement regarding allowances. However government sources say that the process would speed up following the meeting with Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley on June.

The Ashok Lavasa committee has taken a favourable view on sticking points such as House Rent Allowance. The 7th Pay Commission had given its recommendation of reducing the HRA for Central Government employees, depending upon the type of cities they live in. For those living in metro cities, the Pay Panel suggested bringing down the HRA from 30 per cent to 24 per cent. it also suggested reducing the HRA for Central Government employees living in villages.

Most demands will be accepted

During a meeting of the National Joint Council Chief Shiv Gopal Mishra and the Cabinet Secretary it was informed that the demands would be reviewed. Mishra was informed that all the demands would be reviewed. An assurance that all the demands would be accepted was also made.

On arrears

The NJCA has raised doubts on whether the demands on arrears on higher allowances will be accepted by the government. There would be further discussions on this. Sources indicate that the central government employees may have to wait a few weeks more for a proper update on the same.

Anguish, grief and frustration

After the meeting the Cabinet Secretary, P K Sinha assured that the Empowered Committee of Secretaries (E-CoS) will go through the Ashok Lavasa report. The NJCA chief also gave a letter on inordinate delay in implementation of the report of the Ashok Lavasa-led Committee on

allowances.

The NJCA chief and several other expressed their anguish over various pending demands such as minimum wages and revision of fitment formula. The Committee on Allowance headed by Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa had submitted its review report to Arun Jaitley last month.

What next on 7th Pay Commission allowances

The 7th Pay Commission was constituted in 2014 and it was implemented in June 2016. The Cabinet Secretary has said that he has fixed June 1, 2017, for the perusal of the report of the Allowances Committee by the ECoS. Soon after a memorandum will be sent to the Cabinet for consideration. After the Ashok Lavasa committee submitted its report on an allowance, the ECoS is expected to hold a discussion to look into the demands on arrears and allowances and a demand of increase in minimum wage.