New Delhi, Oct 17: The Union Cabinet approved the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission or 7th CPC on pay hike and allowances on June 28 last year, raising the minimum pay from Rs 7,000 to Rs 18,000 per month and fitment factor to 2.57 times. Since then, the central government employees have been waiting for a hike in minimum pay beyond the recommendation of the 7th Pay Commission. There is no relief for them on this Diwali except the reports that the government is considering to raise minimum pay and fitment factor beyond the recommendation of the 7th Pay Commission. 
The central government employees have been demanding to raise minimum pay from Rs 18,000 to Rs 26,000 and fitment factor 3.68 times from 2.57 times, recommended by the 7th Pay Commission and approved by the Cabinet. If media reports are to be believed, the government is likely to raise minimum pay to Rs 21,000. Fitment factor will be raised to 3.00 times from the existing 2.57 times. The government has reportedly given a green signal to the National Anomaly Committee (NAC) to make a report suggesting a hike in minimum pay. However, there is no good news for the central government employees on the eve of Diwali.
“After a full month’s work, we get just Rs 18,900 including dearness allowance as pay. so we can’t even feed our children properly through that. So how can we celebrate Diwali? It’s only politicians and bureaucrats who can celebrate the festival,” a low paid central government employee told the Sen Times. The central government employees even had to wait for almost a year to get revised allowances under the 7th Pay Commission.
Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, on June 30, 206, held a meeting with representatives of central government employees unions at the residence of Home Minister Rajnath Singh. At the meeting, Jaitley assured them that their demand of raising minimum pay beyond the recommendation of the 7th Pay Commission would be considered. However, the central government employees are upset with the delay in hike in minimum pay.
The new year 2018 is likely to bring good news for the government employees as the Union Cabinet may raise the minimum pay from January 2018 beyond the recommendation of the 7th Pay Commission. The NAC is expected to hold a meeting this month and send a report to the Empowered Committee of Secretaries and the Department of Expenditure.