Basic Pay might not increase in 7th pay commission

In what may come as a major setback for government employees, a finance ministry source has hinted that there is no scope for a change in minimum basic pay from Rs 18,000 to Rs 26,000. This source, while referring to a Department of Personnel Training letter that said that fitment factor and minimum pay didn’t come under the National Anomaly Committee, stated that there is no point in hoping that the minimum basic salary will be hiked in future. It was indicated that Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had promised hiking minimum pay through High-Level Committee, fearing protests, but now the government has decided to reject their demand.

“The demand of central government employees for hiking minimum pay now may not be considered by the NAC and the government now decided not to appoint High Level Committee to examine the 7th Pay Commission recommendations in respect of minimum pay,” this source was quoted as saying by Sen Times. Even though the seventh pay commission had recommended a minimum basic salary of Rs 18,000, the employees had demanded it be raised to Rs 26,000.
The source further said, that the Department of Personnel Training letter had said that fitment factor and minimum pay didn’t come under the National Anomaly Committee. He further added that it was futile to hope that there would be any change in the future.
It was reported earlier that the National Anomaly Committee might agree to making the minimum salary to be Rs 21,000 from Rs 18,000. The fitment factor was reportedly to be increased from 2.57 to 3 times.

Earlier, the Cabinet had hiked the rates of Siachen Allowance from Rs 14,000 per month for soldiers to Rs 30,000. For officers the allowance had been raised from Rs 21,000 per month to Rs 42,500 per month for extreme risk and hardship.