The Empowered Committee of Secretaries has reportedly submitted its report on higher allowances under the 7th Pay Commission to the Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.
New Delhi, June 3: The Empowered Committee of Secretaries (E-CoS), which submitted its recommendations of the Committee on Allowances’ report on higher allowances under the 7th Pay Commission, has reportedly proposed salary hike for the central government employees. The Empowered Committee, however, has rejected the demand of keeping house rent allowance (HRA) at between 30 per cent, 20 per cent and 10 per cent and stuck to the recommendation of the 7th Pay Commission on the issue. There no clarity on Empowered Committee’s recommendations about other higher allowances under the 7th Pay Commission.
The Empowered Committee of Secretaries has reportedly submitted its report on higher allowances under the 7th Pay Commission to the Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. The report will now be places before the Union Cabinet. Before finalising its report on higher allowances under the 7th Pay Commission, the E-CoS screened the report of the Committee on Allowances. Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa-led committee, which examined the 7th pay commission’s recommendations on allowances, submitted its report to the finance minister on April 27.
Salary hike:
If media reports are to be believed, the Empowered Committee of Secretaries (E-CoS) has suggested salary hike for the central government employees under the 7th Pay Commission. It is not clear how much increase has been proposed. The central government employees demanded basic salary should be raised from Rs 18,000 to Rs 24,000 under the 7th Pay Commission. All eyes will be on Union Cabinet meet on June 7 to know if the government approves the proposal of salary hike under the 7th Pay Commission.
HRA:
When it comes to the HRA, the Empowered Committee of Secretaries (E-CoS) has stuck to the recommendation of the A K Mathur led 7th Pay Commission. The committee has suggested to keep the HRA rate at 24 percent, 16 percent and 8 percent of the Basic Pay for Class X, Y and Z cities respectively, as recommended by the 7th Pay Commission. The central government employees, however, demanded to retain HRA rate at 30 percent, 20 percent and 10 percent of Basic pay (pay in the pay band plus grade pay).
Higher Allowances:
The proposals of the Empowered Committee of Secretaries (E-CoS) for higher allowances, other than the HRA, under the 7th Pay Commission, haven’t been made public. According to a report, the E-CoS is unlikely to suggest hike in allowances. There is no scope to change in higher allowances, which were recommended by the 7th Pay Commission, as the Committee on Allowances, stuck with the 7th Pay Commission’s recommendations; and the E-CoS is unlikely to suggest any change.
