Zee News
New Delhi, Aug 13: In what surely comes as an Independence Day bonanza for the civil servants, armed forces and paramilitary personnel, the Union Cabinet on Thursday approved the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations. The revised pay structure will ensure that there will be a 40% increase in the net salary of government as well as defence employees.
Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting Priyaranjan Dasmunshi made the Cabinet's decision public at a press conference here. He however said that the formal announcement about the recommendations will be made by the Prime Minister from the ramparts of the Red Fort in Delhi on Independence Day.
Highlights
The new pay commission’s recommendations will be effective from January, 2006 as the term of the Fifth Pay Commission ended on December 31, 2005. However, the arrears will not be disbursed in one go but will be divided into two components to be given by the end of next year. 40% of the arrears will be disbursed in 2008, while the remaining 60% will be doled out in 2009.
The revised pay scale will be effective from next month.
As per the cleared proposal, the minimum basic pay for government employees has been revised to Rs 7000, while the minimum salary per month at the lowest level will now be Rs 10000.
Uniform 3% raise in basic pay every year against the norm is a Rs 500-increase annually within grade scale
At least three promotions will be ensured for both civilian and defence personal. In case of civilians it will be at the 10th, 20th and 30th year and in case of defence by 16th, 18th and 24th year.
Mid-level defence personal will be now placed in the higher pay scale. Also, the defence and paramilitary personal to get more allowances.
Military service pay for persons below the officer rank (POBR) would be Rs 2,000 per month. Hike in salaries of Brigadiers as they will now be in Pay Band 4 (Rs 39,200-67,000) from the suggested Pay Band 3 (Rs 15,600-39,100)
Government doctors with 20 or more years of service can be promoted to joint secretary level. Non-practicing doctors also to get special allowance.
No Cabinet Secretary rank for Intelligence Bureau chief, the three Service chiefs and others in that league.
DIG-scale abolished in IPS and Indian Forest Service.
Group D personnel to stay (peons in ministries and porters in Railways)
Central and defence pensioners will also get benefit from the new recommendations.
The financial implications, with the implementation of the new structure, for the central government for the year 2008-09 will be Rs 15,700, while for the railways it will be to the tune of Rs 6400.
The decision was taken after the Cabinet meet chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and attended by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Defence Minister A K Antony and Finance Minister P Chidambaram unanimously passed the much awaited new pay commission report.