New Delhi, Mar 19: A spree of online reports over the past few months have misled the central government employees, claiming that the Centre is mulling over increasing their wages by revising the fitment factor. The speculations were put to rest by Minister of State for Finance, Pon Radhakrishnan, while answering a query in the Rajya Sabha.

Samajwadi Party MP Neeraj Shekhar asked the Finance Ministry to clarify whether the reports claiming that the government would raise minimum salary of employees from Rs 18,000 to Rs 21,000 are factually correct.

In a written response, the MoS Finance said no such changes are being taken into consideration.

"The minimum pay of Rs 18,000 per month and the fitment factor of 2.57 are based upon the specific recommendations of the 7th Central Pay Commission in light of the relevant factors taken into account by it. Therefore, no change therein is at present under consideration," Radhakrishnan said.

The Minister's reply dismisses the reports published between March 11 to March 16, which said the government is reportedly planning to increase the fitment factor from 2.57 to 3.

What is the fitment factor?

Fitment factor is the component used to multiple the salary under the previous pay commission, to determine the new wages.

The minimum wage under 6th CPC was Rs 7,000. Using the 2.57 fitment factor, the 7th CPC raised the minimum salary to Rs 18,000.

The National Joint Council of Action (NJCA), a consolidated body of employee unions, has called it inadequate, seeking the fitment factor to be raised to 3.68. This would in-turn increase the minimum wage to Rs 26,000.

'We have not forfeited the demand'

While speaking to LatestLY, NJCA chief Shiv Gopal Mishra said the union has not abandoned the demand to raise the minimum salary of the employees.

"The employees are agitated. There is tremendous amount of disappointment. I can assure you that the demand to raise the minimum wage has not been forfeited," he said.

"We will continue our struggle in an organised manner. If negotiations fail to bring result, the option of agitation cannot be ruled out," he added.

Mishra, however, slammed media groups for misleading the government employees. He accused a range of mainstream digital publications of "playing with the emotions" of the employees.

"There are no basis to what is being reported by an array of online portals," he further added.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 19, 2018 10:10 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).