New Delhi, July 23: The government has reportedly agreed to raise minimum pay and fitment factor beyond the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission or 7th CPC for central government employees. The government is likely to hike minimum to Rs 21,000 from Rs 18,000 which was recommended by the 7th Pay Commission and approved by the Cabinet.

The government agreed to increase salary beyond the 7th Pay Commission recommendations after the Official Side of the National Anomaly Committee (NAC) accepted to remove anomaly of pay matrix of the employees, reported Sen Times quoting a top official of the finance ministry. The official said the pay hike would be announced before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

“The centre will come out with a decision in this regard soon after consulting finance experts and weighing its pros and cons but ‘no arrears on higher pay will be paid to central government employees. The Finance Ministry is now considering to make only basic pay hike for the employees. Accordingly, the government will take step on the National Anomaly Committee’s agreement soon,” official was quoted as saying.

The Official Side of the NAC ageed to hike pay beyond the 7th Pay Commission recommendations, Shiv Gopal Mishra, Secretary, National Council (Staff Side), Joint Consultative Machinery of Central Government Employees, said in his letter to all members of National Council (Staff Side), JCM dated July 17, 2018.

Here it may be noted that the government, in March, said that it wasn’t considering raising minimum pay and fitment factor beyond the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission.

“The minimum pay of Rs.18,000/- p.m. and fitment factor of 2.57 are based on the specific recommendations of the 7th Central Pay Commission in the light of the relevant factors taken into account by it. Therefore, no change therein is at present under consideration,” Minister of State Finance, P Radhakrishnan told Rajya Sabha in a written reply.

The 7th Pay Commission had recommended a 14.27 per cent increase in basic pay, raising minimum pay from Rs 7,000 to Rs 18,000 month. The government approved the recommendations in June 2016. Since then, central government employees have been asking to raise minimum pay to Rs 26,000 and fitment factor 3.68 times from 2.57 times.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 23, 2018 02:00 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).