7th Pay Commission: The recommendations of the Committee on Allowances on arrears and the house rent allowance (HRA) could be shared with union leaders.

New Delhi, May 3: A key meeting will take place on Wednesday between central government employees’ union leaders and the government officials on the higher allowances under the 7th Pay Commission. The union leaders are expected to enquire about the progress on the Committee on Allowances’ report on higher allowances under the 7th Pay Commission. Finance Ministry officials are likely to be present in the meeting. The recommendations of the Committee on Allowances on arrears and the house rent allowance (HRA) could be shared with union leaders. Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa led Committee on Allowances, which examined the 7th pay commission’s recommendations on allowances, submitted its report to the finance ministry on April 27.

The recommendations of the Committee on Allowances report on higher allowances under the 7th Pay Commission haven’t made public. According to the statement of the Finance Ministry, the panel suggested some modifications in some allowances which are applicable universally to all employees as well as certain other allowances which apply to specific employee categories. The 7th Pay Commission had suggested the abolition of 52 out of the 196 existing allowances, apart from subsuming 36 smaller allowances.

The report on higher allowances under the 7th Pay Commission is being examined by the Department of Expenditure, and will be subsequently placed before the Empowered Committee of Secretaries (E-CoS). After the clearance, it will be sent to Union cabinet for approval. While the government has hiked the salary of central government employees as per the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission, the allowances are being paid as per the 6th Pay Commission.

The National Joint Council of Action (NJCA) chief Shiv Gopal Mishra said he was hopeful about arrears for central government employees. “Arrears would mostly be provided to the employees,” Mishra said. While the government has provided arrears on salary since January 1, 2016, the scheduled date of 7th Pay Commission’s implementation, NJCA has demanded a similar release of arrears on allowances as well. They also want the HRA to be kept at 10, 20 and 30 per cent respectively, while the 7CPC panel led by Justice (retd) A K Mathur had also reduced the house rent allowance (HRA) to 8, 24 and 16 respectively.

Source: India.com