Cabinet hikes DA to 100%, salary may increase by 30%

NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet on Friday raised dearness allowance to 100% from 90%, benefiting 50 lakh employees and 30 lakh pensioners. 

The government has also cleared the way for merger of 50% DA with basic pay

 by approving it among the terms of reference of the 7th Pay Commission. An 

official said now the commission can suggest the merger in its interim report. 

He added that 50% DA merger with basic pay will roughly increase the gross 

salaries of central government employees by around 30%. 

The Cabinet approved the proposal to release an additional instalment of DA and

 dearness relief (DR) to pensioners with effect from January 1, 2014, in cash, 

but not before the disbursement of the salary for the month of March 2014 at the

 rate of 10% increase over the existing rate of 90%, said an official statement. 

Central government employees as well as pensioners are entitled for DA/DR at

 the rate of 100 per cent of the basic with effect from January 1, 2014, it said. 

The government has estimated that the combined impact on exchequer on

 account of both DA and DR would be Rs 11,074.80 crore every year. 

            7th Central Pay Commission

The Union Cabinet today gave its approval to the Terms of Reference of 7^thCentral Pay Commission (CPC) as follows:-

a) To examine, review, evolve and recommend changes that are desirable and feasible regarding the principles that should govern the emoluments structure including pay, allowances and other facilities/benefits, in cash or kind, having regard to rationalization and simplification therein as well as the specialized needs of various Departments, agencies and services, in respect of the following categories of employees:-

i. Central Government employees-industrial and non-industrial;

ii. Personnel belonging to the All India Services;

iii. Personnel of the Union Territories;

iv. Officers and employees of the Indian Audit and Accounts Department;

v. Members of regulatory bodies (excluding the Reserve Bank of India) set up under Acts of Parliament; and

vi. Officers and employees of the Supreme Court.

b) To examine, review, evolve and recommend changes that are desirable and    feasible regarding principles that should govern the emoluments structure, concessions and facilities/benefits, in cash or kind, as well as retirement benefits of personnel belonging to the Defence Forces, having regard to historical and traditional parities, with due emphasis on aspects unique to these personnel.

c) To work out the framework for an emoluments structure linked with the need to attract the most suitable talent to Government service, promote efficiency, accountability and responsibility in the work culture, and foster excellence in the public governance system to respond to complex challenges of modern administration and rapid political, social, economic and technological changes, with due regard to expectations of stakeholders, and to recommend appropriate training and capacity building through a competency based framework.

d) To examine the existing schemes of payment of bonus, keeping in view, among other things, its bearing upon performance and productivity and make recommendations on the general principles, financial parameters and conditions for an appropriate incentive scheme to reward excellence in productivity, performance and integrity.

e) To review the variety of existing allowances presently available to employees in addition to pay and suggest their rationalization and simplification, with a view to ensuring that the pay structure is so designed as to take these into account.

f) To examine the principles which should govern the structure of pension and other retirement benefits, including revision of pension in the case of employees who have retired prior to the date of effect of these recommendations, keeping in view that retirement benefits of all Central Government employees appointed on and after 01.01.2004 are covered by the New Pension Scheme (NPS).

g) To make recommendations on the above, keeping in view:

i.    the economic conditions in the country and need for fiscal prudence;

ii. the need to ensure that adequate resources are available for    developmental expenditures and welfare measures;

iii.   the likely impact of the recommendations on the finances of the State Governments, which usually adopt the recommendations with some modifications;

iv.  the prevailing emolument structure and retirement benefits available to employees of Central Public Sector Undertakings; and

v.   the best global practices and their adaptability and relevance in Indian conditions.

h) To recommend the date of effect of its recommendations on all the above.

The Commission will make its recommendations within 18 months of the date of its constitution. It may consider, if necessary, sending interim reports on any of the matters as and when the recommendations are finalised.

The decision will result in the benefit of improved pay and allowances as well as rationalization of the pay structure in case of Central Government employees and other employees included in the scope of the 7^th Central Pay Commission.

Background

Central Pay Commissions are periodically constituted to go into various issues of emoluments’ structure, retirement benefits and other service conditions of Central Government employees and to make recommendations on the changes required.