According to the sources, approximately 50 lakh government employees would get the salary hike news under seventh pay commission. On contrary, mid-level employees would be disappointed.
Officials concerned with the matter said that the mid-level employees are not likely to see much of a rise in the 7th Pay Commission. This is indicated by a trend of polarisation of income and declining middle-level employees in the central government departments.
A Finance Ministry source said that there is a discrepancy in benefits given to the employees across categories. The report said the government has focused on the higher and the lower end of the of the pay scale.
Concerns have been raised that merging all Group B officers with Group C staff cadres of all Directorates under Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC)indirectly signifies that the government wanted to shrink the middle-level employees.
Another report states that the government employees, who receive salaries from pay matrix level 1 to 5, are expected to receive an increase in minimum pay scale to Rs 21,000 from Rs 18,000 from April 1, 2018. Such employees will witness an increase in their fitment factor from 2.57 times to 3.00 times of the basic pay of 6th Pay Commission. An official said that the Finance Minister Jaitley will prefer increasing the pay scale of lower-level employees rather than salary hike for middle-level employees.
Presently, the central government workforce is being paid according to the fitment formula of 2.57 of the basic pay. Fitment factor is a figure used by 7th CPC with which the basic pay in 6th CPC regime (i.e Pay in Pay Band + Grade pay) is multiplied in order to fix basic pay in revised pay structure (i.e 7th CPC). Fitment factor formulated by 7th CPC is 2.57. One can say that the proposal would be sent to the cabinet in the upcoming financial year.
The basic salary according to the Seventh Pay Commission recommendations were 18,000 Indian rupees. However, employees are demanding it to rise further to Rs 26,000. In 2016, Jaitley promised to hike the pay of the central government employees beyond the suggestion of the Seventh Pay Commission.
