Cabinet Decision on Risk and Hardship Matrix

Cabinet Decision on Risk and Hardship Matrix

A new paradigm has been evolved to administer the allowances linked to risk and hardship. The myriad allowances, their categories and sub–categories pertaining to civilians employees, CAPF and defence personnel have been fitted into a table called the Risk and Hardship Matrix (R&H Matrix). The Matrix has nine cells denoting varying degrees of risk and hardship with one extra cell at the top named as RH – Max to include Siachen Allowance. Multiple rates applicable to individual allowances will be replaced by two slab rates for every cell of the R&H Matrix.

Siachen Allowance : 7th CPC had placed Siachen Allowance in the RH-Max cell of the R&H Matrix with two slabs of ₹21,000 and ₹31,500. Recognizing the extreme nature of risk and hardship faced by officers / PBORs on continuous basis in Siachen, the Government has decided to further enhance the rates of Siachen Allowance which will now go up from the existing rate from ₹14,000 to ₹30,000 per month for Jawans & JCOs (Level 8 and below) and from ₹21,000 to ₹42,500 per month for Officers (Level 9 and above). With this enhancement, Siachen Allowance will become more than twice the existing rates. It will benefit all the soldiers and officers of Indian Army who are posted in Siachen.

Tough Location Allowance : Some allowances based on geographical location such as Special Compensatory (Remote Locality) Allowance (SCRLA), Sunderban Allowance & Tribal Area Allowance have been subsumed in Tough Location Allowance. The areas under TLA have been classified into three categories and the rates will be governed as per different cells of R&H Matrix and will be in the range of ₹1000 – ₹5300 per month. The 7th CPC had recommended that TLA will not be admissible with Special Duty Allowance (SDA) payable in North-East, Ladakh and the Islands. Government has decided that employees will be given the option to avail of the benefit of SCRLA at pre-revised rates along with SDA at revised rates.

Rates of High Altitude Allowance granted to Defence Forces and CAPF personnel will be governed by the R&H Matrix. The rates will go up from ₹810 – ₹16800 per month to ₹2700 – ₹25000 per month.

Field Area Allowances are granted to Indian Army, Air Force & CAPF personnel. The rates of Field Area Allowances (Modified Field, Field & Highly Active) will be governed by the R&H Matrix. The rates will go up from ₹1200 – ₹12600 per month to ₹6000 – ₹16900 per month. Classification of field areas for this allowance will be done by Ministry of Defence for Defence personnel and by Ministry of Home Affairs for CAPFs.

The rates of Counter Insurgency Ops (CI Ops) Allowance, granted to Defence and CAPFs while deployed in counter – insurgency operations will be governed by the R&H Matrix. The rates will go up from ₹3000 – ₹11700 per month to ₹6000 – ₹16900 per month.

Rates of MARCOS and Chariot Allowance granted to marine commandos of Indian Navy will be governed by the R&H Matrix. The rates will go up from ₹10500 – ₹15750 per month to ₹17300 – ₹25000 per month.

Rates of Sea Going Allowance granted to personnel of Indian Navy will be governed by the R&H Matrix. The twelve hour conditionality for determining the eligibility of Sea Going Allowance has been reduced to four hours. The rates will go up from ₹3000 – ₹7800 per month to ₹6000 – ₹10500 per month.

Rates of Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (COBRA) Allowance granted to CRPF personnel deployed in Naxal hit areas will be governed by the R&H Matrix. The rates will go up from ₹8400 – ₹16800 per month to ₹17300 – ₹25000 per month.

Rates of Flying Allowance granted to flying branch and technical officers of Defence Forces will be governed by the R&H Matrix. The rates will go up from ₹10500 – ₹15750 per month to ₹17300 – ₹25000 per month. It has been extended mutatis mutandis to BSF Air Wing also.

Rates of Test Pilot and Flight Test Engineer Allowance will be governed by the R&H Matrix. The rates will go up from ₹1500 / ₹3000 per month to ₹4100 / ₹5300 per month.

The 7th CPC had placed Antarctica Allowance, paid to the Scientists and other members undertaking the expedition to Antarctica under the Indian Antarctic programme, in the RH-Max Cell of the R&H Matrix. The rates of the RH-Max Cell recommended by the 7th CPC were less than the existing rates of Antarctica Allowance which is currently paid on per day basis. Considering the specific nature of these expeditions and to provide appropriate increase in rates, Government has decided to keep Antarctica Allowance out of the R&H Matrix and the allowance will continue to be paid on per day basis as per existing practice. The Rates of Antarctica Allowance will go up from ₹1125 per day (Summers) and ₹1688 per day (Winters) to ₹1500 per day (Summers) and ₹2000 per day (Winters).

7th CPC Recommendations on Risk and Hardship Matrix

7th CPC Recommendations on Risk and Hardship Matrix

Risk and Hardship Allowance: Allowances relating to Risk and Hardship will be governed by the newly proposed nine-cell Risk and Hardship Matrix, with one extra cell at the top, viz., RH-Max to include Siachen Allowance. This would be the ceiling for risk/hardship allowances and there would be no individual RHA with an amount higher than this allowance.

The construct of the Risk and Hardship Matrix, proposed above, is a new paradigm intended to rationalize the myriad allowances, their categories and sub-categories that exist today. It would make the administration of these allowances simple and provide a framework for the government for future inclusion of any new allowance, which can be placed in the appropriate cell depending upon the severity of the risk and hardship involved.

Cabinet Decision on 7th CPC Children Education Allowance

Cabinet Decision on 7th CPC Children Education Allowance

Rate of Children Education Allowance (CEA) has been increased from Rs 1500 per month / child (max. 2) to Rs2250 per month / child (max.2). Hostel Subsidy will also go up from Rs 4500 per month to Rs 6750 per month.

Existing rates of Special Allowance for Child Care for Women with Disabilities has been doubled from Rs 1500 per month to Rs 3000 per month.

Higher Qualification Incentive for Civilians has been increased from Rs 2000 – Rs 10000 (Grant) to Rs 10000 – Rs 30000 (Grant).

Enhanced HRA benefit only 15 Slabs for lower levels

Enhanced HRA benefit only 15 Slabs for lower levels

HRA is currently paid @ 30% for X (population of 50 lakh & above), 20% for Y (5 to 50 lakh) and 10% for Z (below 5 lakh) category of cities. 7th CPC has recommended reduction in the existing rates to 24% for X, 16% for Y and 8% for Z category of cities.

As the HRA at the reduced rates may not be sufficient for employees falling in lower pay bracket, it has been decided that HRA shall not be less than Rs 5400, Rs 3600 and Rs 1800 for X, Y and Z category of cities respectively. This floor rate has been calculated @ 30%, 20% and 10% of the minimum pay of Rs 18000. This will benefit more than 7.5 lakh employees belonging to Levels 1 to 3.

The below table shows the benefit basic pay in 1, 2 and 3 Levels

Cabinet Decision on HRA – Shocking News for Central government Employees

Cabinet Decision on HRA – Shocking News for Central government Employees

7th CPC HRA is a big upset for Central Government Employees

It is really a Shocking News for Central government Employees that 7th CPC HRA is not increased and retained the recommendation of 7th CPC on House rent Allowances with slight modifications. The date of effect of Allowances is another shock for CG Staffs.

The 7th CPC has recommended 24% , 16% and 8% for X, Y and Z cities. The Federations expressed their anguish over the Recommendation of HRA and other Allowances,Then Government Constituted a Committee to Examine the Allowances. After the Long wait, now the Government approved the same rates of House rent allowance which 7th CPC Recommended. It is really a big upset for Central government Employees. If the Government decided to approve the same rates , it should have been implemented with effect from 1st July 2016 instead of 1st July 2017. After 12 months wait the Government has decided to implement the Allowances without any Hike with effect from 1st July 2017 . It is tough decision to accept by Cg Staffs.

The Government Decision on HRA

House Rent Allowance

HRA is currently paid @ 30% for X (population of 50 lakh & above), 20% for Y (5 to 50 lakh) and 10% for Z (below 5 lakh) category of cities. 7th CPC has recommended reduction in the existing rates to 24% for X, 16% for Y and 8% for Z category of cities. As the HRA at the reduced rates may not be sufficient for employees falling in lower pay bracket, it has been decided that HRA shall not be less than ₹5400, ₹3600 and ₹1800 for X, Y and Z category of cities respectively. This floor rate has been calculated @ 30%, 20% and 10% of the minimum pay of ₹18000. This will benefit more than 7.5 lakh employees belonging to Levels 1 to 3.

7th CPC had also recommended that HRA rates will be revised upwards in two phases to 27%, 18% and 9% when DA crosses 50% and to 30%, 20% and 10% when DA crosses 100%. Keeping in view the current inflation trends, the Government has decided that these rates will be revised upwards when DA crosses 25% and 50% respectively. This will benefit all employees who do not reside in government accommodation and get HRA.

Source: http://www.gservants.com

Cabinet approval on allowances paid to Pensioners

Cabinet approval on allowances paid to Pensioners

Recommendations in respect of some important allowances paid to Pensioners

Rate of Fixed Medical Allowance (FMA) for Pensioners has been increased from ₹500 per month to ₹1000 per month. This will benefit more than 5 lakh central government pensioners not availing CGHS facilities.

i. The rate of Constant Attendance Allowance granted on 100% disablement has been increased from Rs 4500 per month to Rs 6750 per month