Higher Allowances: Central government employees have no option but to wait for cash flow to ease

Higher Allowances: Central government employees have no option but to wait for cash flow to ease

New Delhi: The central government wants to announce higher allowances under 7th Pay Commission award for its 48 lakh employees and 52 lakh pensioners, after taking the steps to ease the cash flow, that has been a major problem ever since demonetisation was announced for higher allowances announcement, official sources said.

The hike in basic pay without allowances is not helpful for maintaining central government employees’ living standard, Finance Ministry sources told on Friday.

They had also said the allowances of government employees besides basic pay should increase which would give them some financial comfort, a step they had hoped might be taken after next budget, when the cash crunch would ease.

They added that the decision on higher allowances to push since getting of payments to made ease and without facing cash crunch. Hence, the Finance Ministry felt it would be wiser to announce of higher allowances when the cash flow to ease.

In the current financial year, the government has given higher basic pay with arrears, effective from January 1, 2016 to its employees on the recommendations of the 7th pay commission but the hike in allowances other than dearness allowance referred to the 'Committee on Allowances'.

It compelled the the central government employees to get the allowances according to the 6th Pay Commission recommendations until issuing of higher allowances notification.

"The committee on Allowances headed by the Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa has finalized the report on the allowances in October but the government don’t want to announce it now, so the government gave extension the committee till February 22, 2017 to submit the report on higher allowances for getting normalized the cash crunch position, " the Finance Ministry sources said.

They also added that Finance Minister Arun Jaitley may announce the higher allowances in his budget speech for 2017-18.

TST

January Salary Of Central Employees To Follow Higher Allowances: Finance Ministry

January Salary Of Central Employees To Follow Higher Allowances: Finance Ministry

Report says that a top official of the finance ministry today told on condition of anonymity that Central government employees salaries for January will be in line with the higher allowances.

When asked whether the arrears would be paid too, he said, "This depends on the cabinet. If the cabinet gives the nod higher allowances with retrospective effect from August 2016, the arrears will be paid."

"The government faces severe attack for cash crunch because of demonetisation. But the situation will return to normalcy after the deadline of December 30 for deposit of invalid Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes."

He added, "It's better if delayed till sufficient cash is available with the banks."

The government in June approved the 7th Pay Commission recommendations for its employees with higher basic pay, which has been paid with arrears, effective from January 1, 2016 but the hike in allowances other than dearness allowance referred to the ‘Committee on Allowances’ headed by the Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa for examination as as the pay commission had recommended of abolishing 51 allowances and subsuming 37 others out of 196 allowances.

Until acceptance of higher allowances, existing allowances are to be paid according to the 6th Pay Commission recommendations, says an earlier official statement issued by the finance ministry.
However, the committee on allowances head Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa said recently, "We are ready to submit our report, when the Finance Minister Arun Jaitley calls up."

Source: tkbsen.in

Central government employees asked to file Lokpal property returns after office hours, on holidays

Central government employees asked to file Lokpal property returns after office hours, on holidays

New Delhi: The Central government employees should file details of their assets and liabilities under the new Lokpal Act after office hours and on holidays, the government has said as the deadline for submitting the declarations by them ends on Thursday.

DoPT Secretary Sanjay Kothari

Many employeess have also complained of slow speed of an online system meant for filing these declarations.

“Officers are also advised to use Google Chrome browser to access the system as it runs better in this browser,” the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) said in an order.

Several telephonic messages have been received regarding slow speed of the system making it difficult for officers in filing the return, it said.

“As the system is accessed by thousands of officers at the same time during office hours, it makes the system slow,” the order said.

The DoPT has taken up the issue of slow speed of system with National Informatics Centre (NIC) authorities for upgradation of the server. “At the same time, it is also informed that as it is online system, officers may try filing their return after office hours and on holidays when the system is less congested,” it said.

An online system has been hosted at www.Cscms.Nic.In for filing the assets declarations by Central Secretariat Service (CSS) officers.

Similarly, an online system PRISM (Property Related Information System) has also been developed by NIC for IAS officers, the DoPT has earlier said.

The first return under the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act as on August 1, 2014 should be filed on or before April 30.

Government employees have to also file next annual return under the Act for the year ending March 31, 2015, on or before July 31, this year.

The declarations under the Lokpal Act are in addition to the Immovable Property Returns (IPRs) filed by them under existing services rules.

The DoPT had last year notified the Public Servants (Furnishing of Information and Annual Return of Assets and Liabilities and the Limits for Exemption of Assets in Filing Returns) Amendment Rules, 2014.
As per the rules, every public servant shall file the returns of his assets and liabilities, including that of his spouse and dependent family members, as on March 31, every year on or before July 31 of that year.
For 2014, the last date for filing these returns was September 15 last, which was later extended to December-end and now till April 30, 2015.

All Group A, B, and C employees are supposed to file a declaration under the new rules.

Inputs with PTI

Central employees awaiting next Government nod on DA merger

Central employees awaiting next Government nod on DA merger

Former Supreme Court Justice Ashok Kumar Mathur (above), the head of the Seventh Central PayCommission

Central government employees are awaiting next government nod on merger of 50 percent dearness allowance to basic Pay in the view of model code of conduct.

Family finances of government employees are being squeezed from all sides as inflation is rising at its fastest level in last four years. How can government employees cope with raising inflation besides merger of 50 percent dearness allowance (DA) to basic pay.

High prices of day-to-day goods make it difficult for government employees to afford even the basic commodities in their lives.

The Sixth Pay Commission did not talk about merger. As a result, with the continuous increase of dearness allowance, this has now reached up to 100 per cent of basic pay but the government did not merged 50 percent dearness allowance to basic pay on the pretext of sixth pay panel recommendation.

Earlier, the DA was merged with basic pay, only after it touched 50 per cent of the basic pay on the recommendation of fifth central pay panel.

The government has set up the Seventh Central Pay Commission to recommend for revising salaries of central government employees.

The 4-members commission, headed by Ashok Kumar Mathur, former Supreme Court Judge, will formulate pay, allowances and other facilities as well as benefits structure for 50 lakh central government employees.

The commission will also to look at the revision of pension for those who have retired prior to the date of effect of these recommendations.

However, the decision regarding merger of 50 per cent dearness allowance to basic pay will be taken only after the Seventh Pay Commission gives its interim recommendations under the terms of reference for the commission before submitting of its final report within 18 months of the date of its constitution.

The merger of 50 percent DA to basic pay will lead salaries rising by up to 30 per cent, which will cope with the present living cost of government employees.

The election Commission announced the Lok Sabha elections; model code of conduct makes the government lame-duck as it cannot take decision on merger of dearness allowance without permission of the Election Commission.

Hence, this genuine demand may be considered by the next government only on interim recommendation of seventh pay panel.

Source : Agencies & The Sen Times