Centre made a discretionary decision on 7th CPC Terms of Reference – National Council JCM

Centre made a discretionary decision on 7th CPC Terms of Reference – National Council JCM

In its foreword of the 7th CPC Memorandum prepared by the National Council JCM Staff Side, the National Council has said that the Centre has made a discretionary decision regarding the 7th CPC Terms of Reference. The writeup also adds that the Centre did not consult with them prior to formulating the Terms of Reference for the 7th Pay Commission.

The Prime Minister has given his approval to the composition of the 7th CPC on 4th February 2014 and the Union Cabinet gave its approval to the 7th CPC Terms of Reference on 28.02.2014.

On 01.01.2011, when the Dearness Allowance touched 50%, the Central Government employees started to strengthen their demand to add it to the Basic Pay. Some of them demanded setting up of the 7th CPC on the plea that the residency period of any wage structure must not exceed 5 years, especially in the background that the pay revision in most of the PSUs takes place at the interval of 5 years. The Government turned a deaf ear to them.

After implementation of pay band and grade pay, there was plethora of anomalies, common as well as department specific. None of these anomalies were removed despite several rounds of discussions. And Government refused to discuss these demands either bilaterally or at the forum of JCM

The Confederation of Central Government Employees successfully conducted a 2-day protest. Defence and Railway employees too were ready to join the protests. Just when it looked as if confrontation was imminent, in September 2013, the Centre announced the formation of the 7th Pay Commission. The protests were dropped when the Government accepted their demands.

While formulating the Terms of Reference, there was a general expectation that the Government would consider the 6-point demand that was debated upon at the Standing Council NC JCM meeting that was held on 24.10.2013.

6-point demands are…

The Commission should have a labour representative.

DA (as on 1.1.2014) to be merged and treated as pay for all purposes. 

To include Gramin Dak Sewaks within the ambit of 7th CPC.

To grant Interim Relief @ 25% of Pay + GP.

To ensure that the 7th CPC recommendation will be effective from 1.1.2014.

To ensure parity in pension for all pensioners as per the 5th CPC recommendation.

They were also hoping that another meeting would be held before the final Terms of Reference were decided. But the Government made a discretionary decision regarding and 7th CPC Terms of Reference. None of the important demands presented by the association made the final list.

In its Memorandum to the 7th Pay Commission, the National Council has presented the twin issues, i.e. the need to grant interim relief and merger of Dearness Allowance.

The 98-page long report to the 7th Pay Commission prepared by the members of National Council JCM Staff Side, incorporating all the suggestions and demands presented by all the representative of employees involved. The National Council also hopes that all Central Government employees, Associations/ Federations/Unions would accept and support the demands raised by them in the memorandum.

The Memorandum consists of expectations and requirements of common for all the Central Government employees. No doubt they will submit separate memorandum on department specific issues.

The 7th Pay Commission is bound to take note of this report and its recommendations.

Source: CGEN.in
[http://centralgovernmentemployeesnews.in/2014/07/centre-made-a-discretionary-decision-on-7th-cpc-terms-of-reference-national-council-jcm/]

Additional Demands proposed by IRTSA for inclusion in the Memorandum to 7th CPC by JCM Staff Side

Additional Demands proposed by IRTSA for inclusion in the Memorandum to 7th CPC by JCM Staff Side

GENERAL DEMANDS OF CG EMPLOYEES & PENSIONERS FOR SEVENTH CPC FOR CONSIDERATION OF JCM STAFF SIDE & GS AIRF

MACPS

1. Improved Modified Assured Career Progression Scheme (MACPS) – with a financial upgrading after every 8 years of service – with consequential benefits of higher Grades – to provide adequate motivation and to ensure optimum efficiency.

2. MACP on promotional hierarchy instead of Grade Pay hierarchy as per judgment of various Courts.

ALLOWANCES

3. Treatment of Dearness Allowance as Pay whenever the Cost of Living Index exceeds 50% over the Base Index at which the Pay Scales are prescribed and may please be counted for all purposes – including for calculation of all Allowances and Retirement Benefits etc.

4. Periodical revision of H.R.A. to compensate for rise of Rents.

5. Counting of D.A. for grant of H.R.A or D.A. be treated as D.P. after (every) rise of 50% of Price Index to compensate for escalation of Rents.

6. Reduction in Rate of Interest on House Building Advance (HBA) – to 4% to 5% as in the Financial Institutions and Public Undertakings like Banks and LIC etc.

7. Increase of Amount of HBA periodically to keep pace with rise of cost of land and construction.

8. Reduction in Rents for Government accommodation – which have been substantially increased over the years, putting the employees in great hardship. Raising Rent for Railway Quarters should be stopped specially for the over 30 years old houses for which the Government had already recovered the cost many times over.

9. Increase in Housing satisfaction level to atleast 50% in case of Non-Technical Staff and 100% in case of Technical Staff and Engineers – keeping in view exigencies of their service.

10. Rural Area and Sub-Mountainous Area Compensatory Allowance be paid as available in some of the States to the Employees posted in such areas respectively to compensate for higher cost of living in these areas on account of inadequate transportation and infrastructural facilities and increased dependency on urbanized areas due to change of Socio-Economic conditions.

11. Disturbed Area Allowance: Disturbed Area Compensatory Allowance be paid to Employees posted in areas which are disturbed due to unstable Law and Order situation, terrorist activities or intense Army / Police action to maintain the Law and Order etc.

12. Special / Additional Insurance Cover for the Employees posted in Disturbed / Border areas.

13. Over Time Allowance for actual number of extra hours put in due to exigency of work, be allowed, irrespective of the category or pay range – both under the Factories Act and the Hours of Employment Regulations etc.

14. Removal of limits of admissibility for National Holiday Allowance, All the employees be allowed the N.H.A as and when they are essentially required to attend to the work on National Holidays, due to exigencies of work and to keep the trains and systems running.

15. Rates of TA / DA and Mileage / Conveyance Allowance be adequately enhanced and the same be linked with Price Index and Dearness Allowance should be counted for determining the rates of TA / DA admissible to the Employees on tour – Periodic revision of TA/DA.

16. Grant of adequate FMA (Fixed Medical Allowance) to at least Rs.2500 PM as per average expences per patient per month on OPD Treatment under CGHS and periodical revision thereof for day-to-day Medical Treatment to employees & Pensioners posted & residing in far flung areas – away from CGHS Dispansories & Railway Hospitals.

17. Free Treatment of Central Government Employees, including Railways Employees & Pensioners in Specialised Government Hospitals like AIIMS / NIMS / NIMHANS / JIPMER / CMC / PGI – especially, since these Hospitals are run by the Union Government.

18. Empanelment / recognition of more Specialised Private Hospitals for Treatment of Central Government & Railway employees & Pensioners – on Cashless Billing system in Emergency and on Reference by CGHS / Railway Doctors.

19. Revision of Incentive for acquiring higher Profesional qualifications (not revised after Sixth Pay Commission.

BONUS / PLB CEILING LIMIT

20. Removal of unfair & unjust wage ceiling limit of Rs.3500 for payment of Productivity linked Bonus

21. Weightage for Night Duty Allowance ( NDA ) be given for hours of Duty between Sunset to Sunrise ( i.e from 6 PM to 6 AM instead of from 10 PM to 6 PM – at present).

LEAVE

22. Abolition of limit on maximum accumulation of leave as had been done in case of many of the State Government Employees OR Limit of accumulation of Leave may be raised to 15 months (450 days), to improve Attendance in the Offices and Industrial Establishments.

23. Encashment of Leave be allowed during service – without restriction.

24. Half a Day’s L.A.P / Earned Leave be allowed to attend to the exigencies to avoid wastage of full day’s leave when not required – particularly if there is no Casual Leave to the credit of an Employee.

25. Commutation of Half Pay Leave may be allowed without Medical Certificate, in case of emergency.

26. Restoration of 12 days of Casual Leave – unjustly curtailed after 5th CPC..

27. Prefix or Suffix Casual Leave with other type of Leave

28. Accumulation of Casual Leave may be allowed and the un-availed Casual Leave in a calendar year be credited to the Earned Leave Account, as permitted in some States and some Public Undertakings (like L.I.C. etc.).

29. Exclusion of Sundays and holidays during counting of no. of days in case of leave availed as LAP.

 

ADVANCES

30. Adequate quantum of advances as per market rates and periodic revision thereof – irrespective of Pay or Scale of Pay – including House Building Advance, Vehicle Advance, Festival Advance, Computer Advance, Furniture & Household effects Advance etc.

31. Advance for suitable type of cloth and stitching charges, to get the Uniforms stitched properly. The previous Pay Commissions had also recommended the grant of this facility, but it had not been properly implemented

32. Vehicle Advance: Limit for Vehicle Advance should be increased to Rs. 80000/- for Motor Cycle & Scooter; Rs. 6 Lakhs for Motor Car, and Rs. 8000/- for purchase of a Bicycle. This limit should be revised from time to time according to the rates of the vehicles in the market.

 

GROUP INSURANCE

33. Amount of Group Insurance cover should be enhanced to at least Rs.15 lakhs in view of heavy inflation as per New Scales of Pay proposed by the Pay Commission.

INCENTIVE FOR SMALL FAMILIES

34. Incentive Increment for Family Planning for promoting Small Family Norms should be paid as per New Scales of Pay both to those who had adopted Family Planning Norms prior to the Pay Commission as well as to those who adopt them later on and the same should be counted for all purposes as done earlier.

 

INCOME TAX

35. Exemption of all allowances from Income Tax (including DA, HRA & Transport Allowance etc.) – as recommended by Fifth Pay Commission.

36. Raising of Exemption Limit for Income Tax to Rs. 5 Lakhs for Salaried Class, Rs. 7 Lakhs for Senior Citizens and Rs. 10 Lakhs for those above 80 years;

37. Linking of Exemption Limit of Income Tax with inflation and annual revision thereof accordingly.

 

DEMANDS OF PENSIONERS

38. Demands of Pensioners proposed to be added, are attached herewith please .

 

DEMANDS OF PENSIONERS

 

FOR SEVENTH CENTRAL PAY COMMISSION FOR CONSIDERATION OF JCM STAFF SIDE & GS AIRF PENSIONARY BENEFITS

1. Full Parity of Pension to Pre & Post 2006 Pensioners with Post 7th CPC Pensioners – retiring from the same post.

2. Full Pension after 20 years of Service to Pre 2006 Pensioners – at par with Post 2006 Pensioners.

3. Proportionate Pension for less than 20 years of service for Pre 2006 as for Post 2006 Pensioners

4. Full Pension @ 65% of pay plus D.A. last drawn or average of last 10 months pay – whichever is higher -– after 20 years service. Restoration of commuted value of Pension in 12 years – as recommended by Fifth Pay Commission and as the amount gets recovered in less than 12 years – with interest thereon, on reducing balance.

5. Pay last drawn or average of last 10 months (whichever is higher) plus full D.A. last drawn for grant of Death-Cum-Retirement Gratuity / Special Contribution to Provident Fund.

 

6. Rates of Family Pension may be revised as under :-

Proposed Family Pension Per Month
On death in Harness	On death between 60 to 67 years of age.	After limits indicated in columns 2 and 3
80% of last pay drawn as Family Pension for 10 years (if the Employee had survived)	Full Pension as Family Pension for 10 years (if the Employee had survived)	80% of Normal Pension if Employee had survived (with minimum FP being Minimum Wage less 20%)

 

7. NPS: New Pension Scheme should be withdrawn for Post 2004 appointee Central Government / Railway employees and they should be covered under the existing Pension Scheme.

8. Gratuity: One month’s pay plus D.A. last drawn or average of last 10 months – whichever is higher as Death-Cum-Retirement Gratuity / Special Contribution to Provident Fund, instead of half month’s pay for each year of qualifying service as at present.

9. Ex-gratia Pension of at least Minimum Pension/ Minimum Wages to the surviving PF Optees.

10. Option to PF Optees: One time Option to all PF Optees to join Pension Scheme by refunding Contributed Provident Fund with interest thereon.

11. Additional Pension / Family Pension: 10% Additional Pension should be granted every 5 years from the age of 65 to 75 years; 20% every 5 years from 80 years onwards and 100% after 90 years of age – to meet with additional expanses on Medicines, health care and other exigencies of old age. (Recommendation of Sixth Pay Commission for grant of 100% additional Pension after 100 years of age was illusionary and unjust in view of far lesser prevailing life expectancy).

10% additional Pension/Family Pension after 65 years of age,

20% Additional Pension/Family Pension after 70 years of age 30 % additional Pension/Family Pension after 75 years of age, 50% additional Pension/Family Pension after 80 years of age,

70% additional Pension/Family Pension after 85 years of age and 100% additional Pension/Family Pension after 90 years of age

12. House Rent Allowance to Pensioners: Pensioners should be granted the House Rent Allowance as granted to serving employees – since most Pensioners are unable to build a House due to exorbitant rise of land & property.

13. Re-employment in appropriate fields to utilize valuable experience and expertise of suitable and talented Technical, Professional and Specialised Personnel against Supernumerary posts – through a suitable mechanism of selection – as required – without any favour or bias.

 

MEDICAL ALLOWANCE & TREATMENT

14. Grant of adequate FMA (Fixed Medical Allowance) and periodical revision thereof for day-to-day Medical Treatment to employees & Pensioners posted & residing in far flung areas – away from CGHS Dispensaries & Railway Hospitals.

15. Fixed Medical Allowance (FMA) to Pensioners and Family Pensioners be increased to at least Rs.2500 PM (with periodic revision thereof) for outdoor treatment – where no such facility is available nearby.

16. Waiver or at least adequate reduction of Contributions by the Pensioners / Retiring Employees for CGHS & RELHS (Railway Employees Liberated Health Scheme) – with balance contribution by the Government / Railways – keeping in view the true spirit of Social Responsibility towards the Pensioners – as defined by the Apex Court in Nakra’s Case.

17. Free Treatment of Central Govt Employees, including Railways Employees & Pensioners in Specialised Government Hospitals like AIIMS / NIMS / NIMHANS / JIPMER / CMC / PGI – especially, since these Hospitals are run by the Union Government.

18. Empanelment of more specialised Private Hospitals for Treatment of Central Govt. & Railway Pensioners – on Cashless Billing system in Emergency and on Reference by CGHS / Railway Doctors.

 

INCOME TAX

19. Exemption of all allowances – including DA/DP – from Income Tax – as recommended by Fifth CPC.

20. Raising of Exemption Limit for Income Tax to Rs. 5 Lakhs for salaried Class.

21. 50% tax rebate to the Senior Citizen between 60 years and 65 years, 75% tax rebate for senior citizens above 65 years and 100% after 80 years of age.

22. Exemption of Fixed Medical Allowance (FMA) from Income Tax – as it is a reimbursement of expenses for day-to-day Medical Treatment.

 

INTERIM RELIEF & PERIODICITY OF REVISION

23. Grant of Interim Relief of at least 40% of the Pay/Pension + D.A to all Central Government Employees & Pensioners w.e.f 01.01.2014 – pending finalization & implementation of of recommendations of the Pay Commission, to mitigate the sufferings of the employees and Pensioners – to compensate them, at least partially, for the large-scale erosion of their Pay / Pensions due to heavy inflation and long gap between two successive Pay Commissions.

24. Merger of 100% DA/DR with Pay & Pension w.e.f. 1-1-2014.

25. Continual Revision of Wages at least every 5 years (like all PSUs) OR whenever the Dearness Allowance rises above 50 per cent.

 

Harchandan Singh

 

Source: www.irtsa.net

[http://www.irtsa.net/pdfdocs/Additional_Demands_for_Inclusion_in_JCM_Memorandum_to_7th_CPC.pdf]

Suggestion on Dearness Allowance for 7th Pay Commission – NC JCM STAFF SIDE

Suggestion on Dearness Allowance for 7th Pay Commission – NC JCM STAFF SIDE

National Council JCM Staff Side suggested on the issue of Dearness Allowance in 7th Pay Commission, the existing formula of computation of Dearness allowance and its payment with effect from 1st January, and 1st July may continue…

Dearness allowance

The neutralisation envisaged under the present system of computation of dearness compensation is supposed to be cent per cent, but in reality it is not the case. Actual consumer price index is much higher than the level at which DA is calculated on the basis of 12 monthly average. The average is always lower than the actual cost of living.

The calculation of consumer price index, its basis, the basket of goods on which it is based, are questionable and has become a matter of dispute. Since the Pay Commission being not the forum at which these issues could be taken, we do not propose to go into the details of this aspects.

We suggest, therefore, that the existing formula of computation of DA and its payment with effect from 1st January, and 1st July, may continue.

Source: 90paisa.blogspot.in
[http://90paisa.blogspot.in/2014/06/suggestion-on-dearness-allowance-for.html]

A new website for National Council JCM Staff Side

A new website for National Council JCM Staff Side 

 

The National Council Joint Consultative Machinery was formulated in order to present the demands of the central government employees to the Government and successfully negotiate with them to ensure their implementation. 

 

Due to the efforts of the organization’s current Secretary, Mr. Siva Gopal Mishra, an exclusive official website for the employees of the National Council JCM Staff Side was launched. Although the website was launched last year, it has only now started gaining popularity among employees. 

 

Creation of such official websites greatly diminishes the possibilities of rumours. These websites enable the dissemination of information to millions of employees in a very short time. It is also possible now for the employees to give their feedback on the news articles and latest developments, and share them with the rest of the world.

 

There is no doubt that these initiatives of the National Council JCM, to keep its members updated on its various activities via the internet, would receive tremendous response from one and all. 

 

Click here to view the official website of NC JCM Staff Side...