The 6th Central Pay Commission (CPC) has submitted its report and thanks to RTI-age, the report has been made available in the virtual medium also. The positives of the Report are
- It has given its Report in time though the same is due to political events on the horizon
- The Report has been made available immediately as also most of the discussions are hosted by the CPC in its portal marking rare transparency for a govt. committee
- Reduction of holidays to 3 with increase in Restricted Holidays to 8 (in all likelyhood this will not be accepted by the govt.)
- A reasonably good hike in pay for top level officers ( who are relatively least affected by inflation)
As usual a body set up in the era of 'new economic order' can only be anti-worker as the negative points far outweigh the good ones:
- Starting pay or the pay at the lowest level was demanded as Rs.10,000 while the CPC has recommended around Rs.6000
- Introduction of Pay Band concept thus reducing the number of pay scales - effecting bunching of several cadres pay-wise leading to demoralisation
- Increment fixed at 2.5% which is far less than the demand of 5% (even the previous Pay Commn had given around 2.3%)
- To divide the workers, sops recommended for women employees - can come late to office, take 2 or 3 years leave after delivery, etc
- Advances like House Building Advance or HBA being given to banks with govt bearing an interest subsidy of 2% (which will eventually be abolished)
- Suggestion to abolish Group D posts - call for using labour on contract
- Use of technical or fancy jargons like running pay band, Performance Related Incentive Scheme (PRIS), etc thus obfuscating the real issues of stagnation, better facilities and a decent pay.
