Saturday, December 27, 2008

Sixth pay commission: Gujarat ministers, MLAs likely to get pay hike

Sixth pay commission: Gujarat ministers, MLAs likely to get pay hike

AHMEDABAD: At a time when private companies and corporate houses are planning to cut costs, the Gujarat government has proposed a 25 per cent increase in salaries of MLAs and ministers, sources in the government said.

The new pay scale, at par with those of Class I officers, will come into effect from April 2009, sources said.

"In 2005, we had passed a bill in the state assembly by which pay scales of MLAs and ministers have been brought at par with a Class I government servant," state assembly speaker Ashok Bhatt said.

Consequently, with pay scales of Class I officers being revised by the Sixth Pay Commission, pay scales of MLAs and ministers have also been increased.

An MLA would get Rs 40,000 per month including all perks while a minister would get Rs 50,000 with perks as per the new pay scales.

Presently, an MLA draws a salary of Rs 23,940 inclusive of perks.

A senior official in the state General Administration Department (GAD) said salaries of MLAs would be reviewed from time to time at par with Class I officers.

According to Bhatt, the new pay structure will be effective from April 2009 but it has been implemented with retrospective effect from January 2006 and arrears for 39 months will be paid in cash to ministers and MLAs.

However, government employees would get arrears of 39 months in their Provident Funds with a five-year lock-in period. The government would pay 20 per cent arrears in the employees' PF accounts for each of these five years.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Sixth pay commission: PM reviews preparedness with three Service chiefs

Sixth pay commission: PM reviews preparedness with three Service chiefs

NEW DELHI: Chiefs of the three armed forces met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here on Friday to apprise him of the country’s defence preparedness.The meeting, the third since the 26/11 terror assault on Mumbai, came amid reports of a growing war hysteria in Pakistan and troop buildups across the border.

The event was followed by a meeting of the CCS, convened to clear crucial purchases of arms and required by the
armed forces.

The prime minister’s confabulations with the chiefs of the three armed forces saw him taking stock of the possible conventional military threat scenarios and the counter-measures that the Army, Navy and the Air Force had put in place along the borders, defence ministry sources said.

While the prime minister undertook a review of the security scenario as “a matter of routine,” there was no attempt to raise the pitch to counter Pakistan’s posturing. The general state of high alert across the country continues, without getting into a competitive bid with the neighbour.

“In the meeting, the three services chiefs made a presentation on the military preparedness to the prime minister,’’ the sources said, adding that issues relating to the Sixth Pay Commission “anomalies’’ were also discussed.

Though the defence ministry described the meeting between the prime minister and the services chiefs as routine, it assumed significance against the backdrop of reports that Pakistan had started mobilising its troops along the
Indo-Pak border.

“The prime minister has been frequently meeting with the services chiefs to discuss security issues since the November 26 Mumbai terror strikes. And this meeting today was also part of that exercise,’’ the sources maintained.

After investigations into the Mumbai terror attacks revealed the involvement of Pakistanis, New Delhi has been pressing for international pressure on Islamabad to clamp down on the terror outfits operating from its soil.

At the meeting, PMO sources said, the three services chiefs also discussed the ``anomalies’’ in the Sixth Pay Commission report implemented by the government since September 1 this year and the recommendations of the ministerial committee headed by external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee to address the four issues raised by them.

Though the Mukherjee committee had given its report to the prime minister on the defence forces’ pay demands, the government is yet to announce its decision.

Among the four issues raised by the armed forces were placing Lieutenant Colonels in Pay Band-4, parity in grade pay of officers from Captains to Brigadiers with their civilian counterparts, placing Lieutenant Generals in the Higher Administrative Grade Plus pay scales and restoring 70% pensionary weightage to the jawans.


Source: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com

Sixth pay commission: Panel on pay anomalies submits report to J-K Govt.

Sixth pay commission: Panel on pay anomalies submits report to J-K Govt.

Jammu, (PTI): A pay committee appointed by Jammu and Kashmir State Administrative Council (SAC) has submitted its report on sixth pay commission recommendations and removal of pay anomalies to Governor N N Vohra, senior officials said on Saturday.

"The pay committee submitted its report recommending measures for removal of pay anomalies for various sections of employees to the state government last evening," they said.

The report has generated a ray of hope among the government employees that they would get advantages of the sixth pay commission, the officials said.

The six-member committee headed by Financial Commissioner, Planning and Development Department S L Bhat, was appointed to work out the modalities for implementation of the pay commission for the state government employees, they said.

The report had suggested that after removing pay anomalies, the arrear would be paid to employees with effect from 2006 instead of 1996.

Besides, the committee had also suggested to remove pay anomalies in clerical cadre, enhancement of wages of the daily worker and enhancing retirement age from 58 to 60 years.

The officials said that the implementation of the pay commission recommendations may cost some additional burden on the state exchequer.

- PTI

Sixth pay commission: Governor likely to announce sixth pay commission next week

Sixth pay commission: Governor likely to announce sixth pay commission next week

Jammu, Dec 27 (NAK): The New Year is expected to bring a pleasant surprise for the state government employees as Jammu and Kashmir governor NN Vohra is likely to announce implementation of sixth pay commission recommendation by the next week.
Well informed sources told News Agency of Kashmir that the committee constituted by the governor to look into the possibilities of implementation of 6th Pay commission forwarded its recommendations to the State Administrative Council (SAC), headed by the governor on Saturday.
If sources have to be believed the six members committee, headed by financial commissioner SL Bhat, has also favoured implementation of the recommendations at the earliest.
The committee sources added, has also discussed the pay anomalies among the state government employees and it has been recommended that the arrears in this behalf shall be paid to the employees from 2006 instead of 1996, as demanded by the Joint Action Committee (JAC) during its meeting with the governor on December 22.
“The revised pay, as per the sixth pay commission recommendation, has been suggested to be paid from the January 2006”, sources said adding, “However, it has been left to the SAC to decide as whether the arrears be paid to the employees in cash or deposited in the Provident Fund”.
Sources said that the governor is likely to announce the implementation of the sixth pay commission recommendations in the next week. “If all goes well the governor will himself announce the bonanza for the employees well before the next government is formed in the state”, sources told NAK, preferring anonymity. (NAK)


Source: http://naknews.co.in/

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Sixth pay commission: Bill seeking hike in SC, HC judges' salaries introduced in Lok Sabha

Sixth pay commission: Bill seeking hike in SC, HC judges' salaries introduced in Lok Sabha

New Delhi (PTI): A Bill proposing over three-fold hike in the salaries of judges of the Supreme Court and the High Court was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Monday.

Law Minister H R Bhardwaj introduced the High Court and Supreme Court Judges (Salaries and Conditions of Service) Bill in the Lok Sabha.

Bhardwaj introduced the Bill amid a din by BJP members protesting Minority Affairs Minister A R Antulay's controversial remarks on the killing of Maharashtra ATS chief Hemant Karkare during the Mumbai terror attacks.

The Bill proposes to hike the salary of the Chief Justice of India from Rs 33,000 per month to Rs 1lakh per month, and that of other apex Court judges from Rs 30,000 pm to Rs 90,000 pm.

The draft legistlation seeks to increase the salary of the Chief Justice of High Courts from Rs 30,000 to Rs 90,000 pm and that of the judges of High Courts from Rs 26,000 pm to Rs 80,000 per month.

Based on the recommendation of the Sixth Central Pay Commission, the Central Government has decided to grant additional quantum of pension and family pension with reference to the age of the Central Government pensioner and family pensioner.

On the same analogy, it has been decided to extend similar benefits to all retired judges, Bhardwaj said in statement of objects and reasons for the Bill.

The hike in the salaries is proposed to be effective from January 1, 2006.

Source: PTI

Sixth pay commission: LU Finance Committee approves fee hike

Sixth pay commission: LU Finance Committee approves fee hike

LUCKNOW: The Finance Committee (FC) of the Lucknow University, on Sunday, approved the annual budget for 2009-10, which includes fee hike from next
session. Two committees have been formed to draft course-wise increase in the fees for self-finance and traditional disciplines.

The FC accepted the proposal which recommended fee hike of 20-50% in self-finance courses and 100% hike in the traditional courses like BA, BSc, BCom, MA, MSc and MCom. The committees are likely to submit their reports in the first week of January. The hike in popular self-finance management courses will be 50%, which will make the fees from Rs 25,000 per semester at present to Rs 37,000 per semester. In other self-finance courses, the hike would be between 20-30%. The fees in traditional courses, at present between Rs 1200-2500 per annum, are likely to be doubled in the new structure.

However, the major burden will come on the students of self-finance courses. The decision to hike the fees has been taken to meet the financial burden because of the deficit and increase in salaries of teaching and non-teaching staff after implementation of the sixth pay commission report. The university has also written to the government asking for increase in grants to meet the expenses required for increasing salaries of non-teaching staff. LU expects to generate Rs 5-6 crore per annum from fee hike, but it will still need additional Rs 5-6 crore to meet the deficit of Rs 10 crore.

In the annual financial statement (budget), university has shown its expenses for 2009-10 to be around Rs 76.51 crore, which include Rs 50 crore for the salaries of teaching and non-teaching staff and Rs 26.51 crore for repair, construction, labs, classrooms and various academic activities. On the revenue side, LU has shown Rs 24.80 crore as grants from the government for salaries and development, over Rs 25 crore from fees, around Rs 9 crore from University Grants Commission to implement the sixth pay commission for teachers and around Rs 10 crore as grants and aids from other sources.

The major concern for the university, however, is that the state government has fixed grants for salaries to the levels of 1998-99. After implementation of the sixth pay commission, university will require at least Rs 3-4 crore extra for the non-teaching staff and Rs 9 crore for the teaching staff. The UGC will provide 80% of the hike for teachers for five years, thereafter university will have to manage on its own. "If the state government does not increase grants for salaries, we will be forced to hike fees, at least by four times after five years," said a senior officer.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Sixth pay commission: Power engineers threaten strike

Sixth pay commission: Power engineers threaten strike

LUCKNOW: The junior engineers of Lucknow Electricity Supply Administration (Lesa) have threatened of going on a work boycott in case the state government does not meet their demand of removing anomalies in salaries within 72 hours, beginning Sunday. The demand comes in the wake of the prospective application of the 6th Pay Commission following which the cadre apprehends to get lesser salary than their clerical counterparts.

The decision was taken on the second day of the 63rd annual convention of Rajya Vidyut Parishad Junior Engineers' Association on Sunday. President of the association Satnam Singh alleged the administration of having malicious intentions to deny basic rights to the JE cadre.

Singh said that the problems arising out of the work boycott would be the responsibility of the UPPCL administration.

Notably, the Rajya Vidyut Abhiyanta Sangh too have called upon the engineers of UPPCL to go on a state-wide strike in case UPPCL administration does not remove anomalies pertaining to promotions. The deadline the association has laid before the UPPCL administration is December 23, that is Wednesday.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Sixth pay commission: Recession delays unveiling of new home loan policy

Sixth pay commission: Recession delays unveiling of new home loan policy

New Delhi: The economic downturn seems to be delaying the announcement of a new home loan policy for Central Government employees as recommended by the Sixth Central Pay Commission (CPC).

Known as the house building assistance (HBA), it’s a key interest-bearing advance given by the government to its employees to construct/acquire house/flats of their own.

The HBA is given to all permanent employees, members of All India Services (IAS, IPS & IFS) deputed to the Central government, public sector undertakings (PSUs) under control of the Centre, international organisations, autonomous bodies etc. The advance is to assist acquiring a plot and constructing a house thereon, building a new house on a plot already owned singly or jointly with spouse, enlarging living accommodation in a house, purchase of a ready built house/flat etc.

According to existing rules, the cost of the house (excluding cost of land) should not exceed 134 times the basic pay (and dearness pay taken together) subject to a maximum of Rs 18 lakh and a minimum of Rs 7.5 lakh.

Although this advance is interest-bearing, it has an inherent subsidy since interest is has to be paid only after the principal has been repaid and simple interest is chargeable on the advance. The rates of interest, therefore, are somewhat lower than existing market rates.

The Sixth Central Pay Commission in its report said: “It is desirable to provide only for the element of interest subsidy and make available various interest bearing advances to government employees through arrangements with public sector banks. This will not only give the government employee the freedom to approach the specified bank for a loan but would also simplify the existing procedures saving a lot of administrative work which is presently being done in government offices for grant of loans and servicing thereof.”

The CPC recommended the government should enter into an agreement with leading PSU banks to extend this facility at pre-determined competitive rates to its employees. The employee shall take the loans/advances directly from the bank with the approval of the sanctioning authority in the government and repay installments directly to the bank.

The Sixth CPC also said: “The eligibility for taking the advances should also be removed because the repaying capacity would, in any case, be considered by the concerned bank at the time of processing the loan application. This will also extend to the ceiling of Rs 18 lakh presently prescribed on the cost of house for purposes of house building advance. Therefore, this ceiling should also be removed.”

But this policy has not been implemented till date. The Ministry of Finance in a notification dated October 24 said: “The implementation of the recommendations of the Sixth Central Pay Commission relating to interest bearing advances granted to government employees is under consideration of the government. Meanwhile, pending finalisation of the new arrangement, the existing provisions for interest-bearing advances to purchase motor car, motorcycle, scooter, moped and personal computer would continue to be in operation.” But it was silent on the HBA.

Source: news.in.msn.com

Sixth pay commission: Secretariat typists grouse against Pay Commission norms

Sixth pay commission: Secretariat typists grouse against Pay Commission norms

BHUBANESWAR: The typists of the State Secretariat have expressed their dissatisfaction over their pay structure notified by the Sixth Pay Commission as per the recommendations of the Fitment Committee. General secretary of the Orissa Secretariat Typists’ Association Siddhartha Kumar Panda has alleged that the anomaly in the pay-scale has not been rectified and comparatively lower scale has been awarded to them. He said that like the pay-scale of the other employees having graduation as qualification, the pay-scale of the senior grade typists should have been placed in ‘Pay Band-2’. The grade pay of superintendent level-I of the typist cadre has been equated with superintendent level-II. The association has requested Finance Minister Prafulla Chandra Ghadei to correct the anomaly.

Source: expressbuzz.com

Sixth pay commission: PM set to clear forces' demand over pay

Sixth pay commission: PM set to clear forces' demand over pay

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is set to clear the demands of the armed forces on the sixth pay commission.

Officers of the Lieutenant Colonel rank will now get Rs 10,000 more than the present salary per month.

As per the new provisions, the three star officers will be at par with Director Generals of Police.

It also makes provisions for retiring jawans to continue to get pension equivalent to 70 per cent of their the last pay the draw.

However, the demand for pay parity between military and civilian officers has been rejected.

In October, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee had said that he had discussed the matter with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Defence Minister A K Antony.

A ministerial committee, headed by Mukherjee, was set up to look into the armed forces' grievance about pay "anomalies".

The committee, which also included Antony and Chidambaram, was set up by the Prime Minister on September 25 in the wake of deep resentment in the armed forces, who complained that there were "anomalies" in the sixth pay commission recommendations and that it had lowered the status of their officers.

After the government notification was issued on August 29, the issues of "anomalies" in the pay for officers was first raised by Air chief Fali Homi Major in his letter in his capacity as acting Chairman of Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC).

Chiefs of Navy and Army too have been voicing their resentment.

Source: ndtv.com
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