7th Pay Commission: Transport Allowance not to be hiked

7th Pay Commission: Transport Allowance not to be hiked

New Delhi: The Transport Allowance for central government employees will not be hiked and remain the same as 6th Pay Commission recommendations including Dearness Allowance(DA).

The Finance Ministry today informed about the report of the 'Committee on Allowances', headed by Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa and said no hike in Transport Allowance (TPTA) for central government employees in its report. The committee accepted the 7th Pay Commission recommendation in this regard, which was announced earlier.

The Pay Commission has revised the Transport allowance (TPTA), which is given below:

 The existing Transport allowance table for A1/A cities and other places is under:

The Pay Commission made report, assuming that the rate of Dearness Allowance 125 percent at the time of implementation of the pay commission recommendation, i.e. on January 1 next year.

Accordingly, the employees will not get any hike in Transport allowance on the time of implementation of the pay commission recommendation as the existing Transport allowance figure automatically reached the Pay Commission revised Transport allowance figure after adding 125 percent DA.

"In partial modification, the committee has further decided that the current HRA slab, which is 30 per cent of basic pay, for metros would continue," according to the sources.

However, the pay commission had recommended reducing the house rent allowance (HRA) to 24 per cent of basic pay as against the 30 per cent of basic pay employees were drawing under the Sixth Pay Commission.

The government has given higher basic pay with arrears, effective from January 1, 2016 in August 2016 to its employees on the recommendations of the 7th pay commission but referred hike in allowances to the Committee on Allowances.

Usually, once the recommendations of the pay commission are approved, the increase in basic pay is followed by an increase in allowances.

The hike in allowances, most probably to implement from the month of April and the Finance Minister Arun Jaitley may announce it after ending the model code of conduct on March 8.

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Retirement fund body EPFO launches one page EPF claim withdrawal form

Retirement fund body EPFO launches one page EPF claim withdrawal form

Highlights:
1. For EPF subscribers whose Universal Account Number (UAN) is linked to their Aadhaar and bank account number, they can approach the EPFO directly for claims, bypassing the employers

2. In case of full withdrawal from EPF accounts, subscribers are required to mention only their names, registered mobile number, UAN, Aadhaar number, date of joining and leaving the company

3. For partial withdrawals from EPF accounts, subscribers are not required to submit extra documents
With an aim to provide withdrawal ease to its EPF subscribers, retirement fund body Employees' Provident Fund Organisation(EPFO) has started a simplified one page claim withdrawal form, The Hindustan Times reported.

Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) allows withdrawal if subscriber is unemployed for at least two months or partial withdrawals for events such as medical emergencies, children’s education or buying a house, cited report on Monday.

For EPF subscribers whose Universal Account Number (UAN) is linked to their Aadhaar and bank account number, they can approach the EPFO directly for claims, bypassing the employers, it said.

Earlier, EPF subscribers had to fill up form 19 for complete withdrawal, form 10C for pension fund scheme certificate to retain membership of Employees’ Pension Scheme or to claim withdrawals, and form 31 for partial withdrawals.

Now, with the EPFO's introduction of the new form called the composite claim form all forms have been merged into one. It has launched two types of EPF withdrawal forms- Aadhaar and non-Aadhaar forms.
The Aadhaar-based composite form is meant for individuals who have activated their UAN and linked it with their Aadhaar and bank account number, and whose details are embedded in the UAN portal, the news report said.

According to the report, in case of full withdrawal from EPF accounts, subscribers are need to mention only their names, registered mobile number, UAN, Aadhaar number, date of joining and leaving the company.
Moreover, for partial withdrawals, there is no longer need of extra documents. Subscribers have to mark the purpose for which they need the money and how much. Sign the form, attach a cancelled cheque and then the subscribers can go ahead.

The non-Aadhaar form needs details of EPF subscribers such as date of birth, father's name and bank account details. It has to be signed by subscribers and their employers.

The report citing the new form further stated that for partial withdrawals subscribers do not have to submit proof.

For instance, if partial withdrawal was for a wedding (of self or children), EPF subscriber had to give supporting documents such as the wedding invitation card. In the new form, subscriber's signature is enough. But there is a disclaimer at the bottom which states that if the funds are used for any other purpose, the subscriber is liable to return the money with penal interest.

But if partial withdrawal is for a medical emergency, subscriber still need to submit proof like medical certificate and certificate by the employer that employees' state insurance (ESIC) facility is not available to the member, it added.

EPFO plans to launch an online facility from May this year for withdrawals, but this can only be used by individuals with Aadhaar and bank account-linked UAN, cited the report.

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3rd pay panel for CPSEs suggests min Rs 30,000 for executives

3rd pay panel for CPSEs suggests min Rs 30,000 for executives

New Delhi: The third pay revision committee for central public sector enterprises has recommended minimum pay of Rs 30,000 per month for executives and a maximum of Rs 3.7 lakh for CMDs.

As per the recommendations, the minimum monthly salary of below Board level executives will increase from Rs 12,600 to Rs 30,000.

However, in case of CMDs, the maximum monthly salary for Schedule A CPSEs will go up from Rs 1.25 lakh to Rs 3.7 lakh.

In case of Schedule B, C and D CPSEs, the maximum monthly salary will be Rs 3.2 lakh, Rs 2.9 lakh and Rs 2.8 lakh, respectively.

The recommendations of the Justice Satish Chandra committee, which are to come into effect from January 1, 2017, will be placed before the Union Cabinet for approval.

Depending upon profits, the PSUs are categorised into different schedules, with highest being Schedule A. There are currently 64 Schedule A, 68 Schedule B, 45 Schedule C and 4 Schedule D CPSEs in the country.
The committee has recommended that the rate of House Rental Allowance (HRA) will be revised to 27 per cent, 18 per cent and 9 per cent when industrial dearness allowance (IDA) crosses 50 per cent, and further revised to 30 per cent, 20 per cent and 10 per cent when IDA crosses 100 per cent.

The panel recommended no change in the IDA pattern and the 100 per cent DA neutralisation shall continue to be applicable.

Revised IDA from January 1, 2017, shall be linked to All India Consumer Price Index (AICPI) (2001=100) series with the base of AICPI as on January 1, 2017 as per the quarterly average of AICPI of September, October and November 2016.

The committee has also suggested that the annual increment be retained at 3 per cent of Basic Pay.
It has further recommended that increment on promotion shall continue to be at par with the annual increment rate (3 per cent of Basic Pay).

The panel has recommended no change in the retirement age for CPSE employees.

Besides, it said that ESOP being a concept beneficial for both CPSEs and its employees, the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) should elaborate the mechanism in consultation with concerned authorities to enable introduction of ESOP in listed CPSEs with empowerment to the Board or Administrative Ministry to approve the same.

It will be in lieu of part of performance related pay.

Profit making CPSEs, which can bear the cost of VRS with their own surplus resources, are allowed to implement VRS policy by allowing compensation/ex-gratia on the revised pay scales proposed to be effective from January 1, 2017.

The committee has also recommended a modified performance related pay but said that the overall profit distribution should be linked to 5 per cent of the annual profit accruing from core business activity.

PTI

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Admissibility of Deputation (Duty) Allowance while on deputation

Admissibility of Deputation (Duty) Allowance while on deputation

No. 2/6/2016-Estt.(Pay-II)
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
Department of Personnel and Training

North Block, New Delhi
Dated: 23rd February 2017

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject: Admissibility of Deputation (Duty) Allowance while on deputation - regarding.
The undersigned is directed to refer to this Department’s O.M. of even number dated 17th February 2016 vide which powers were delegated to Ministries / Departments / borrowing organisations to extend deputation tenures up to a period not exceeding 7 years at a stretch, in respect of cases covered by the O.M. dated 17th June 2010.

2. The matter regarding the admissibility of Deputation (Duty) Allowance in view of the change in maximum number of years of deputation tenure as provided above has been examined in this Department.

3. As per Para 8.3.2 of the OM No. 6/8/2009-Estt.(Pay-II) dated 17th June 2010, where the extension is granted up to the fifth year, the official concerned will continue to be allowed Deputation (Duty) Allowance, if he/she has opted to draw deputation (duty) allowance.

4. This Department’s O.M. No. 2/6/2016-Estt.(Pay-II) dated 17th February 2016 delegates powers to Ministries / Departments / borrowing organisations, to extend deputation tenures up to a period of 7 years in a stretch, in respect of cases covered by the O.M. dated 17th June 2010. However, there has been no modification of the Para 8.3.2. of the O.M. dated 17th June 2010 by the O.M. dated 17th February 2016. The new O.M. dated 17th February 2016 provides vide Para 4 that all other terms and conditions issued vide OM No. 6/8/2009-Estt.(Pay-II) dated 17th June 2010 will remain unchanged.

5. Thus, admissibility of Deputation (Duty) Allowance would be only as per Para 8.3.2 of the O.M. dated 17th June 2010, i.e. only up to the fifth year, if the deputationist has opted to draw Deputation (Duty) Allowance.

(A.K. Jain)

Deputy Secretary to the Government of India

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7th CPC Allowance Committee Report Submitted to the Government or not?

Was the 7th CPC Allowance Committee Report submitted to the government as early as February 22?

7th CPC Allowance Committee Report Submitted to the Government or not?

Was the 7th CPC Allowance Committee Report submitted to the government as early as February 22?
A high-level committee, under the chairmanship of Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa was constituted by the Central Government to review the Seventh Pay Commission’s recommendations regarding the allowances being given to the Central Government employees. According to information, the committee had already submitted its report on February 22.

Irrespective of who possesses the report now - the committee or the government - what is more intriguing is the recommendations that it contains.

One could see that the 7th Pay Commission suggested either rationalization or simplification at many places. An example is the Pay Matrix Table, which has now brought the entire Pay Structure of more than 35 lakh employees under one Table. Although there are some anomalies, the system has dramatically simplified the process of annual increment calculation and also pay fixation on Promotion or MACP.

At present 196 different kinds of allowances are being given to the Central Government employees. Some modifications have been recommended in these too as part of the rationalization and simplification drive. The Seventh Pay Commission has recommended the abolition of 52 allowances. And another 36 allowances have been abolished as separate identities, but subsumed either in an existing allowance or in newly proposed allowances.

The Commission said that the entire range of allowances is administered in broadly four ways. Fully DA indexed Allowances, Partially or Semi DA indexed Allowances, No DA indexation Allowances and Percentage based Allowances. House Rent Allowance is being under the category of Percentage based Allowances. The Commission also said that the compensation towards the housing needs of Central Government employees is covered in many ways. The Commission finally suggested that the percentage based allowances by a factor of 0.8, the Commission recommends that HRA should be rationalized to 24 percent, 16 percent and 8 percent of the Basic Pay for Class X, Y and Z cities respectively.

The big irritation, or rather disappointment to the Central Government employees was the recommendation to reduce the percentage of House Rent Allowance (HRA).

All trade unions have expressed their harsh opposition to the proposed cuts in HRA. The Central Government employees’ Federations also expressed their disappointment through various protest. Finally the Central Government accepted to constitute a high level committee to examine the recommendations of 7th Pay Commission regarding Allowances.

Now, sources claim that the committee has already submitted its report to the government.

The government can announce its final decision on the recommendations of the committee any day. But, many believe that there could be a delay in the announcements due to the state elections that are being held in various parts of the country and the election commission’s guidelines that are being enforced now.
Unconfirmed reports say that the committee has recommended the percentage rates of HRA as per 6th CPC and changes in the method of calculating Transport Allowances also.

The biggest mystery however is - will these recommendations be given retrospective effect and will arrears be given?

Three dates are currently being suggested - January 1, 2016; August 1, 2016; and April 1, 2017.
Only the Central Government has all the answers right now.

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7th Pay Commission: Higher allowances announcement soon

7th Pay Commission: Higher allowances announcement soon

New Delhi: Central government employees are waiting almost seven months to receive higher allowances under the 7th Pay Commission recommendations in their paychecks. Senior Finance Ministry sources say the government is expected to make the announcement of higher allowances after five states assembly polls.
The central government employees received higher basic pay in August 2016 with arrears, effective from January 1, 2016 on the recommendations of the 7th pay commission but the hike in allowances other than dearness allowance has yet to materialize.

The 7th Pay Commission recommendations have wrapped up, in June last year, but the central government employees still waiting for payments owed them i.e higher allowances.

The delays are because the allowances other than dearness allowance referred to the ‘Committee on Allowances’ headed by the Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa for examination as the pay commission had recommended of abolishing 51 allowances and subsuming 37 others out of 196 allowances.

The Committee on Allowances was initially given a time of four months to submit its report to the Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

In October last year, Ashok Lavasa was quoted by some media outlets as saying he was ready with the report.

However, the committee was later given an extension till February 22, 2017 to submit its report on the pretext of demonetisation and the government said that the cash crunch was the reason behind the delay in announcing higher allowances.

According to some reports, the government is likely to give its nod to the revised allowances once the Assembly elections in five states are over. The revised allowances are expected to be effective from April 1, which marks the beginning of the new financial year.

The sources said the Committee on Allowances report states the current HRA slab, which is 30 per cent of basic pay, for metros. An announcement on the same is expected soon.

However, the pay commission had recommended reducing the house rent allowance (HRA) to 24 per cent of basic pay as against the 30 per cent of basic pay employees were drawing under the Sixth Pay Commission.

TST

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Cabinet Decision on 7th CPC Allowances only after 11th March 2017

Cabinet Decision on 7th CPC Allowances only after 11th March 2017

"Retention of the rates of HRA and date of effect of allowances should be from 1st January 2016 and revision of rates of Transport allowances, OTA and NDA apart from retention of many of the allowances - COC Karnataka".

Allowances

Comrades,
The media is debating that the allowances committee headed by Shri Ashok Lavasa Finance Secretary has submitted its report to the Hon’ble Finance Minister Arun Jaitleyji on 22nd or not. Comrades as you aware that this committee period has expired on 22nd February 2017, the question is that even if it has submitted its report to the Hon’ble Finance Minister Arun Jaitleyji it is confidential document all media creation on the HRA rates are not be believed, the actual truth will be known only after the assembly elections results of five states which will be declared on March 11.

The past experience is that even if the committee decides positively the union cabinet had turn down the recommendations of the committee, hence speculation is not correct, only after the union cabinet approves the recommendations of the committee, the new orders is issued.

The main demands of the CG employees is retention of the rates of HRA and date of effect of allowances should be from 1st January 2016 and revision of rates of Transport allowances, OTA and NDA apart from retention of many of the allowances.

Comrades instead of speculation it would be better we focus on the 16th March 2017 strike, which would put pressure on the Central Government to yield to our charter of demands.

Comradely yours
(P.S.Prasad)
General Secretary

Source: http://karnatakacoc.blogspot.in/

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Sources Confirmed Allowance Committee Report Submitted

Sources Confirmed Allowance Committee Report Submitted

One of the NJCA leader, On Condition of Anonymity, told that the committee constituted to examine the allowance has finalized its reports and submitted it to the Government on 22nd February 2017.
On asking whether the NJCA knew the details of the committee report, he said that they were not provided with the committee report. But the committee has informed them that their demand on allowance would be considered favorably.

Hence it is expected the HRA will be retained in old rates (Sixth CPC rates) from the beginning itself and will be paid in 7th CPC Pay Scale when revised allowances come into effect. However, the news of revised allowances would be implemented with effect from 1.4.2017 is not reliable. NJCA will not accept this and clearly said that it should be implemented with effect from 1.1.2016 retrospectively.

X cities- 30%
Y cities- 20%
Z cities- 10%

Transport Allowance may be split into two elements as CCA and TA as it was paid in fifth CPC. The Rates will be delinked from DA and will Fixed in slab rates.

The Government will announce its decision over the committee report after the last phase of state elections ie after 8th March 2017.

Source: http://govtstaffnews.in/

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whether Government has any proposal to extend same benefits to paramilitary forces at par with army?

'Benefits to paramilitary forces at par with army' issue raised in Parliament :

whether Government has any proposal to extend same benefits to paramilitary forces at par with army?

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS
RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-710
ANSWERED ON-08.02.2017

Benefits to paramilitary forces at par with army
710 . Shri A. Vijayakumar
(a) whether Government has any proposal to extend same benefits to paramilitary forces at par with army;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether there is any such pending demand by paramilitary forces; and
(d) if so, the details thereof?

ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS
(SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)

(a) to (d): The proposals from Central Armed Police Force for grant of benefits at par with Army include, inter-alia, Risk & Hardship Allowance, Para Military Service Pay, Discontinuation of New Pension Scheme etc. The CAPF personnel are entitled for pension and other pensionary benefits as per Central Civil Service (Pension) Rules 1972, which are different from the pension rules applicable to Ex-servicemen. The 7th CPC has not recommended grant of Para Military Service Pay to the CAPFs. The 7th CPC has recommended a common regime of Risk and Hardship Allowance for Army and CAPFs which is under consideration of the Committee on Allowances.

Authority: www.rajyasabha.nic.in

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