Minimum HRA Calculation will benefit only few thousand employees – Confederation
“Decision of the Govt. to retain minimum HRA of 5400, 3600 and 1800
as 30, 20 & 10% of minimum pay of 18,000. It will not benefit 7.5
lakhs employees in lower level 1, 2 and 3. It will benefit only few
thousand employees.”
FALSE PROPAGANDA & UNFOUNDED CRITICISM BY SUPPORTERS OF NDA GOVERNMENT’S DECISION ON ALLOWANCES
FALSE PROPAGANDA & UNFOUNDED CRITICISM BY SUPPORTERS OF NDA GOVERNMENT’S DECISION ON ALLOWANCES
Immediately on announcement of Govt’s decision on Allowances a
well-orchestrated propaganda was unleashed by the NDA Govt through media
and its political machinery and also through some organizations and
employees who supported the Government’s decision. The crux of the
propaganda is as follows :-
1) It has been decided by the Government that HRA shall not be less than
5400, 3600 & 1800 for X, Y, and Z category of cities respectively.
This floor rate has been calculated @ 30%, 20% and 10% of the minimum
pay of 18,000-. This will benefit more than 7.5 lakhs employees
belonging to pay level 1,2, and 3.
2) It is because of the JCM Staffside Federations who opposed and
rejected the HRA rate recommended by Pay Commission, the employees have
lost one and half years arrears of allowances. Government was ready to
implement HRA and allowances from 01-01-2016 along with Revised Pay.
3) Even in the past Revised HRA and other Allowances were not given from
the same date. HRA and other Allowances are implemented from a later
date without retrospective effect.
The propaganda and criticism, though not succeeded, should not go
uncountered. This is part of a deliberate attempt by the Govt. and its
political machinery to misguide the general public and employees.
The following facts will reveal the hollowness of the propaganda of the
Govt, and the criticism of those who supports the Govt’s decision.
(1) More than 7.5 lakhs lower level employees ( in pay level 1, 2 and 3)
will be benefited due to the decision of the Govt. to retain minimum
HRA of 5400, 3600 and 1800 as 30, 20 & 10% of minimum pay of
18,000-.
It will not benefit 7.5 lakhs employees in lower level 1, 2 and 3. It will benefit only few thousand employees.
In Pay level – I the starting pay is 18,000-. After getting eight (8)
increments (eight years service) pay will become 22,800-. An employee
drawing 22,800- will get HRA above 5400, 3600, 1800 even if the HRA is
24% (5472) 16% (3648) and 8% (1824).
In Pay level – 2 the starting pay is 19,900- After getting five
increments (5 years service) pay will become 23,100-. The official will
draw 5544 (24%) 3696 (16%) and 1848 (8%) even if the minimum 5400, 3600,
1800 is not retained.
In Pay level – 3 the starting pay is 21,700-. After getting 2 increments
the pay will become 23,100- . 24% (5544), 16% (3696) and 8% (1848) will
be above 5400, 3600 and 1800-.
From the above it can be seen that only those officials below 8 years
service in Pay level – 1, below 5 years service in Pay level – 2 and 2
years services in Pay level – 3 will be benefited by the decision of the
Govt to retain 5400-, 3600- and 1800- at level 1, 2 and 3 as minimum
HRA at X, Y and Z class cities respectively. How many central Govt
employees below 8 years service in level -1 and below 5 years service in
level -2 and below 2 years service in level – 3 will be working in the
Central Govt departments as on date. Only few thousands. All others in
level -1,2 and 3 will draw more than 5400-, 3600- and 1800-even if HRA
is 24%, 16% and 8%. This being the reality, Govt through its press
release given to media made false propaganda that 7.5 lakh employees
will be benefited by the Govt’s decision !!! And those who welcomed the
Govt’s decision are repeating the same lies.
(2) It is because of the Federation leaders representing JCM National
Council Staffside who opposed the HRA rate recommended by 7th CPC,
employees lost one and half year arrears.
What is real fact?
Every time when Pay Commissions submit its report to Govt,
Implementation Committee or Empowered Committee is constituted by the
Govt to examine the recommendations of the CPC and submit report to the
Govt for acceptance by Cabinet. The implementation Committee or
Empowered Committee will call for suggestions / modifications to the CPC
recommendations from all organizations including National Council JCM
Staffside. This time also Govt and the Implementation Committee followed
the same procedure.
Accordingly, National Council JCM Staffside submitted detailed
memorandum to Govt and Implementation Committee / Empowered Committees,
seeking 26 modifications in the recommendations including Minimum Pay,
Fitment formula, Allowances including HRA, Transport Allowance,
Advances, MACP conditions, CCL conditions etc.,. The JCM Staffside also
presented their view points before the Implementation Committee headed
by Joint Secretary and Empowered Committee headed by Cabinet Secretary.
Suppose the JCM Staffside leaders / Federations decides not to submit
any memorandum seeking modifications in the retrograde recommendations
of the 7th CPC before the Implementation Committee / Empowered
Committees and keep quite ( as argued by those who criticize the leaders
and support the 7th CPC recommendations), what will be the reaction of
the employees ? Will they not blame the leaders for silently supporting
the Govt for implementing all the retrograde and negative
recommendations of the 7th CPC ?
Inspite of JCM Staffside requesting for modifications the Cabinet on Pay
Scale meeting held on 29-06-2016 decided to accept the recommendations
of the 7th CPC without any modifications, rejecting the modifications
requested by the Staffside. Cabinet also decided to refer all the
allowances including HRA to a Committee headed by Finance &
Expenditure Secretary.
Cabinet on 29-06-2016 has not decided to grant 24%, 16% and 8% HRA
recommended by 7th CPC. Then where is the question of accepting or
rejecting the decision of the Govt when there was no such decision by
the Cabinet.
Not only JCM Staffside Federations almost all the Unions / Federations /
Associations have submitted memorandum to Govt seeking modifications in
the retrograde recommendations of 7th CPC. What is wrong in it ? The
fact is that Govt deliberately constituted the Allowance Committee and
referred HRA and other Allowances to the Committee to delay and deny the
arrears from 01-01-2016. Instead of protesting against the Govt’s
decision (that is what Confederation has done), those who are
desperately trying to turn the anger and resentment of the employees
against Unions / Federations who demanded modifications, are bound to
fail, as Central Govt employees are not that much fools to believe that
propaganda.
(3) Even in the past, HRA and Allowances were not given retrospective effect.
Govt and those who welcomed and thanked Govt for its decision on
allowances are continuously repeating the argument that in the past also
allowances were not given retrospective effect from the date of
Revision of Pay. But what is the actual fact?
In the past, revised allowances including HRA were granted from the
month / next month of notification of Revised Pay Rules. Even then JCM
Staffside has not welcomed or thanked the Govt but strongly protested
and demanded grant of allowances from the same date from which Revised
Pay is implemented. Even if the old practice is taken as precedence,
this time employees have every right to get revised allowances including
HRA from 01-07-2016 as Revised (Pay) Rues was notified on 25-07-2016.
Those who welcomed the Govt’s decision are consciously and deliberately
hiding this fact as many employees do not know what has happened in the
past.
The NDA Govt and its political machinery has made this type of
propaganda when the Cabinet approved the recommendations of Pay scales
recommended by the 7th CPC on 29-06-2016 without any modifications. At
that time the propaganda was “big bonanza” to Central Government
employees. This time also the same method of propaganda is adopted and
the unfortunate part of it, is that some of our friends representing
employees too contributed to such a false and baseless propaganda.
Yours comradely,
sd/-
(M.KRISHNAN)
Secretary General
Confederation
Mob&whatsapp:09447068125
E-mail:mkrishnan6854@gmail.com
