When will the Narendra Modi-government listen to the demands of its 50 lakh Central government employee and increase their minimum pay? The question is yet to be answered as the government has not made any announcement in this regard yet. But reports are coming out at regular intervals whenever any concerned ministry official hints at a possibility.
First, there were reports that the Modi government would made the announcement of further hike in the minimum pay on Independence Day but it didn’t happen. Again, rumours started making rounds that there will be an announcement before Dussehra or on Diwali.
After receiving no clarification from the government, the CG employees decided to resort to strike but soon government issued warning stating that stern action would be taken against those remain absent from office and join the stir.
Meanwhile, if the latest reports are to be believed, the Modi government is eyeing the pay hike as an opportunity to woo voters for the ensuing 2019 general polls. It is believed that any such announcement related to hike will have a positive impact on the huge mass of CG employees and may add to the prospects of the BJP in the elections.
Similarly, if the above reports are anything to go by, the Modi government will make the announcement anytime before March, at least before the code of conduct for the 2019 elections comes into force.
Now, one more question arises… What will be the hike? Will the Modi government accept the demand of the CG employees and go for Rs 26000 minimum pay? Or, there will be a further hike against the recommendation of the 7th Pay commission but it will be around Rs 22000?
Earlier, rumours were there that the government would not go for Rs 8000 hike (the CG employees’ present minimum pay is Rs 18000), rather it would announce a hike of something around Rs 22000 by taking into the account inflation and the market situation.
On the other hand, the NDA government recently increased DA of the CG employees by 2% taking it to 9%. So, an employee with the present minimum pay of Rs 18,000, will now get a DA of around Rs 1620.
Prasanta Patnaik