8th Pay Commission: Big news for central employees. More than 8 months have passed since the formation of the 8th Pay Commission. During this period, the Commission has held several major meetings from Delhi to Lucknow and Kolkata. The Commission is talking to all sections and organizations so that a new report can be prepared on its basis. The most discussed topic among employees and pensioners right now is the fitment factors. Employee organizations have demanded to keep the fitment factor between 3.83 and 4. Let us tell you, the decision of the 8th Pay Commission will have a direct impact on 1.1 crore employees.
What are the experts saying?
Some experts suggest that the fitment factor might range from 1.90 to 2.10, considering the current situation. They also believe that achieving a fitment factor above 2.3 appears unlikely. It’s interesting to note that the fitment factor was recorded at 1.86 during the 6th Pay Commission, while it reached 2.57 during the 7th Pay Commission. As a result, employees’ basic salaries rose from Rs 7,000 to Rs 18,000.
According to reports, Some experts indicates that the fitment factor could be between 2.28 and 2.86. Employee organizations are advocating for an increase in the current HRA and have also requested a rise in the transport allowance. They argue that the existing HRA is inadequate for even the lowest-paid employees in cities like Delhi, hence the need for an increase.
There is also a significant demand for DA
Organizations are calling for substantial changes in DA from the 8th Pay Commission. They argue that if the DA is set at 25 percent, it should be added to the basic pay, which is not the case at present. Currently, the DA for central government employees stands at 60 percent. The last adjustment made by the government was a 2 percent increase in DA.
This Finance Commission was established in November of last year and has 18 months to finalize its report. The Central Government will base its decisions regarding employee salary increases and other related matters on this report. It’s important to note that the Commission has yet to announce any modifications to the fitment factor, basic pay, or HRA, leaving only speculation in the air.