8th Pay Commission : The Central Government has finally constituted the 8th Pay Commission. This commission will review the salaries, allowances, and other benefits of central government employees and pensioners. The commission will present its new recommendations regarding the salary structure. The government has also announced its chairman, members, head office, and working procedures, i.e., Terms of Reference (TOR).
Who will be the members of the commission?
According to the notification of the Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance, the 8th Pay Commission will have three members.
Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai – Chairperson
Professor Pulak Ghosh – Part-time Member
Pankaj Jain – Member Secretary
This commission will review the salary structure of central government employees, defence forces, All India Services, Union Territory personnel, judicial officers and various other categories of employees.
8th Pay Commission Head Office
The Commission will be headquartered in New Delhi, where it will conduct all its operations, meetings and report preparation.
What will the 8th Pay Commission do?
The 8th Pay Commission will develop a pay structure that is fair, incentivizes performance, and is performance-based, taking into account current economic conditions and financial responsibilities. The 8th Pay Commission aims to make government jobs more attractive, increase responsibility and accountability among employees, and build performance. The Commission will recommend necessary changes in the salaries, allowances, bonuses, pensions and other facilities of the employees so that their structure becomes timely and logical.
Key Terms of Reference (TOR) of the 8th Pay Commission
Review of Pay and Allowances
The commission will review the pay, allowances, facilities and benefits of all categories of employees, including industrial and non-industrial employees of the central government, members of the defence forces, officers of the All India Services, employees of Union Territories, audit departments, employees of the Supreme Court and High Courts (in UTs) and judicial officers.
Recommendation of new pay structure
The Commission will develop a salary structure that attracts talented employees to government service and improves employee efficiency. The Commission will review the existing bonus scheme. It will review all allowances, examining their utility and conditions. It will eliminate unnecessary allowances.
Review of Pension and Gratuity
The death-cum-retirement gratuity (DCRG) will be reviewed for employees transitioning to the National Pension System (NPS). Recommendations will also be made on pension and gratuity rules for employees under the old pension system who are outside the NPS. The 8th Pay Commission will determine its own procedures for carrying out its work. It may involve experts, consultants, and institutions. Ministries and departments will be required to provide the Commission with all necessary information and documents. The government has expressed hope that state governments, employee unions, and other stakeholders will cooperate fully with the Commission to ensure timely preparation of its report.