7th Pay Commission: High-level panel to look into employees' demands

New Delhi, Jul 6: A high-level committee will soon be set up to look into issues raised by various unions of central government employees on pay scales and other recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission.

"A new high-level committee will soon be set up to look into the grievances raised by the employee unions," a top government official told PTI.

Expressing dissatisfaction over the recommendations of the Pay Commission, various central government employees' unions have threatened to go on an indeifinite strike from July 11. Earlier in the day, representatives of various unions met Home Minister Rajnath Singh for deliberations over their concerns after which the government termed the talks as "positive".

Today's was the second meeting the employees' unions had with the government on the issue. Earlier, they had met the Group of Ministers chaired by Singh on June 30.

The GoM includes Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu. The Unions had asked the government to set up a committee to look into issues raised by them in relation to the pay scales and other recommendations of the Pay Commission.

"The Ministers assured the Union leaders that the issues raised by them would be considered by a High Level Committee," the Finance ministry said in a statement late in the evening.

The National Joint Council of Action (NJCA) of central government employees' unions including Railways, Post and Telegraph and Defence have announced an indefinite strike from July 11 against the "unilateral" announcement of the Central government on implementation of 7th Pay Commission's awards.

A number of employees' unions have extended support to the proposed strike call by NJCA. The unions have said the recommended pay hike was the lowest in the last 70 years.

They have also accused the government of announcing the awards "unilaterally" without any consultation with them. The Central Trade Unions will be meeting tomorrow to chalk out an action plan and express their solidarity with the government employees.

RSS affiliate Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) and other trade unions have rejected the recommendations, contending that it would increase disparity between the minimum and maximum pay.

Maintaining that the government has "disappointed" the employees, BMS has announced country-wide protests on July 8 against the decision and warned implementation of the 7th pay commission's recommendations may lead to industrial unrest.

PTI